Junior FDE (0-2 years) - Shadow seniors, own small features. Comp: $120K-$200K

Mid-Level FDE (2-4 years) - Own full workstreams, lead design, mentor. Comp: $180K-$320K

Senior FDE (4-7 years) - Most complex engagements, define playbooks, drive strategy. Comp: $250K-$450K+

Lead / Manager (6-10 years) - Manage team, own region/vertical. Comp: $300K-$500K+

Field CTO / VP (8+ years) - Strategic partner, define methodology. Comp: $400K-$700K+

Alternative Paths

• Product Management
• Founding a Company
• Sales Engineering Leadership
• Architecture roles in SWE

Speed Advantage

FDEs advance junior to senior in 3-4 years vs 5-7 in SWE.

Avoiding the Plateau

1. Document your revenue impact
2. Build internal visibility
3. Develop a specialization
4. Mentor others
5. Have career conversations early

Where are you on the ladder? Share below.