Software engineer salary in Toronto, by level

What software engineers in Toronto are posted at in 2026, junior to staff. Public job postings only.

Salary ranges by level

Toronto software engineers are posted at $106K to $154K, median $119K at intermediate level and $139K to $185K, median $166K at senior level, base salary, 2026.

Level	Base salary, posted ranges
Junior (0 to 1 years)	Not enough posted ranges yet (n=7)
Intermediate (2 to 4 years)	$106K to $154K, median $119K, n=51
Senior (5 to 7 years)	$139K to $185K, median $166K, n=92
Staff / Lead (8+ years)	$163K to $232K, median $196K, n=65

Cite: Phil Mosher, Canadian tech salary data, baselinetalent.xyz, data as of October 29, 2026. CC BY 4.0.

Low to high is the middle half of employers' posted midpoints. For every other tech role in Toronto and what a hire costs an employer, see Toronto tech salaries.

Government survey figures

For software engineers and developers in Toronto, the government figures are: Job Bank median $117K, StatCan average offered wage $118K (Table 14-10-0444-01) for software engineers and designers (NOC 21231). Job Bank median $100K, StatCan average offered wage $92K (Table 14-10-0444-01) for software developers and programmers (NOC 21232). All levels, survey data, not job postings. They cover every level, so they sit below a senior posted range.

What moves the number

The same title can sit anywhere in the range. What I see move it most:

• The level they hire you at. "Senior" at one company is intermediate at another. Ask what the level means there.
• Where the company is based. Toronto's posted ranges include a lot of foreign-headquartered companies, which tend to post above local medians.
• Bonus and equity. Not in these numbers. Ask for them in dollars.
• Timing. A competing offer moves things more than anything you say in the room.

Cost of living

Average 2-bedroom rent in purpose-built rentals was $2,046 in October 2025 (vacancy 3.0%). Average asking rent across all listings was $2,554 in September 2026, down 1.4% year over year.

What I'd do

If your process takes more than two weeks from first call to offer, you're losing people. Post the range, keep the loop short and come in at the number you'd actually pay. The "hell yes" is always fast.

Methodology

Every number here comes from public job postings, with at least 10 postings from 5 employers per level.

How every number here is built, tested and checked against government data: how the salary data is built.