Salary Survey Report for Cisco Systems

Company reviews of Employee Salaries at Cisco Systems provide a salary comparison between various positions, including software engineers. Software engineers at Cisco earn a competitive median salary of $82,775.

In comparison, senior software engineers at Cisco have a median salary of $104,633, an increase of about $29,000 for those promoted to the senior level.

Another company in the same industry, Sun Microsystems, has similar employee salaries for software engineers. At Sun Microsystems, software engineers have a median salary of $77,097, about $5,000 less than the median salary at Cisco. In contrast, this employee salary data also shows that senior software engineers at Sun Microsystems have a median salary of $116,099, dramatically higher than the median salary at Cisco.

Employee Compensation by Years of Experience can also be relevant to company salary research. Cisco employees with less than one year of experience can expect a median salary of $63,202. After twenty years of experience, this median salary increases to $119,843. Looking at the Company Data for Sun Microsystems, you can see that median salaries there are higher than those at Cisco. Recent college graduates can expect a median salary of $68,467, about $5,000 higher than the median entry-level salary at Cisco. Employees at Sun Microsystems who have at least twenty years of experience earn a median salary of $120,641. Other company data on Median Bonuses at Cisco shows that the median bonus for senior level positions is about $12,000. This figure can vary depending on experience, from $5,000 for entry-level employees to $15,000 for more experienced workers.

For anyone planning to work at Cisco, it is also important to research the cost of living in the surrounding area. If you are relocating to the Bay Area, you will find that the cost of living is high in comparison to the national average. Because Cisco is located in San Jose, many employees choose to reside in this city as well. The Cost of Living in San Jose is 54 percent higher than the national average, making it more expensive than the cost of living in many cities. The cost of housing in San Jose has the greatest impact on the cost of living; at 150 percent above the national average, the cost of housing may be a shock to many people. The cost of groceries in San Jose is also high, but lower prices for health care, transportation and utilities help to balance the cost of living in San Jose. Other Cisco employees choose to live in San Francisco, just outside of San Jose. If you think that the cost of living in San Francisco will be lower than in San Jose, think again. The Cost of Living in San Francisco is 71 percent higher than the national average, with housing costs at 178 percent above the national average.

Cost of Living Calculator. Although housing costs are high in both cities, lower transportation costs for Cisco employees could save a few dollars. The company data on Average Commute Time for Cisco Employees shows that commutes range from 25 minutes for those who reside in San Jose, to 35 minutes for those who reside in San Francisco. These commute times may sound high, but quality public transportation in both locations can be a more economical option for getting to work.