Salary Guide
What the Occupations Behind Our Guides Actually Pay
Median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024) and projected growth through 2034 — mapped to the career guides on this site, with honest benchmarks where no official series exists yet.
How to read these numbers
- · A median is the middle of a national distribution — half earn more, half earn less. It is not an offer.
- · Figures are U.S.-based because BLS series are the most accessible and consistently updated. Adjust for your country and sector.
- · Wages are the May 2024 reference; projections cover 2024–34. Verify current data at bls.gov before negotiating.
Official Benchmarks
BLS-Tracked Occupations
| Occupation | Field | Median wage (2024) | Growth 2024–34 | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Physicists & Astronomers Nearest official benchmark for quantum computing and sensing roles. | Quantum | $155,680 | 7% | Read guide |
Computer & Information Research Scientists Covers advanced AI/ML research positions in labs and industry. | AI & Data | $140,910 | 26% | Read guide |
Software Developers The reference occupation for most application, platform, and mobile roles. | Software & Cloud | $133,080 | 15% | Read guide |
Information Security Analysts One of the fastest-growing occupations tracked by BLS. | Security | $124,910 | 29% | Read guide |
Data Scientists Fastest-growing occupation in the OOH; benchmark for analytics and ML roles. | AI & Data | $112,590 | 34% | Read guide |
Electrical Engineers Covers embedded hardware, chip, and IoT device engineering. | Software & Cloud | $111,910 | 9% | Read guide |
Bioengineers & Biomedical Engineers Reference for medical device and lab-automation engineering roles. | Bio & Health | $106,950 | 7% | — |
Database Administrators & Architects Data-layer administration, architecture, and reliability roles. | AI & Data | $104,620 | 8% | Read guide |
Mechanical Engineers Hardware side of robotics; autonomy software typically tracks the software median. | Robotics | $102,320 | 11% | — |
No Official Series Yet
Emerging Roles — Nearest Benchmarks
Roles like prompt engineering have no dedicated government wage series in 2026. Rather than invent figures, we show how employers typically price them against the official occupations above.
AI Prompt Engineer / Context Architect
AI & DataNo official series. Employers typically price it against senior software or research-scientist bands.
Read the guideMLOps Engineer
AI & DataSits between data scientists ($112,590) and software developers ($133,080) at most employers.
Read the guideSite Reliability Engineer (SRE)
Software & CloudCommonly paid at or above the software developer median due to on-call and reliability scope.
Read the guideDevOps & Continuous Integration Engineer
Software & CloudBenchmarked against software developers; cloud cost-optimization skills add a premium.
Read the guideFront-End UI/UX Software Engineer
Software & CloudGenerally tracks the software developer median; accessibility expertise adds leverage.
Read the guideMobile Engineer (Android / iOS)
Software & CloudPaid in line with software developers; platform specialists at top ecosystems exceed it.
Read the guideBlockchain Smart Contract Developer
Software & CloudHighly cyclical with crypto markets; security-audit skills command the top of the range.
Read the guideSoftware QA Automation Engineer
Software & CloudBLS groups QA with software testers in the 15%-growth software category; pay sits just below developers.
Projected group growth 2024–34: 15%
Read the guideBy Field
Pay Context Inside Each Field
AI & Data
For broad context, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $112,590 for data scientists and $140,910 for computer and information research scientists, with data scientist employment projected to grow about 34% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than average.
Full field analysisSoftware & Cloud
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $133,080 for software developers and projects employment for software developers, QA analysts, and testers to grow about 15% from 2024 to 2034.
Full field analysisSecurity & Cryptography
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $124,910 for information security analysts and projects employment to grow about 29% from 2024 to 2034 — one of the fastest rates among all occupations.
Full field analysisQuantum Technology
No dedicated government wage series exists for quantum roles yet. As a reference point, the BLS reports a May 2024 median of $140,910 for computer and information research scientists and $155,680 for physicists and astronomers; quantum engineers typically sit within or above these ranges at well-funded employers.
Full field analysisRobotics & Autonomous Systems
The BLS does not separate autonomy software engineers, but software developers earned a May 2024 median of $133,080 and mechanical engineers $102,320. Autonomy roles at robotics firms typically pay at or above the software median.
Full field analysisEnergy & Infrastructure
The BLS reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $111,910 for electrical engineers and $106,950 for electrical and electronics engineers overall; software-focused grid and control roles often track the software developer median of $133,080.
Full field analysisBio & Health Tech
The BLS reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $106,950 for bioengineers and biomedical engineers, and $133,080 for software developers; bioinformatics engineers usually sit between these benchmarks depending on employer type.
Full field analysisFAQ
Before You Negotiate
Why is a median not an offer?
A median describes a national distribution across experience levels, sectors, and regions. Entry offers sit below it; senior and specialized roles sit above. Use it as an anchor, then adjust for your level and location.
How much does location change pay?
Substantially. U.S. coastal tech hubs often pay 20–40% above the national median, while remote and lower-cost regions sit below it. Always localize with the BLS state and metro data before benchmarking yourself.
What about equity, bonuses, and on-call pay?
BLS medians cover wages and salaries only. Stock grants, bonuses, and on-call premiums — common in SRE, security, and startup roles — are excluded and can add 10–50% to total compensation.
Are these figures relevant outside the U.S.?
Directionally, yes — the ranking of occupations travels well. Absolute levels do not: consult your national statistics office or surveys such as Levels.fyi and Glassdoor for local calibration.
Sources
Where the Numbers Come From
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS OOH — Computer and Information Technology Occupations
- BLS OOH — Architecture and Engineering Occupations
- BLS OEWS — State and Metro Wage Data (localization)
Figures shown are May 2024 medians and 2024–34 projections from BLS series. This page is educational reference material and is not salary negotiation, legal, or financial advice.