Mapped to BLS 15-1252. Big-tech total comp (Levels.fyi) runs far above the BLS median because of stock; most non-tech employers pay nearer the BLS/Glassdoor figures.
Experience to get here
Entry level0-2 years
Typical title2-5 years
Bachelor's in CS or related is the BLS 'typical' entry education, but many postings accept equivalent experience; bootcamp and self-taught hires are common when a portfolio and interview performance are strong.
Time: 1-2 months Prerequisites: None; CompTIA suggests Network+ and 2 years IT admin
Shows up as 'preferred' on government-contract engineering postings (DoD 8140); irrelevant for most commercial SWE jobs.
Training & learning
AWS Skill Builder (free digital courses)FREEAmazon Web Services · learning path · free tier (900+ courses); $29/mo or $449/yr for exam prep · self-pacedFree vendor courses to learn the cloud deployment skills postings ask for.
Microsoft LearnFREEMicrosoft · learning path · free (self-paced modules) · self-pacedFree, structured modules on web development, Azure, and .NET with hands-on sandboxes.
HashiCorp Terraform tutorialsFREEHashiCorp · course · free · a few hours per trackTeaches infrastructure as code, which full-stack postings increasingly expect alongside app code.
Google Cloud training and skill badgesFREEGoogle Cloud · learning path · low/no cost; free credit programs; labs use credits · self-pacedHands-on labs for the GCP side of 'AWS, Azure, or GCP' requirements.
Certifications are rarely required for software engineers; the current posting named only a 'preferred' Security+ (government work) and no cert at all elsewhere. Portfolios, coding interviews, and system-design interviews decide hiring. Community resources (freeCodeCamp, roadmap.sh, The Odin Project) are not included. Security+ fee shown is the figure on CompTIA's own page when reviewed.
Figures are US, from the sources listed, and change often; verify before deciding.