Software Developer vs Data Scientist Salary (2025)
Software Developer earns $20,917 more than Data Scientist nationally. The median Software Developer salary is $132,684 compared to $111,767 for Data Scientist, based on BLS data across 69 metro areas.
Comparing Software Developer, Data Scientist: side-by-side wage and employment data across the same metropolitan areas, from BLS OEWS. The comparison view normalizes percentile distributions so the wage differences are apples-to-apples within each metro. Role comparisons are most useful when the worker has flexibility between the occupations — usually adjacent specialties within the same field (e.g., software-engineering versus data-engineering) or related disciplines with overlapping skill sets.
Median wage differences across roles understate the spread for senior workers and overstate it for entry-level. The per-percentile comparison gives a fuller picture — particularly the p75 and p90 columns, which capture experienced-worker pay.
Software Developer
Data Scientist
Salary Comparison by City
| City | Software Developer | Data Scientist | Difference | Higher Earner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | $123,710 | $83,650 | +$40,060 | Software Developer |
| Lexington, KY | $123,510 | $84,460 | +$39,050 | Software Developer |
| Bakersfield, CA | $130,330 | $92,200 | +$38,130 | Software Developer |
| Sacramento, CA | $139,640 | $103,700 | +$35,940 | Software Developer |
| Boston, MA | $166,090 | $132,040 | +$34,050 | Software Developer |
| Boise, ID | $131,590 | $97,950 | +$33,640 | Software Developer |
| San Diego, CA | $163,270 | $130,990 | +$32,280 | Software Developer |
| Los Angeles, CA | $160,920 | $129,740 | +$31,180 | Software Developer |
| Birmingham, AL | $125,410 | $94,240 | +$31,170 | Software Developer |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $122,390 | $91,240 | +$31,150 | Software Developer |
| Las Vegas, NV | $129,940 | $98,930 | +$31,010 | Software Developer |
| New York, NY | $166,830 | $135,980 | +$30,850 | Software Developer |
| Greenville, SC | $121,790 | $91,490 | +$30,300 | Software Developer |
| Rochester, NY | $122,770 | $92,800 | +$29,970 | Software Developer |
| St. Louis, MO | $129,030 | $99,600 | +$29,430 | Software Developer |
| Knoxville, TN | $121,750 | $92,640 | +$29,110 | Software Developer |
| Albany, NY | $127,910 | $98,940 | +$28,970 | Software Developer |
| Providence, RI | $130,690 | $102,440 | +$28,250 | Software Developer |
| San Jose, CA | $213,110 | $185,080 | +$28,030 | Software Developer |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $124,500 | $96,670 | +$27,830 | Software Developer |
| Fresno, CA | $129,060 | $101,250 | +$27,810 | Software Developer |
| Reno, NV | $125,710 | $97,940 | +$27,770 | Software Developer |
| Detroit, MI | $130,760 | $103,330 | +$27,430 | Software Developer |
| Chicago, IL | $134,380 | $107,640 | +$26,740 | Software Developer |
| Portland, OR | $156,000 | $129,600 | +$26,400 | Software Developer |
| Buffalo, NY | $127,850 | $102,250 | +$25,600 | Software Developer |
| San Antonio, TX | $128,430 | $103,290 | +$25,140 | Software Developer |
| Kansas City, MO | $124,990 | $99,870 | +$25,120 | Software Developer |
| Denver, CO | $137,610 | $112,520 | +$25,090 | Software Developer |
| Albuquerque, NM | $123,700 | $98,750 | +$24,950 | Software Developer |
| Omaha, NE | $125,220 | $100,830 | +$24,390 | Software Developer |
| Atlanta, GA | $132,960 | $108,940 | +$24,020 | Software Developer |
| Nashville, TN | $126,610 | $103,020 | +$23,590 | Software Developer |
| Des Moines, IA | $126,460 | $103,030 | +$23,430 | Software Developer |
| Memphis, TN | $125,580 | $102,220 | +$23,360 | Software Developer |
| Philadelphia, PA | $133,040 | $109,910 | +$23,130 | Software Developer |
| Orlando, FL | $129,620 | $106,590 | +$23,030 | Software Developer |
| Washington, DC | $154,930 | $132,200 | +$22,730 | Software Developer |
| Houston, TX | $129,440 | $106,750 | +$22,690 | Software Developer |
| Tulsa, OK | $108,730 | $86,310 | +$22,420 | Software Developer |
| Bridgeport, CT | $162,650 | $141,760 | +$20,890 | Software Developer |
| Tampa, FL | $130,450 | $109,990 | +$20,460 | Software Developer |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $133,270 | $112,910 | +$20,360 | Software Developer |
| Greensboro, NC | $125,190 | $106,060 | +$19,130 | Software Developer |
| Milwaukee, WI | $123,730 | $104,710 | +$19,020 | Software Developer |
| Cincinnati, OH | $121,420 | $102,650 | +$18,770 | Software Developer |
| Phoenix, AZ | $131,750 | $114,540 | +$17,210 | Software Developer |
| San Francisco, CA | $186,640 | $170,110 | +$16,530 | Software Developer |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $129,600 | $114,990 | +$14,610 | Software Developer |
| Columbus, OH | $122,340 | $107,950 | +$14,390 | Software Developer |
| Spokane, WA | $130,690 | $117,250 | +$13,440 | Software Developer |
| Raleigh, NC | $132,770 | $120,710 | +$12,060 | Software Developer |
| Wichita, KS | $105,980 | $94,680 | +$11,300 | Software Developer |
| Louisville, KY | $110,270 | $99,980 | +$10,290 | Software Developer |
| Richmond, VA | $132,120 | $122,510 | +$9,610 | Software Developer |
| New Orleans, LA | $106,950 | $98,390 | +$8,560 | Software Developer |
| Indianapolis, IN | $106,870 | $99,110 | +$7,760 | Software Developer |
| Jacksonville, FL | $130,330 | $122,680 | +$7,650 | Software Developer |
| Austin, TX | $134,120 | $127,360 | +$6,760 | Software Developer |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $134,280 | $127,600 | +$6,680 | Software Developer |
| Hartford, CT | $132,520 | $126,340 | +$6,180 | Software Developer |
| Dallas, TX | $133,290 | $127,750 | +$5,540 | Software Developer |
| Anchorage, AK | $104,030 | $98,630 | +$5,400 | Software Developer |
| Miami, FL | $132,650 | $127,450 | +$5,200 | Software Developer |
| Baltimore, MD | $138,900 | $134,320 | +$4,580 | Software Developer |
| Charlotte, NC | $135,920 | $132,460 | +$3,460 | Software Developer |
| Seattle, WA | $167,280 | $164,740 | +$2,540 | Software Developer |
| Minneapolis, MN | $130,920 | $129,780 | +$1,140 | Software Developer |
| Little Rock, AR | $104,070 | $103,510 | +$560 | Software Developer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Software Developer earns more on average, with a national median of $132,684 compared to $111,767 for Data Scientist, a difference of $20,917 per year.
The largest salary gap is in Tucson, AZ, where Software Developer earns $123,710 vs $83,650 for Data Scientist.
Software Developer has approximately 1,225,060 positions tracked, while Data Scientist has 188,180 positions. Software Developer has more jobs available nationally.
More Salary Comparisons
Comparison based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.