Real compensation benchmarks from Artemis Recruits' direct placement data across the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia — updated for 2026.
Select your market below. All figures represent base salary ranges. Total compensation including equity and bonus typically adds 15–40% depending on stage and seniority.
| Role | Base Salary (USD) | Total Comp (USD) | Experience | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer — Mid | $120k – $165k | $140k – $210k | 3–5 yrs | Very High |
| Software Engineer — Senior | $160k – $220k | $195k – $300k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Staff Engineer | $210k – $280k | $280k – $420k | 8–12 yrs | High |
| Principal Engineer | $260k – $360k | $360k – $560k+ | 10+ yrs | Selective |
| Backend Developer — Senior | $155k – $215k | $185k – $285k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Full Stack Engineer — Senior | $145k – $205k | $170k – $270k | 5–8 yrs | High |
| DevOps / Platform Engineer | $150k – $220k | $175k – $290k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| ML / AI Engineer | $180k – $270k | $240k – $400k+ | 4–8 yrs | Very High |
| Engineering Manager | $185k – $250k | $230k – $360k | 8+ yrs | High |
| Director of Engineering | $230k – $310k | $300k – $460k | 10+ yrs | Selective |
| VP of Engineering | $280k – $400k | $380k – $600k+ | 12+ yrs | Selective |
Data sourced from Artemis Recruits direct placements and market research, 2025–2026. San Francisco and New York typically 15–25% above ranges shown. Remote-first roles typically at or slightly below range midpoint.
| Role | Base Salary (GBP) | Total Comp (GBP) | Experience | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer — Mid | £65k – £90k | £70k – £105k | 3–5 yrs | Very High |
| Software Engineer — Senior | £90k – £130k | £100k – £160k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Staff Engineer | £125k – £170k | £145k – £210k | 8–12 yrs | High |
| Principal Engineer | £160k – £220k | £190k – £280k+ | 10+ yrs | Selective |
| Backend Developer — Senior | £85k – £125k | £95k – £150k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Full Stack Engineer — Senior | £80k – £120k | £88k – £142k | 5–8 yrs | High |
| DevOps / Platform Engineer | £85k – £130k | £95k – £155k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| ML / AI Engineer | £100k – £160k | £120k – £210k | 4–8 yrs | Very High |
| Engineering Manager | £110k – £155k | £125k – £190k | 8+ yrs | High |
| VP of Engineering | £160k – £220k | £190k – £300k+ | 12+ yrs | Selective |
London typically 10–20% above ranges shown. Excludes contractor day rates. IR35 status affects net take-home for contractors significantly.
| Role | Base Salary (AUD) | Total Comp (AUD) | Experience | Demand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer — Mid | $115k – $150k | $125k – $170k | 3–5 yrs | High |
| Software Engineer — Senior | $145k – $190k | $160k – $220k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Staff Engineer | $185k – $240k | $210k – $280k | 8–12 yrs | High |
| Backend Developer — Senior | $140k – $185k | $155k – $215k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| Full Stack Engineer — Senior | $135k – $175k | $148k – $200k | 5–8 yrs | High |
| DevOps / Platform Engineer | $145k – $195k | $160k – $225k | 5–8 yrs | Very High |
| ML / AI Engineer | $155k – $220k | $175k – $260k | 4–8 yrs | Very High |
| Engineering Manager | $170k – $225k | $190k – $265k | 8+ yrs | High |
| VP of Engineering | $210k – $295k | $240k – $360k+ | 12+ yrs | Selective |
Sydney and Melbourne typically 8–15% above national averages. All figures exclude superannuation (11%). Equity is less common in AU market outside US-backed companies.
68% of engineers in our network prefer hybrid or remote-first. Fully on-site roles see 40% fewer qualified applicants. Flexibility is now a compensation lever — not a perk.
Top reasons: below-market salary (42%), slow process — candidate took another offer (31%), poor interview experience (18%). Speed and competitiveness win every time.
Senior engineers: 28–45 days. Engineering Managers: 45–75 days. DevOps: 21–35 days. Top candidates have multiple offers within 10 days — move accordingly.
Engineers with production ML experience command a significant premium across all markets. Demand continues to far outstrip supply — especially for MLOps and applied AI roles.
Seed: 0.1–1.0%. Series A: 0.05–0.5%. Series B+: 0.01–0.15%. Engineers increasingly evaluate total comp — vesting schedule and cliff terms matter as much as the number.
73% of candidates we place receive a counter-offer from their current employer. Pre-empting this with a compelling package and clear growth story reduces drop-offs significantly.
We'll give you a real-time market read on what engineers in your specific roles and markets expect — so your offers land every time.