The average software engineer could earn up to $5,016,723 for a career that could last 40 years, with an annual salary of around $125,418. Plus, becoming a software engineer is typically more feasible than making it into a position on your favorite sports team. According to Paysa, engineering schools have a 63 percent acceptance rate. Of these, 60 percent graduate and actively seek work as engineers. 97 percent of these graduates end up with stable jobs.