Starting salaries w/o a college degree are in the 50k-60k range.
With a college degree 70k-90k range.
As a mid level software engineer +100k
Senior level can get 130k – 150k
If you specialize in an area you can pull in close or over 200k.
The amount of hours depends on the work environment. Start-ups and smaller companies generally have longer hours, but more dynamic work environments and potential for a huge windfall down the road.
Larger companies can be more stable, offering a standard 40 hr week but can feel more sterile and ‘corporaty’.
But you should know that software engineering is hard work. Be prepared to put in lots of time and effort to grow your knowledge and skill set. Also, you will never stop learning. As a software engineer you always need to stay abreast with new technologies or risk becoming a dinosaur.