posting this because there's almost no current Boeing comp data anywhere.
Role: Software Engineer II (roughly mid-level, 4-6 YOE equivalent) Location: Everett, WA (on-site, no remote negotiated) Year: offer received Q1 2026
Base: $112,000 Bonus: 5% target annual (variable, company performance-linked) Equity: none (Boeing doesn't give RSUs broadly at this level) Benefits: pension plan (yes, actual pension, BCERP), 401k match, solid health coverage
no signing bonus offered, didn't push hard on it. probably left something on the table there.
total comp is low vs. tech sector but the pension has real long-term value that doesn't show up in headline number. if you're a 'i'll be here 10 years' person it changes the math. if you're a 2-year-and-out person, the base feels underpaid.
fwiw the recruiter said band was $105-125k for SWE II in that region.
4 replies
contractor_kai
the pension point is real and i think most people underweight it. BCERP is defined benefit. if you vest and stay, that's meaningful income in retirement that you don't have to manage or worry about market timing. the 'equivalent' value in a 401k-only job would be a much higher match to get to the same expected outcome.
brand_ben
coming from a design angle: for a senior UX/product designer role i interviewed for (declined before offer stage so no hard numbers from me), the recruiter mentioned their design comp bands lag significantly behind seattle-based tech companies. she wasn't apologetic about it, just matter of fact. if you're seattle-calibrated expect to recalibrate down 25-35%.
numbers_only
tracks. defense/aerospace just isn't competing with AMZN/MSFT salary-for-salary and they know it. the pitch is stability, benefits, and mission-adjacent work. if that's not your pitch back to yourself, the comp will feel bad.
ae_andre
anyone have data on the commercial sales/account side? curious if it's commission structure or pure salary plus bonus over there. my world is very different from eng but still want to know what the floor looks like.