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Salary Comparison

Retail Manager vs Software Engineer Salary

Software Engineers earn approximately 158.3% more than Retail Managers nationally — $124,000 vs $48,000.

Retail Manager
$48,000
national median annual
Hourly (40 hr × 52 wk)
$23
Biweekly (26 paychecks)
$1,846
Monthly
$4,000
Category
Retail
Software Engineer
$124,000
national median annual
Hourly (40 hr × 52 wk)
$60
Biweekly (26 paychecks)
$4,769
Monthly
$10,333
Category
Tech
Difference
Annual difference
Software Engineer earn more than Retail Manager
+$76,000
Percentage difference
+158.3%
Hourly difference
+$37/hour
Monthly difference
+$6,333/month
Lifetime difference (40-yr career)
Naive — doesn't include compounding raises
+$3,040,000
Reverse
→ Software Engineer vs Retail Manager — see this comparison from the other direction

Retail Manager vs Software Engineer: salary breakdown

On a national-median basis, Software Engineers out-earn Retail Managers by $76,000 per year — a 158.3% gap. That works out to roughly $6,333/month or $37/hour of difference.

Important context: these are MEDIANS — the middle salary in the country. Real-world variation is wide: entry-level roles in either career may pay 25-35% below median, while senior roles or specialized niches can pay 50-100%+ above. Your specific numbers depend on experience, location, employer, and credentials.

When does the salary gap matter most?

For someone choosing between these careers, the $76,000 annual difference compounds:

  • Over 10 years: ~$760,000 in raw salary difference
  • Over 40 years: ~$3,040,000 (without raises or compounding)
  • With 3% annual raises: the gap typically grows because the higher-paid role's raises are also larger in dollar terms
  • With investment compounding: the $76,000/year extra invested at 7% over 40 years grows to roughly $15,124,000 — significantly more than the raw difference

But salary isn't everything. Job satisfaction, work-life balance, growth potential, and career switching costs all matter. A career you can sustain for decades beats a higher-paying one you'll burn out on.

By state and city — significant variation

National medians are starting points. Real salaries vary 30%+ by location:

  • Retail Manager in California ≈ $56,640 (1.18× national)
  • Retail Manager in Mississippi ≈ $40,320 (0.84× national)
  • Software Engineer in California ≈ $146,320
  • Software Engineer in Mississippi ≈ $104,160

Use our Retail Manager salary by state pages to drill into specific locations.

Other comparisons in Retail

Retail Manager vs Cashier
National median: $29,000

Other comparisons in Tech

Software Engineer vs Data Analyst
National median: $84,000
Software Engineer vs Web Developer
National median: $80,000
Software Engineer vs Product Manager
National median: $135,000
Software Engineer vs Database Administrator
National median: $100,000

Related tools

Retail Manager salary by state — Software Engineer salary by state — Best cities for Retail Manager — Best cities for Software Engineer — Paycheck Calculator — Investment Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more, a Retail Manager or a Software Engineer?▾
Nationally, Software Engineers earn approximately $124,000/year vs $48,000 for Retail Managers — a difference of $76,000 or 158.3%. Both numbers are medians; entry-level and senior roles in either field can vary widely from these figures.
What's the hourly difference?▾
Retail Manager: $23/hour. Software Engineer: $60/hour. Difference: $37/hour at standard 2,080 hours/year. This matters more for hourly-paid roles than salaried.
Are these national or state-specific salaries?▾
These are US national medians. Real salaries vary 30%+ by state and metro. A Retail Manager in San Francisco earns more than one in rural Mississippi, even with the same title. See our salary-by-state and salary-by-city pages for location-specific numbers.
Should I switch from Retail Manager to Software Engineer?▾
Salary is one factor. Also consider: education/training cost (some careers require years of school), job security and growth outlook, work-life balance, fit with your interests and strengths, and geographic flexibility. A higher-paying career you'll burn out on isn't worth more than a moderately-paid one you enjoy.
How do these salaries grow with experience?▾
Most professions see 30-50% growth from entry-level to senior over a 10-15 year career. Leadership roles (manager, director, executive) can double base salaries on top of that. Specialized skills (rare languages, niche expertise) command premium pay regardless of years. Continuous learning matters more than tenure alone.