Solutions Engineer salary UK & US 2026
Solutions engineers (also called sales engineers or presales) win the technical decision in a sale. In London a SaaS solutions engineer typically earns £65k–£85k base and £85k–£115k OTE; in US tech hubs the role pays $110k–$145k base and $150k–$200k OTE. Senior and principal SEs often out-earn the AEs they support.
Updated 2 November 2026 · Indicative annual ranges, permanent roles at software and tech companiesSolutions Engineering base and OTE, UK vs US
| Role | UK (£) | US ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Solutions Engineer | £65–85k base£85–115k OTE | $110–145k base$150–200k OTE |
| Senior Solutions Engineer | £85–105k base£110–140k OTE | $145–185k base$200–270k OTE |
| Principal / Staff SE | £100–130k base£130–170k OTE | $175–230k base$260–350k OTE |
| SE Manager | £110–140k base£140–180k OTE | $180–220k base$250–320k OTE |
| Head / Director of Solutions Engineering | £130–170k base£170–220k OTE | $210–260k base$290–370k OTE |
Typical pay mix: UK 70/30 to 80/20 base/variable · US 70/30 to 75/25 base/variable (Bravado average about 74/26)
Market notes
IT Jobs Watch reports a London presales median of £87.5k and a UK median of £75k (UK 25th–75th percentile £51k–£92.5k) for the six months to November 2026. Payscale's London figure (£47k median) rests on only six profiles and covers all sectors, so we give it little weight.
Market notes
KORE1's 2026 guide puts mid-level SEs at $110k–$145k base ($150k–$200k OTE) and senior SEs at $145k–$185k ($200k–$270k). RepVue's median is $140k base / $195k OTE; Bravado's US average is about $119k base and $162k total. Manager and director ranges are our derivation from senior IC levels; public data is thin.
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Sources for these ranges
- Sales Salary Guide: What Sales Reps Should Earn in 2025 · RepVue · 2025
- Sales Engineer compensation, United States · Bravado · 2025
- Presales jobs and salary trends, UK · IT Jobs Watch · 2026-11
- Solutions Engineer with Pre-Sales skills salary, London · Payscale · 2025-03
- Sales Engineer Salary Guide 2026 · KORE1 · 2026-05
Solutions Engineering pay FAQs
In 2026 a Solutions Engineer in the UK typically earns £65–85k base · £85–115k OTE, according to the TRG GTM Salary Guide 2026. London pays at the top of the range; company stage and deal size move it most.
In 2026 a Solutions Engineer in the US typically earns $110–145k base · $150–200k OTE. The San Francisco Bay Area and New York pay at the top of the range.
Indicative 2026 ranges for a Head / Director of Solutions Engineering: UK £130–170k base · £170–220k OTE; US $210–260k base · $290–370k OTE. Senior packages often add equity, which isn't included here.
Typical pay mix: UK 70/30 to 80/20 base/variable; US 70/30 to 75/25 base/variable (Bravado average about 74/26).