Apple Software Engineer Salary

Apple is a global tech leader that hires hundreds of software engineers at different levels and specialties from all over the world. Known for offering industry leading compensation and benefits packages, Apple pays its software engineers very competitively among big tech. However, the Apple software engineer salary will vary depending on role, level, location, and other factors. So, how much can you expect to earn as a software engineer at Apple? Our salary negotiation team is here to help you figure that out.

With extensive experience negotiating hundreds of tech job offers, we provide insights based on real-world Apple salary negotiations and compensation research. In this guide, you'll find detailed information on Apple software engineer levels, the key components of an Apple software engineer salary, and a breakdown of average Apple SWE salary and total compensation packages by level and location.

Want to Negotiate Your Offer? Get offer-specific guidance from an Apple Salary Negotiation Coach. We help software engineers negotiate competitive job offers.

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Apple has a tiered structure for its software engineering roles just like you’d see at most competing big tech companies. Understanding the Apple software engineer levels are important before interviewing with and accepting an offer with Apple, as they influence your software engineering responsibilities, total compensation, and career trajectory within Apple. Apple determines the Apple SDE levels based on a combination of factors, including years of experience, the scope of responsibilities, software engineering specialty, and the overall impact of the role.

In this section, we provide an overview of the Apple software engineer levels to help you navigate their role levels. As a software engineer at Apple, you can follow either an Individual Contributor Tech (ICT) or Engineering Manager (M) career path. Below are the Apple SDE levels for the ICT track:

• Apple ICT2 Software Engineer (SDE I - Junior SDE)

• Apple ICT3 Software Engineer (SDE II)

• Apple ICT4 Software Engineer (SDE III - Senior SDE)

• Apple ICT5 Software Engineer (Staff SDE)

• Apple ICT6 Software Engineer (Principal SDE)

• Apple ICT7 Software Engineer (Distinguished SDE)

We focus on the Apple software engineering levels for the ICT track on this page, but for reference here are the Apple Engineering Manager levels for the manager track:

• Apple M1 Software Engineering Manager (Engineering Lead)

• Apple M2 Software Engineering Manager (Engineering Manager)

• Apple M3 Software Engineering Manager (Senior Engineering Manager)

• Apple D1 Software Engineering Manager (Engineering Director)

In an Apple software engineer salary package, you’ll find four core compensation components. For more in-depth details from us on Apple’s compensation structure, you can check out our Apple Salary Negotiation and Software Engineer Salary Negotiation articles. Below is a quick overview of what to expect before we cover the average compensation for Apple software engineer salary.

Apple Base Salary

This is the fixed amount you’ll receive in each paycheck for your Apple SWE salary. There are set base salary ranges for each Apple software engineering level and location.

Apple Performance Bonus

The performance bonus is a percentage of your base salary, determined by both individual and company performance. Depending on your Apple SDE level, the target bonus percentage typically starts at 5% and goes up to 25% for higher level roles.

Apple Equity Package

Upon joining Apple, you'll receive an initial grant of Apple Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). This Apple SWE salary perk will vest over a four-year period in equal increments, meaning you'll receive 25% of your RSUs each year at Apple.

Apple Sign-on Bonuses

Apple typically offers software engineers a sign-on bonus in the first year. This one-time bonus serves as an incentive to join Apple or to compensate for any benefits or perks you may lose when leaving your current company. 

Apple Stock Refreshers

These are annual Apple RSU equity grants that you may receive based on your annual software engineering performance review at Apple.

Apple has a set base salary and total compensation range for every Apple software engineer levels. While Apple typically aims to pay new hire software engineers within the lower to mid-range of these pay bands, we’ve successfully negotiated Apple software engineer salaries closer to the top end of each pay range.

Below, we’ve listed the average compensation for Apple software engineers across the Apple SDE levels. Note that these figures are Apple software engineer salary averages based on our research and negotiation experience, and not the top end of the Apple SWE salary bands. To identify and reach the top end of the pay range and secure a competitive Apple software engineer salary, we recommend working with an Apple Salary Negotiation Coach.

Apple SDE 1 Salary (ICT2)

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for an ICT2 Apple SDE 1 salary.

Apple SDE 2 Salary (ICT3)

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for an ICT3 Apple SDE 2 salary.

Apple Senior Software Engineer Salary (ICT4 – SDE 3)

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for an ICT4 Apple senior software engineer salary.

Apple Staff Software Engineer Salary (ICT5)

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for an ICT5 Apple staff software engineer salary.

Apple Principal Engineer Salary (ICT6)

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for an ICT6 Apple principal engineer salary.

Apple offers competitive pay for its software engineers, but Apple SWE salary can vary significantly depending on the location. For example, an Apple software engineer salary Seattle won't be the same as an Apple software engineer salary San Francisco, and an Apple software engineer salary UK will be different compensation than those in the US. As a one of the largest tech companies, Apple closely monitors cost-of-living differences when setting their base salary and total compensation ranges for software engineers.

Below, we’ve listed the average compensation for software engineers in some of Apple's key hiring locations for software engineers at the Apple senior software engineer salary level (ICT4). These figures are based on our research and negotiation experience and represent averages, not the top end of the Apple SWE salary bands. To identify and reach the top end of the salary range and secure a competitive offer at Apple in your specific location, we recommend working with an Apple Salary Negotiation Coach.

Apple Software Engineer Salary Austin

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary Austin.

Apple Software Engineer Salary Los Angeles

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary Los Angeles.

Apple Software Engineer Salary New York

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary New York.

Apple Software Engineer Salary San Francisco

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary San Francisco.

Apple Software Engineer Salary Seattle

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary Seattle.

Apple software engineer salaries vary significantly across countries and non-US locations will have different Apple SWE salary pay rates. For example, an Apple software engineer salary UK won't be the same as an Apple software engineer salary Canada. It will also be lower than what Apple pays software engineers in the US.

Below, we’ve listed the average compensation for software engineers in some of Apple's key international hiring locations for software engineers at the Apple senior software engineer salary level (ICT4). These figures are based on our research and negotiation experience and represent averages, not the top end of the Apple software engineer salary bands. To identify and reach the top end of the Apple SDE salary range and secure a competitive offer at Apple in Europe or Canada, we recommend working with an Apple Salary Negotiation Coach.

Apple Software Engineer Salary London, UK

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary London, UK.

Apple Software Engineer Salary Vancouver, Canada

Here is the average compensation we’ve seen for Apple Software Engineer Salary Vancouver, Canada.

Increasing the pay in your job offer at Apple requires a deep understanding of their compensation philosophy and the right salary negotiation strategy. Our expert Apple Salary Negotiation Coaching will help you navigate the negotiation process and secure the top end of Apple’s pay band.