Software Developers Salary 2025: $132,684 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
$132,684 per year is the national median annual wage for software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $64/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $138,420 to $289,150. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 15-1252.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $132,684
- Median hourly wage
- $64/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $154,545
- Total US employment
- 1,225,060
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($213,110)
- BLS SOC code
- 15-1252
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
Software Developer (SOC 15-1252) is a high-paying U.S. occupation: national median wage of $132,684 across 1,225,060 reported workers per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey.
Geographic wage spread is wide: across the 70 cities reporting data, median Software Developer wages range from $104,030 to $213,110 — roughly 105% above the floor. The spread reflects cost-of-living, regional supply-and-demand, and industry-mix differences. Software Developer sits in the Technology category — occupations with high national wage premiums driven by sustained labor-demand growth. Tech roles tend to show wider geographic spreads than other categories because remote-friendly hiring lets high-paying coastal employers compete for workers anywhere.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Software Developers salaries range from $104,030 to $213,110 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Software Developers Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $138,420 | $168,296 | $213,110 | $251,130 | $289,150 | $108,841 | 87,350 |
| San Francisco, CA | $128,090 | $151,510 | $186,640 | $230,020 | $273,400 | $103,920 | 69,030 |
| Seattle, WA | $99,190 | $126,426 | $167,280 | $212,620 | $257,960 | $111,968 | 92,770 |
| New York, NY | $101,690 | $127,746 | $166,830 | $195,710 | $224,590 | $89,119 | 121,000 |
| Boston, MA | $102,950 | $128,206 | $166,090 | $190,095 | $214,100 | $109,198 | 42,310 |
| San Diego, CA | $95,420 | $122,560 | $163,270 | $193,265 | $223,260 | $101,916 | 20,610 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $102,200 | $126,380 | $162,650 | $192,985 | $223,320 | $118,291 | 3,090 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $98,270 | $123,330 | $160,920 | $192,035 | $223,150 | $96,940 | 55,540 |
| Portland, OR | $94,040 | $118,824 | $156,000 | $184,770 | $213,540 | $119,908 | 18,260 |
| Washington, DC | $96,450 | $119,842 | $154,930 | $184,295 | $213,660 | $101,394 | 69,060 |
| Sacramento, CA | $100,040 | $115,880 | $139,640 | $174,390 | $209,140 | $111,981 | 7,460 |
| Baltimore, MD | $87,290 | $107,934 | $138,900 | $181,225 | $223,550 | $121,629 | 16,850 |
| Denver, CO | $99,700 | $114,864 | $137,610 | $173,455 | $209,300 | $121,995 | 27,010 |
| Charlotte, NC | $93,690 | $110,582 | $135,920 | $154,140 | $172,360 | $140,558 | 20,820 |
| Chicago, IL | $83,820 | $104,044 | $134,380 | $168,895 | $203,410 | $125,238 | 40,370 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $86,540 | $105,636 | $134,280 | $170,885 | $207,490 | $128,498 | 4,850 |
| Austin, TX | $96,110 | $111,314 | $134,120 | $172,005 | $209,890 | $130,214 | 31,960 |
| Dallas, TX | $85,920 | $104,868 | $133,290 | $156,345 | $179,400 | $128,040 | 67,030 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $85,090 | $104,362 | $133,270 | $169,515 | $205,760 | $108,881 | 4,150 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $82,960 | $102,992 | $133,040 | $161,610 | $190,180 | $112,365 | 28,480 |
| Atlanta, GA | $83,400 | $103,224 | $132,960 | $155,645 | $178,330 | $134,032 | 36,300 |
| Raleigh, NC | $80,080 | $101,156 | $132,770 | $158,940 | $185,110 | $133,036 | 12,580 |
| Miami, FL | $80,440 | $101,324 | $132,650 | $165,965 | $199,280 | $107,758 | 18,900 |
| Hartford, CT | $86,800 | $105,088 | $132,520 | $154,455 | $176,390 | $117,691 | 6,010 |
| Richmond, VA | $84,290 | $103,422 | $132,120 | $170,555 | $208,990 | $129,403 | 7,680 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $82,500 | $102,200 | $131,750 | $156,105 | $180,460 | $130,834 | 29,380 |
| Boise, ID | $75,680 | $98,044 | $131,590 | $151,880 | $172,170 | $128,883 | 3,240 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $83,020 | $102,180 | $130,920 | $150,490 | $170,060 | $123,277 | 27,410 |
| Detroit, MI | $82,720 | $101,936 | $130,760 | $149,125 | $167,490 | $137,497 | 24,870 |
| Providence, RI | $84,130 | $102,754 | $130,690 | $151,390 | $172,090 | $109,456 | 5,020 |
| Spokane, WA | $80,670 | $100,678 | $130,690 | $166,155 | $201,620 | $134,179 | 1,840 |
| Madison, WI | $82,790 | $101,926 | $130,630 | $150,960 | $171,290 | $125,848 | 6,720 |
| Tampa, FL | $78,480 | $99,268 | $130,450 | $168,890 | $207,330 | $130,974 | 14,230 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $80,720 | $100,564 | $130,330 | $150,455 | $170,580 | $137,045 | 7,200 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $88,670 | $105,334 | $130,330 | $167,070 | $203,810 | $129,553 | 740 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $75,530 | $97,294 | $129,940 | $164,275 | $198,610 | $119,211 | 2,900 |
| Orlando, FL | $80,170 | $99,950 | $129,620 | $153,210 | $176,800 | $125,723 | 13,440 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $79,610 | $99,606 | $129,600 | $153,345 | $177,090 | $127,811 | 19,040 |
| Houston, TX | $80,400 | $100,016 | $129,440 | $155,605 | $181,770 | $134,135 | 22,940 |
| Fresno, CA | $78,060 | $98,460 | $129,060 | $152,235 | $175,410 | $122,332 | 740 |
| St. Louis, MO | $77,730 | $98,250 | $129,030 | $149,030 | $169,030 | $143,367 | 9,820 |
| San Antonio, TX | $80,560 | $99,708 | $128,430 | $147,150 | $165,870 | $140,361 | 8,010 |
| Albany, NY | $80,800 | $99,644 | $127,910 | $153,015 | $178,120 | $127,021 | 3,280 |
| Buffalo, NY | $79,080 | $98,588 | $127,850 | $150,290 | $172,730 | $138,216 | 3,960 |
| Nashville, TN | $78,410 | $97,690 | $126,610 | $147,840 | $169,070 | $126,231 | 7,750 |
| Des Moines, IA | $79,170 | $98,086 | $126,460 | $147,320 | $168,180 | $135,541 | 4,240 |
| Reno, NV | $64,090 | $88,738 | $125,710 | $149,745 | $173,780 | $118,038 | 1,200 |
| Memphis, TN | $77,520 | $96,744 | $125,580 | $146,790 | $168,000 | $149,500 | 2,270 |
| Birmingham, AL | $74,110 | $94,630 | $125,410 | $150,370 | $175,330 | $138,728 | 3,830 |
| Omaha, NE | $80,120 | $98,160 | $125,220 | $144,010 | $162,800 | $136,405 | 3,920 |
| Greensboro, NC | $79,180 | $97,584 | $125,190 | $147,150 | $169,110 | $137,119 | 1,710 |
| Kansas City, MO | $76,340 | $95,800 | $124,990 | $147,215 | $169,440 | $131,017 | 12,160 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $76,030 | $95,418 | $124,500 | $158,105 | $191,710 | $134,886 | 10,320 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $77,740 | $96,136 | $123,730 | $144,195 | $164,660 | $127,033 | 6,170 |
| Tucson, AZ | $79,090 | $96,938 | $123,710 | $154,265 | $184,820 | $129,675 | 4,060 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $78,290 | $96,454 | $123,700 | $153,140 | $182,580 | $131,596 | 2,280 |
| Lexington, KY | $79,770 | $97,266 | $123,510 | $145,390 | $167,270 | $135,279 | 1,430 |
| Rochester, NY | $79,580 | $96,856 | $122,770 | $146,470 | $170,170 | $132,153 | 4,650 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $77,090 | $95,210 | $122,390 | $147,700 | $173,010 | $141,491 | 3,820 |
| Columbus, OH | $80,130 | $97,014 | $122,340 | $146,170 | $170,000 | $131,407 | 9,880 |
| Greenville, SC | $67,630 | $89,294 | $121,790 | $159,835 | $197,880 | $135,172 | 2,070 |
| Knoxville, TN | $68,880 | $90,028 | $121,750 | $141,810 | $161,870 | $134,828 | 2,390 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $78,790 | $95,842 | $121,420 | $146,830 | $172,240 | $133,136 | 9,900 |
| Louisville, KY | $77,750 | $90,758 | $110,270 | $136,810 | $163,350 | $122,251 | 2,770 |
| Tulsa, OK | $76,140 | $89,176 | $108,730 | $137,655 | $166,580 | $125,265 | 1,960 |
| New Orleans, LA | $77,760 | $89,436 | $106,950 | $134,105 | $161,260 | $111,522 | 940 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $76,990 | $88,942 | $106,870 | $132,920 | $158,970 | $118,613 | 7,140 |
| Wichita, KS | $62,860 | $80,108 | $105,980 | $129,240 | $152,500 | $126,167 | 2,040 |
| Little Rock, AR | $61,990 | $78,822 | $104,070 | $129,050 | $154,030 | $117,993 | 1,590 |
| Anchorage, AK | $62,060 | $78,848 | $104,030 | $120,245 | $136,460 | $81,913 | 320 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Software Developer is $132,684 as of 2025. The national mean (average) is $154,545. Salaries range from $104,030 to $213,110 depending on city and cost of living.
Software Developer salaries vary significantly by metro area. The highest-paying cities offer median salaries well above the national average of $132,684, though cost of living should be factored in. Check the city breakdown table above for COL-adjusted figures.
There are approximately 1,225,060 Software Developer positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Software Developer positions at the 90th percentile earn significantly more than the median, suggesting strong income growth potential with experience and specialization. The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile indicates the impact that skills, location, and seniority have on compensation.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2026.