Your guide to software engineering careers (with $$ salaries).

Software engineering makes for an exciting, varied career. One where you can dive deeply into the technical…or cross into the management side of things.

We’re talking: 

• Mobile + web application developers 
• Software developers 
• Software, senior + principal engineers 
• Tech leads.

Of course, whether you’re in the game already or want to start playing, it pays to know where things are at. 

Luckily, we’ve done the work for you with the 2024 Talenza Salary Guide. We’ve also pulled in Andy Hong, a Talenza management consultant, to shed even more light on how software engineering is scoring today. 

Let’s roll ⚽. 

The software engineering market today 

Right now, the software engineering market is is being driven by trends in: 

📊 Data 

🤖 AI 

🔐 Cybersecurity. 

Now, any one of those is kinda massive. But all of them? That’s got to start shaking things up. 

It has, according to Andy. Like many jobs these days, the pressure is on to do more. Be more. 

So it’s no surprise the notions of a software engineer role have changed dramatically. 

“Five years ago, you would typically have a front-end web engineer or a back-end engineer,” Andy explains. “Now, companies often expect a senior engineer to have expertise across multiple areas.” 

Specifically:

• API development 
• Cloud technologies + services 
• Databases 
• Systems design.

Teams are becoming leaner – putting higher expectations on staff to broaden their skill sets and handle multiple roles. So, despite fewer contracting jobs on offer, organisations are still grabbing those engineers with a wide range of skills – aka the ‘full stack engineer’. 

Thinking of going niche? Not the time! 

Speaking salaries – what can you expect? 

Still a good paycheck, it turns out. 

Graduates generally start with a base salary somewhere in the region of $90K and $100K. 

And, as you can see below, you’ll amp that up as you move through the ranks. Though, as ever, salaries will vary depending on experience, location and skill set.

Skills you’ll need to make it in software engineering 

Like we said, you’ll want solid skills across all sorts of tools and programming languages.

You’ll also need to keep on top of the latest software development methodologies and technologies. 

And yes. We know it’s a lot. 

“Companies are increasingly expecting more and more from software engineers,” agrees Andy. “The challenge lies with people trying to keep up-to-date, being an expert in everything and also – you know – having a life outside of work.” 

So where exactly do you start? 

How to get in (and stay in) software engineering 

If the industry is demanding more from you, then you need to know more. 

Here’s Andy’s advice: 

1. Be diverse but also…specialise 

Yes, it’s all about growing a wide range of skills. But don’t forget to also delve into your particular areas of interest. When you’re passionate about something, it’s far easier to excel 💪. 

2. Commit to lifelong learning

Stay sharp (and ahead of the curve) by staying on top of the latest trends and technologies. Software engineering is a fast-changing, ever-evolving field – and it’s easy to fall behind. 

Want to get a foothold into the industry?  Your best bet is a computer science degree. This will give you excellent grounding in all-things IT. Plus, it’ll help get you in the doors of those top-tier organisations. 

Need to brush up on some skills? Look into boot camps and courses at places like General Assembly.

3. Make time for connection

Become part of the software engineering community by attending all those meetups and networking events. 

There are plenty of ways to do this, such as:

• Meetup.com – for tailored events on topics like Java, web development and tech leadership 
• Sydney Technology Leaders – for insights from industry leaders. 

Yes, we know it’s another item for your to-do list. But you won’t regret putting in the effort. 

In fact, if you’re anything like most software engineers, you love getting your mind across new ideas and challenges! 

“I think a lot of software engineers enjoy the complexity and problem solving it brings,” says Andy. 

Does software engineering sound like you? 

Learn more by getting your hands on the 2024 Salary Guide. 

It’s chock-full of data, insights – and the salary you can actually expect. 

[Download now]