Technology/Engineering
Engineering
Build and ship software, from first production code to org-wide technical leadership.
US medians, indicative and sourced — never a guarantee.
Roles at a glance
| Role | Level | Median (US) | Difficulty | Demand | AI-risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Software Engineer | IC1 | $124,000 | Med | Med | High |
| Software Engineer | IC2 | $168,000 | Med | High | Med |
| Senior Software Engineer | IC3 | $270,000 | High | High | Low |
| Engineering Manager | M1 | $300,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Staff Engineer | IC4 | $390,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Senior Engineering Manager | M2 | $415,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Principal Engineer | IC5 | $575,000 | High | Med | Low |
| Director of Engineering | M3 | $610,000 | High | Med | Low |
| VP of Engineering | M4 | $930,000 | High | Low | Low |
| CTO | M5 | $1,080,000 | High | Low | Low |
Climb the ladder
Progression is driven by scope and level, not tenure. Years shown are typical, not required.
Experience moves — time in seat plus delivery
Impact promotions — same track, bigger scope
Switching track — IC to management
The evidence
Typical route into CTO: VP of Engineering, ~5 yrs.
Source: CTAIO leadership guide; often a founder/hire step rather than a linear promotion
Readiness, quantified
Wherever you are on this ladder, the next rung is measurable.
Pick your current role and SkillReceipts maps every route open to you across technology — real pay at every rung, typical years per move, and exactly what's missing for the next one. Free, no sign-up.
Check my routes — free →Credentials that help
Credentials help entry and specialisation; scope drives seniority.
- CS / related bachelor's degree · $10k-$40k+/yr public in-state to private; highly variable
- Coding bootcamp (e.g. Hack Reactor, App Academy, Nucamp) · $13,584
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) · $150
Ask the advisor
The questions this page can't answer about you.
Map your trajectory first — the advisor answers against your role, your metro, and this family's sourced data.
Questions, answered straight
What does a career in engineering pay?
Entry-level Junior Software Engineer runs around $124,000 (US median, indicative); the family tops out near $1,080,000 at CTO. Every figure is a sourced, indicative range — location, company stage, and equity move it substantially.
Which engineering role is most in demand?
Software Engineer carries the strongest hiring demand in this family (high).
How do you move up in engineering?
Progression is by scope and level, not tenure — e.g. Junior Software Engineer → Software Engineer (~2 yrs typical). Each move on the ladder above shows its typical years and whether it's an impact promotion or a track switch.
How exposed is engineering to AI?
Junior Software Engineer carries the highest AI exposure in this family; Senior Software Engineer, Engineering Manager, Staff Engineer rate lowest — scope and judgment are the hedge. Ratings are indicative signals, not predictions.
Do you need a degree or certification for engineering?
Credentials help entry and specialisation — this family most often rewards CS / related bachelor's degree, Coding bootcamp (e.g. Hack Reactor, App Academy, Nucamp), AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03). Past entry, scope and delivered impact drive seniority more than paper.
Explore the roles
See what you'd earn on this ladder.
Pick your role. Sixty seconds later, every route through engineering is mapped.
See my routes — free →Figures are indicative, in USD, and never a guarantee of an outcome. Personas and guides are added as the family's content is authored.