Software Developer Salary
Software Developers earn a median $135,980 a year nationally. Computer and Mathematical Occupations
U.S. median
$135,980
$65.38 per hour
Range
$82,460 – $214,670
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
1,687,890
across the U.S.
▲2.2%
Pay trend: The median for software developers in the U.S. rose from $133,080 (May 2024) to $135,980 (May 2025). That roughly kept pace with inflation (2.4%).
What software developers do
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.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +10.2% (much faster than average)
- Openings per year
- 95,300
- Self-employed
- 2%
Employment of software developers is projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 95,300 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Software Developer take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$104,208
per year · effective tax rate 23.4%
$8,684Monthly
$4,342Twice a month
$4,008Every 2 weeks
$50.10Hourly
- Federal income tax$21,369
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,431
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,972
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$104,208
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $82,460 | $39.64 | $66,841 |
| 25th percentile | $105,210 | $50.58 | $82,845 |
| Median (50th) | $135,980 | $65.38 | $104,208 |
| 75th percentile | $171,980 | $82.68 | $128,814 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $214,670 | $103.21 | $159,731 |
Best cities for software developers (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $213,110 | $140,222 | $126,987 | 87,350 |
| 2 | Manchester, NH | $162,090 | $122,055 | $115,520 | 4,370 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $167,280 | $125,602 | $113,019 | 92,770 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $164,560 | $117,211 | $111,415 | 7,130 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $166,090 | $116,704 | $107,794 | 42,310 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $162,650 | $114,828 | $107,453 | 3,090 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $186,640 | $123,413 | $106,747 | 69,030 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $134,120 | $102,937 | $104,967 | 31,960 |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX | $128,430 | $99,048 | $104,574 | 8,010 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $166,830 | $116,492 | $103,490 | 121,000 |
| 11 | Knoxville, TN | $121,750 | $94,481 | $102,066 | 2,390 |
| 12 | Des Moines, IA | $126,460 | $93,548 | $102,014 | 4,240 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $135,920 | $99,253 | $101,957 | 20,820 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $135,620 | $99,060 | $101,525 | 9,790 |
| 15 | Nashville, TN | $126,610 | $97,804 | $101,522 | 7,750 |
| 16 | Palm Bay, FL | $131,760 | $101,324 | $101,319 | 5,030 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $129,440 | $99,738 | $101,125 | 22,940 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,330 | $100,347 | $100,867 | 7,200 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $125,220 | $92,036 | $100,136 | 3,920 |
| 20 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,940 | $100,080 | $99,865 | 2,900 |
| 21 | Huntsville, AL | $128,080 | $92,670 | $99,568 | 7,030 |
| 22 | Tampa, FL | $130,450 | $100,429 | $99,543 | 14,230 |
| 23 | Oklahoma City, OK | $122,390 | $89,958 | $99,502 | 3,820 |
| 24 | Portland, OR | $156,000 | $104,749 | $99,362 | 18,260 |
| 25 | Dallas, TX | $133,290 | $102,370 | $99,301 | 67,030 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $213,110
- San Francisco, CA — $186,640
- Seattle, WA — $167,280
- New York, NY — $166,830
- Boston, MA — $166,090
- Boulder, CO — $164,560
- San Diego, CA — $163,270
- Bridgeport, CT — $162,650
- Manchester, NH — $162,090
- Los Angeles, CA — $160,920
- Portland, OR — $156,000
- Washington, DC — $154,930
- Sacramento, CA — $139,640
- Baltimore, MD — $138,900
- Denver, CO — $137,610
Software Developer salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $174,410 | +2.0% | $116,217 | $105,060 – $239,200+ | 284,390 |
| Washington | $166,540 | −0.2% | $125,096 | $96,810 – $239,200+ | 107,030 |
| New York | $166,180 | +3.1% | $116,086 | $97,430 – $224,590 | 113,510 |
| Massachusetts | $165,210 | +9.8% | $116,147 | $102,810 – $213,970 | 48,190 |
| Oregon | $142,720 | +5.5% | $96,986 | $83,070 – $213,540 | 21,830 |
| New Hampshire | $139,720 | +5.5% | $106,765 | $92,510 – $205,370 | 10,840 |
| Maryland | $138,680 | +0.6% | $99,732 | $87,690 – $222,610 | 31,350 |
| Colorado | $138,390 | +2.9% | $100,475 | $96,480 – $213,010 | 43,320 |
| District of Columbia | $136,880 | +0.6% | $96,157 | $85,140 – $197,000 | 6,120 |
| Virginia | $136,460 | +1.5% | $97,504 | $83,350 – $211,930 | 88,280 |
| New Jersey | $135,940 | +2.7% | $97,712 | $84,880 – $207,200 | 51,570 |
| North Carolina | $134,710 | +2.8% | $98,474 | $83,840 – $179,310 | 58,470 |
| Connecticut | $134,120 | +2.5% | $97,040 | $85,930 – $205,160 | 13,660 |
| Delaware | $133,020 | −1.6% | $94,747 | $96,620 – $174,390 | 3,380 |
| Texas | $132,150 | +1.3% | $101,591 | $82,600 – $183,680 | 163,880 |
| Illinois | $132,110 | +3.4% | $95,169 | $80,980 – $194,740 | 56,310 |
| Idaho | $131,590 | +22.0% | $95,342 | $71,030 – $178,980 | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $131,010 | +1.6% | $94,635 | $80,110 – $176,000 | 49,700 |
| Florida | $130,980 | +3.5% | $100,791 | $80,050 – $204,400 | 87,890 |
| Rhode Island | $130,590 | +1.5% | $95,923 | $83,540 – $168,630 | 5,070 |
| Minnesota | $130,050 | +4.4% | $92,779 | $79,900 – $169,810 | 35,890 |
| Arizona | $129,690 | +0.8% | $96,876 | $81,740 – $178,500 | 38,050 |
| South Carolina | $129,450 | +19.1% | $93,135 | $76,010 – $212,460 | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $128,810 | −0.2% | $99,308 | $73,990 – $194,470 | 4,520 |
| Utah | $128,810 | +1.1% | $94,477 | $77,810 – $177,970 | 31,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $126,550 | +2.3% | $93,878 | $77,750 – $178,080 | 55,920 |
| Missouri | $126,120 | +10.1% | $92,479 | $72,570 – $169,340 | 20,020 |
| Michigan | $125,570 | +16.5% | $92,007 | $78,930 – $166,510 | 43,460 |
| Vermont | $125,280 | −4.2% | $91,087 | $82,480 – $209,420 | 1,740 |
| New Mexico | $124,520 | +3.1% | $91,605 | $77,110 – $184,710 | 3,960 |
| Hawaii | $124,040 | +3.5% | $88,150 | $64,690 – $238,930 | 1,600 |
| Maine | $123,120 | +8.2% | $88,111 | $82,930 – $179,990 | 2,790 |
| Wisconsin | $122,660 | +18.7% | $89,984 | $77,710 – $168,630 | 21,730 |
| Alabama | $122,540 | +8.4% | $89,160 | $71,590 – $175,330 | 17,450 |
| Tennessee | $122,430 | +4.3% | $94,947 | $75,280 – $166,380 | 19,030 |
| Montana | $121,990 | +21.8% | $89,115 | $73,370 – $221,400 | 2,160 |
| West Virginia | $121,000 | +16.9% | $89,056 | $60,480 – $168,620 | 2,650 |
| Oklahoma | $118,100 | +9.9% | $87,144 | $75,190 – $169,700 | 6,880 |
| Wyoming | $115,170 | +2.3% | $89,852 | $72,950 – $156,620 | 1,510 |
| Iowa | $114,890 | +4.6% | $85,941 | $74,390 – $165,880 | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $114,090 | +5.9% | $86,737 | $77,790 – $168,400 | 44,790 |
| Kansas | $113,420 | +6.3% | $83,092 | $71,690 – $165,740 | 13,580 |
| Nebraska | $110,900 | −4.7% | $82,682 | $77,520 – $158,720 | 7,260 |
| Kentucky | $109,010 | +2.6% | $81,821 | $76,310 – $168,110 | 7,660 |
| Indiana | $105,920 | +2.3% | $80,250 | $74,850 – $164,650 | 14,130 |
| North Dakota | $105,600 | +7.2% | $82,320 | $62,900 – $158,060 | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $104,490 | +7.9% | $78,476 | $60,570 – $162,380 | 6,050 |
| Louisiana | $102,800 | +0.5% | $78,452 | $66,350 – $151,780 | 4,080 |
| South Dakota | $96,310 | +9.7% | $76,584 | $65,530 – $160,380 | 2,380 |
| Mississippi | $95,330 | +10.3% | $72,813 | $44,700 – $158,300 | 1,880 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester | $104,300 | Bachelor's degree | +5.7% |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $104,000 | Bachelor's degree | +6.0% |
| Computer Programmer | $100,390 | Bachelor's degree | -7.3% |
| Web Developer | $92,650 | Bachelor's degree | +3.8% |
| Computer Network Architect | $134,050 | Bachelor's degree | +7.7% |
| Database Architect | $139,500 | Bachelor's degree | +9.4% |
| Computer and Information Research Scientist | $140,300 | Master's degree | +21.8% |
| Information Security Analyst | $129,180 | Bachelor's degree | +21.0% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | Bachelor's degree | +5.1% |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $105,850 | Bachelor's degree | +7.9% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software developer make?
The national median salary for software developers is $135,980 a year ($65.38 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,460 and the top 10% earn over $214,670. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays software developers the most?
California has the highest median pay at $174,410. After taxes and local prices, San Jose, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many software developers are there in the U.S.?
About 1,687,890 people work as software developers nationwide.
All 72 cities
- Albany, NY
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise City, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Bridgeport, CT
- Buffalo, NY
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- Durham, NC
- Fayetteville, AR
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Harrisburg, PA
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Lansing, MI
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Madison, WI
- Manchester, NH
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Ogden, UT
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Omaha, NE
- Orlando, FL
- Palm Bay, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Provo, UT
- Raleigh, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Riverside, CA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Trenton, NJ
- Tucson, AZ
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC