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Backend Engineer salary benchmark

Builds APIs, services, and data layers. Solid SQL.

Updated Jun 15, 2026

Backend Engineer at the mid-level band posts a p50 of $171k across 25 qualifying postings. Band width (p25–p90) at the mid-level band spans $130k – $290k.

Levelp25p50p75p90n
mid$130k$171k$221k$290k25

Companies hiring Backend Engineer

Top 5 by active postings over the trailing 26 weeks.

  • Speechify28 roles · p50 $170k
  • Elastic10 roles · p50 $146k
  • MongoDB10 roles · p50 $162k
  • Apple8 roles
  • Databricks8 roles · p50 $166k

See the full list →

Common stacks for Backend Engineer

Stacks mentioned most often in Backend Engineer postings. Each links to a narrowed benchmark page.

  • aws41 postings · p50 $135k
  • python26 postings · p50 $130k
  • java18 postings · p50 $113k
  • kubernetes17 postings · p50 $135k
  • distributed systems14 postings · p50 $162k
  • api14 postings · p50 $182k
  • docker13 postings · p50 $130k
  • postgresql12 postings · p50 $166k

Backend Engineer by city

Top hiring markets for Backend Engineer. Each links to a narrowed benchmark page.

  • Non-US21 postings · p50 $143k
  • Remote19 postings · p50 $179k
  • NYC6 postings · p50 $155k
  • SF5 postings · p50 $245k
  • Austin3 postings
  • US-Other2 postings · p50 $112k
  • Seattle2 postings · p50 $238k
  • Chicago1 postings · p50 $200k

Frequently asked questions

What does a Backend Engineer typically earn?
Median compensation for Backend Engineer is in the table above, broken down by experience level. Numbers reflect the trailing 26 weeks of disclosed-salary postings only.
How wide is the compensation band for Backend Engineer?
Band width varies by level. At the mid-level band, p25 sits at $130k and p90 at $290k — a ratio you can use to gauge how much variance to expect when interviewing for Backend Engineer positions.
Where can I see live Backend Engineer job postings?
The "Companies hiring Backend Engineer" list below shows the companies with the most active postings for this role. You can also browse the underlying job posts at /jobs filtered to this role.

Methodology

Percentiles computed via PERCENTILE_CONT(p) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY salary_mid) on disclosed salary ranges only — full methodology.

← Backend Engineer role overview→ Companies hiring Backend Engineer