- 1.Seattle salaries are within 5-10% of Bay Area while having no state income tax—best net outcome for high earners
- 2.Microsoft and Amazon headquarters provide massive employment base with 100K+ combined tech workers
- 3.Cost of living is 15-20% lower than San Francisco (COL index 159 vs 188)
- 4.Seattle TC at Big Tech rivals Bay Area: Senior SWE at Microsoft/Amazon earn $280K-$400K
- 5.Strong presence from Google, Meta, and smaller tech companies expanding Seattle offices
Seattle Tech Salaries Overview
Seattle is arguably the best city for tech workers optimizing for financial outcome. Salaries approach Bay Area levels, there's no state income tax, and cost of living is 15-20% lower. The presence of Microsoft and Amazon headquarters creates massive demand for tech talent.
Seattle Tech Salaries by Role
| Role | Entry (0-2 yr) | Senior (5-8 yr) | Staff+ (8+ yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $125K-$155K | $165K-$195K | $195K-$270K |
| Data Scientist | $115K-$145K | $155K-$185K | $185K-$245K |
| Product Manager | $125K-$155K | $165K-$200K | $200K-$270K |
| DevOps/SRE | $115K-$145K | $160K-$195K | $195K-$255K |
Source: Glassdoor, Levels.fyi 2024
Source: Levels.fyi 2024
Microsoft vs Amazon: Seattle's Giants
Microsoft and Amazon together employ over 100,000 tech workers in the Seattle area. Their compensation structures differ significantly.
Microsoft vs Amazon Senior Engineer
L63/64 vs L6 comparison
Amazon L6 (Senior SDE)
Median Annual Salary
Microsoft 64 (Senior)
Median Annual Salary
Microsoft vs Amazon Compensation Structure
| Factor | Microsoft | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | Higher ($200K+ possible) | Capped at ~$185K |
| Equity | Annual grants (RSUs) | Front-loaded, declining |
| Bonus | 15-25% of base | Signing only (years 1-2) |
| Work-Life Balance | Generally better | High intensity culture |
| PIP Culture | Less common | Stack ranking, more PIPs |
Source: Employee reports, Glassdoor
Other Major Seattle Tech Employers
Beyond the two giants, Seattle has strong presence from other tech companies.
Major Seattle Tech Employers
| Company | Seattle Employees | Senior SWE TC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | ~55,000 | $320K-$420K | HQ1, all teams |
| Microsoft | ~50,000 | $300K-$400K | Redmond HQ |
~8,000 | $350K-$450K | Cloud, YouTube | |
| Meta | ~5,000 | $350K-$420K | Growing presence |
| Salesforce | ~3,000 | $260K-$350K | Post-acquisition growth |
| Zillow | ~3,000 | $240K-$320K | Seattle HQ |
| Expedia | ~3,500 | $220K-$300K | Seattle HQ |
Source: Levels.fyi, LinkedIn 2024
Washington's Tax Advantage
Washington has no state income tax, providing significant advantage for high earners. Combined with salaries near Bay Area levels, Seattle often provides the best net financial outcome.
Take-Home Comparison: Seattle vs Bay Area
| Factor | Seattle ($180K base) | Bay Area ($195K base) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $180,000 | $195,000 |
| Federal Tax (~24%) | -$43,200 | -$46,800 |
| State Tax | $0 | -$18,000 (9.3%) |
| Take-Home | ~$137,000 | ~$130,000 |
| COL Adjusted | $86,000 (COL 159) | $69,000 (COL 188) |
Source: Tax calculations (simplified)
Seattle vs Bay Area: Complete Comparison
For financial optimization, Seattle often wins. Here's the complete picture.
Seattle vs Bay Area
| Factor | Seattle | Bay Area | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominal Salary | $165K median | $175K median | Bay Area +6% |
| State Tax | 0% | 9-13% | Seattle |
| Cost of Living | 159 index | 188 index | Seattle -15% |
| Big Tech Options | High (MSFT, AMZN, GOOG) | Highest (all) | Bay Area slightly |
| Startup Scene | Growing | Largest | Bay Area |
| Net Financial Outcome | Often best | High gross, high cost | Seattle |
Source: Analysis
Salary data from crowdsourced databases, tax from state rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Taylor Rupe
Full-Stack Developer (B.S. Computer Science, B.A. Psychology)
Taylor combines formal training in computer science with a background in human behavior to evaluate complex search, AI, and data-driven topics. His technical review ensures each article reflects current best practices in semantic search, AI systems, and web technology.