Research
Open, cited research on how Forward Deployed Engineering is practiced and paid.
Monthly
FDE Salary Report
A monthly, fully cited view of Forward Deployed Engineer compensation: base, total compensation and equity, by level, company type and location. Every figure links to its source.
Latest edition
October 2026 (2026-10)
Highlights from the October 2026 edition
- Levels.fyi puts the US FDE median total compensation at $220,000 (n=160).
- Posting studies centre lower because they count base salary only: FDE Pulse finds a $186K midpoint and Recruiting from Scratch a $200K midpoint.
- Lightcast counts about 200 US FDE postings in 2024, about 1,200 in 2025 and more than 5,200 in January–July 2026.
Sources and methods are in the report. Data accessed October 22, 2026.
How to read the numbers
- Posted ranges come from job postings, mostly under state pay-transparency laws; they show base salary at hire, not actual pay.
- Self-reported data (e.g. Levels.fyi) is pay employees chose to submit; it skews toward larger, better-paying employers.
- Posting studies aggregate many postings; sample sizes are shown where the source discloses them.
Method and cadence
Updated monthly in the third week. Each edition re-checks every source, keeps local currencies, and never overwrites a prior edition. Values that can’t be verified are left blank and explained.
Not financial, legal or employment advice.
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