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Software Developers Salary
Software Developers earn a median $135,980 a year in the U.S., with 1,687,890 jobs (May 2025).
- Median wage
- $135,980 a year
- Employment
- 1,687,890
- Excludes self-employed
- Projected growth
- +10.2%
- 2025 to 2035
- Openings per year
- 95,300
- Average, including replacements
Pay range nationally
The middle half of workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile (shaded)
- Median (50%)
- $135,980 · $65.38 an hour
- Mean (average)
- $148,100 · $71.20 an hour (estimate error ±0.4%)
- 10th percentile
- $82,460 · $39.64 an hour
- 25th percentile
- $105,210 · $50.58 an hour
- 75th percentile
- $171,980 · $82.68 an hour
- 90th percentile
- $214,670 · $103.21 an hour
- Employment
- 1,687,890 (estimate error ±0.6%)
What they do
Standard Occupational Classification definition
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Job outlook
BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035
- Jobs in 2025
- 1.72 million
- Projected for 2035
- 1.89 million
- Change
- +174,700 (+10.2%)
- Openings each year
- 95,300
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 1.5%
Occupational Outlook Handbook (duties, how to become one, work environment)
Highest paying states
Median wage for this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | State | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $174,410 | 284,390 |
| 2 | Washington | $166,540 | 107,030 |
| 3 | New York | $166,180 | 113,510 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $165,210 | 48,190 |
| 5 | Oregon | $142,720 | 21,830 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $139,720 | 10,840 |
| 7 | Maryland | $138,680 | 31,350 |
| 8 | Colorado | $138,390 | 43,320 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $136,880 | 6,120 |
| 10 | Virginia | $136,460 | 88,280 |
States with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| State | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 284,390 | $174,410 |
| Texas | 163,880 | $132,150 |
| New York | 113,510 | $166,180 |
| Washington | 107,030 | $166,540 |
| Virginia | 88,280 | $136,460 |
| Florida | 87,890 | $130,980 |
| North Carolina | 58,470 | $134,710 |
| Illinois | 56,310 | $132,110 |
| Pennsylvania | 55,920 | $126,550 |
| New Jersey | 51,570 | $135,940 |
Highest paying metro areas
Metro areas with at least 100 jobs in this occupation
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| # | Metro area | Median wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $213,110 | 87,350 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,640 | 69,030 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $167,280 | 92,770 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $166,830 | 121,000 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $166,090 | 42,310 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $164,560 | 7,130 |
| 7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $163,270 | 20,610 |
| 8 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $162,650 | 3,090 |
| 9 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $162,090 | 4,370 |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $160,920 | 55,540 |
| 11 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $159,430 | 2,170 |
| 12 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $158,290 | 1,680 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.
| Metro area | Employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 121,000 | $166,830 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 92,770 | $167,280 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 87,350 | $213,110 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 69,060 | $154,930 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 69,030 | $186,640 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 67,030 | $133,290 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 55,540 | $160,920 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 42,310 | $166,090 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 40,370 | $134,380 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 36,300 | $132,960 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 31,960 | $134,120 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 29,380 | $131,750 |
Visa filings for this occupation
Wages employers offered on Department of Labor filings
- H-1B (FY 2026 through Q3)125,123 certified filingsMedian offered wage $143,529
- PERM green card (FY 2026 through Q3)23,499 certified filingsMedian offered wage $142,002
Software Developers pay by state
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Related occupations
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Information Security Analysts
- Computer and Information Research Scientists
- Computer Network Support Specialists
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Computer Network Architects
- Database Administrators
- Database Architects
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Computer Programmers
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Web Developers
Frequently asked questions
- How much do software developers make?
- The median wage for software developers in the U.S. is $135,980 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $105,210 and $171,980.
- Which state pays software developers the most?
- California has the highest median wage for this occupation at $174,410 a year.
- What is the job outlook for software developers?
- BLS projects employment to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 95,300 openings each year on average.
- What education do software developers need?
- The typical entry-level education is: bachelor's degree.