career growth7 min read
SDE-1 vs SDE-2 vs SDE-3: Experience, Scope, Salaries and the Promotion Path in 2026
SDE-1 is your first 0-2 years, SDE-2 covers 2-5 years, and SDE-3 is 5-8+ years. Each level changes your scope and pay band from ₹3.5 LPA to over ₹1.3 crore. Promotion requires acting at the next level before the title arrives, not just good reviews.
Arnab Biswas