Workday salaries by job title (2026)
Workday filed 253 certified H-1B applications for full-time roles in FY2026 Q1–Q3 (decisions Oct 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026). The median base salary is $161,637, and the middle half of offers fall between $135,533 and $189,592.
Workday base salary by job title
| Job title | Median base | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Development Engineer | $146,058 | $129,460 – $161,637 | 38 |
| Sr Software Development Engineer | $172,800 | $153,600 – $189,592 | 38 |
| Sr Associate Software Development Engineer | $109,283 | $109,283 – $109,283 | 13 |
| Principal, Software Development Engineer | $212,202 | $207,850 – $213,512 | 10 |
| Sr Software Engineer (Distributed Systems) | $170,050 | $165,900 – $186,527 | 10 |
| GTM Associate II | $74,000 | $74,000 – $82,139 | 7 |
| Principal, Machine Learning Engineer | $228,000 | $216,400 – $229,200 | 7 |
| Sr Machine Learning Engineer | $184,800 | $178,100 – $192,987 | 7 |
| Sr Cybersecurity Engineer | $156,200 | $156,200 – $164,450 | 6 |
| Sr Manager, Software Development Engineering | $231,222 | $217,776 – $267,009 | 6 |
| Cybersecurity Engineer | $134,410 | $130,200 – $134,410 | 5 |
| Manager, Software Development Engineering | $178,711 | $172,800 – $187,741 | 5 |
| Sr Information Systems Software Application Engineer | $199,761 | $199,761 – $202,112 | 5 |
By location
| Worksite | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasanton, CA | $187,574 | 102 |
| Atlanta, GA | $129,926 | 42 |
| Boulder, CO | $146,058 | 31 |
| New York, NY | $122,824 | 23 |
| Seattle, WA | $212,202 | 12 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $207,547 | 6 |
| McLean, VA | $156,200 | 5 |
| New York City, NY | $74,000 | 5 |
Take-home pay
Most of Workday's filings are for jobs in California. There, the median base of $161,637 leaves about $108,856 a year, or $9,071 a month, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and California taxes for a single filer with no 401(k) contributions. For Software Development Engineer ($146,058), it is about $99,860 a year. Use the California paycheck calculator to add a 401(k), a spouse or children.
Experience levels
Each filing names the prevailing-wage level the job was matched to, from entry level (I) to fully competent (IV).
| Wage level | Share of filings |
|---|---|
| I: Entry level | 7% |
| II: Qualified | 56% |
| III: Experienced | 9% |
| IV: Fully competent | 27% |
By occupation
| Occupation | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $165,900 | 165 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $96,350 | 18 |
| Information Security Analysts | $156,200 | 16 |
| Data Scientists | $143,400 | 11 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $118,400 | 11 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $244,668 | 10 |
About this data
- Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA disclosure data for FY2026 Q1–Q3 (decisions Oct 1, 2025 – Jun 30, 2026). Only certified H-1B applications for full-time positions are counted (384,130 filings).
- Each figure is the base wage the employer stated on the application, converted to a yearly amount. Bonuses, stock (RSUs) and benefits are not included, so total pay at large tech firms is usually much higher.
- An application is filed before a worker starts and can cover a range of pay; we use the lower end of that range. Not every application leads to a hire.
- Median: half of filings are above, half below. Middle 50%: the range between the 25th and 75th percentiles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average salary at Workday?
The median base salary in Workday's 253 certified H-1B filings is $161,637 a year, and the middle half fall between $135,533 and $189,592. Bonuses and stock are extra.
How much does a Software Development Engineer at Workday make?
The median base salary for Software Development Engineer is $146,058 across 38 filings (middle 50%: $129,460 – $161,637).
Where does Workday pay the most?
Among locations with at least five filings, Seattle, WA has the highest median base salary at $212,202.
What is $161,637 after tax in California?
About $108,856 a year ($9,071 a month) for a single filer after federal, Social Security, Medicare and California taxes.