Software Developers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for software developerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $148,100 ≈ $71/hr
National median salary $135,980
Total employment 1,687,890 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +15.8%
Much faster than average
Annual openings 115,200 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 1,693,800 → 1,961,400 (+267,700)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$186,770
- Washington$171,040
- New York$163,820
- Massachusetts$161,730
- Maryland$151,560
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Mississippi$99,840
- South Dakota$104,790
- North Dakota$107,000
- Louisiana$108,270
- Arkansas$109,590
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $186,770 | $174,410 | $90 | +26.1% | 284,390 |
| 2 | Washington | $171,040 | $166,540 | $82 | +15.5% | 107,030 |
| 3 | New York | $163,820 | $166,180 | $79 | +10.6% | 113,510 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $161,730 | $165,210 | $78 | +9.2% | 48,190 |
| 5 | Maryland | $151,560 | $138,680 | $73 | +2.3% | 31,350 |
| 6 | Colorado | $150,940 | $138,390 | $73 | +1.9% | 43,320 |
| 7 | Oregon | $149,060 | $142,720 | $72 | +0.6% | 21,830 |
| 8 | Virginia | $146,340 | $136,460 | $70 | -1.2% | 88,280 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $144,530 | $139,720 | $69 | -2.4% | 10,840 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $144,430 | $136,880 | $69 | -2.5% | 6,120 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $143,800 | $135,940 | $69 | -2.9% | 51,570 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $141,260 | $134,120 | $68 | -4.6% | 13,660 |
| 13 | Delaware | $138,110 | $133,020 | $66 | -6.7% | 3,380 |
| 14 | Nevada | $137,350 | $128,810 | $66 | -7.3% | 4,520 |
| 15 | Florida | $137,010 | $130,980 | $66 | -7.5% | 87,890 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $136,940 | $134,710 | $66 | -7.5% | 58,470 |
| 17 | Illinois | $136,540 | $132,110 | $66 | -7.8% | 56,310 |
| 18 | Texas | $136,450 | $132,150 | $66 | -7.9% | 163,880 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $136,240 | $129,450 | $66 | -8% | 13,230 |
| 20 | Vermont | $136,100 | $125,280 | $65 | -8.1% | 1,740 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $134,600 | $124,040 | $65 | -9.1% | 1,600 |
| 22 | Idaho | $134,370 | $131,590 | $65 | -9.3% | 5,750 |
| 23 | Montana | $133,550 | $121,990 | $64 | -9.8% | 2,160 |
| 24 | Arizona | $132,530 | $129,690 | $64 | -10.5% | 38,050 |
| 25 | Georgia | $132,150 | $131,010 | $64 | -10.8% | 49,700 |
| 26 | Utah | $129,860 | $128,810 | $62 | -12.3% | 31,940 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $129,080 | $130,590 | $62 | -12.8% | 5,070 |
| 28 | Maine | $129,040 | $123,120 | $62 | -12.9% | 2,790 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $128,110 | $126,550 | $62 | -13.5% | 55,920 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $127,530 | $130,050 | $61 | -13.9% | 35,890 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $126,620 | $124,520 | $61 | -14.5% | 3,960 |
| 32 | Missouri | $123,810 | $126,120 | $60 | -16.4% | 20,020 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $123,360 | $115,170 | $59 | -16.7% | 1,510 |
| 34 | Alabama | $122,840 | $122,540 | $59 | -17.1% | 17,450 |
| 35 | Michigan | $122,720 | $125,570 | $59 | -17.1% | 43,460 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $122,620 | $122,660 | $59 | -17.2% | 21,730 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $120,730 | $109,010 | $58 | -18.5% | 7,660 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $120,560 | $122,430 | $58 | -18.6% | 19,030 |
| 39 | Ohio | $119,860 | $114,090 | $58 | -19.1% | 44,790 |
| 40 | Iowa | $118,780 | $114,890 | $57 | -19.8% | 9,040 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $118,510 | $118,100 | $57 | -20% | 6,880 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $118,410 | $121,000 | $57 | -20% | 2,650 |
| 43 | Kansas | $116,560 | $113,420 | $56 | -21.3% | 13,580 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $115,590 | $110,900 | $56 | -22% | 7,260 |
| 45 | Indiana | $113,980 | $105,920 | $55 | -23% | 14,130 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $109,590 | $104,490 | $53 | -26% | 6,050 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $108,270 | $102,800 | $52 | -26.9% | 4,080 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $107,000 | $105,600 | $51 | -27.8% | 1,450 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $104,790 | $96,310 | $50 | -29.2% | 2,380 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $99,840 | $95,330 | $48 | -32.6% | 1,880 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 511 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $213,110 | $221,710 | 87,350 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $186,640 | $193,430 | 69,030 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $167,280 | $174,920 | 92,770 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $166,830 | $165,870 | 121,000 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $166,090 | $162,440 | 42,310 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $164,560 | $166,480 | 7,130 |
| 7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $163,270 | $163,300 | 20,610 |
| 8 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $162,650 | $163,540 | 3,090 |
| 9 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $162,090 | $153,810 | 4,370 |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $160,920 | $161,900 | 55,540 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing software developerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | $241,610 | $191,800 | 100 |
| 2 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $213,520 | $207,010 | 43,300 |
| 3 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $213,520 | $207,010 | 43,300 |
| 4 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $179,020 | $199,420 | 24,090 |
| 5 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $178,700 | $197,710 | 24,680 |
| 6 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | $176,090 | $189,120 | 6,740 |
| 7 | Taxi and Limousine Service | $176,090 | $190,700 | 6,650 |
| 8 | Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | $172,360 | $166,650 | 1,600 |
| 9 | Local Messengers and Local Delivery | $171,170 | $158,540 | — |
| 10 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $169,030 | $173,590 | 19,770 |
| 11 | Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $168,400 | $168,800 | 13,430 |
| 12 | Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $166,710 | $166,700 | 630 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do software developers make in the U.S.?
The median software developers salary in the United States is $135,980 per year (mean $148,100), and about 80% earn between $82,460 and $214,670.
How much do software developers make per hour?
Roughly $71 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $148,100 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays software developers the most?
California has the highest average pay for software developers at $186,770 per year (median $174,410).
What is the job outlook for software developers?
Employment is projected to change +15.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 115,200 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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