In 2021 the median software developer salary in the US was $120,730.
Software developers’ salaries range from $64,470 to $168,570. The US Bureau of Labor reported the bottom 10% earn less than $64,470 annually. The top 10% make a salary of over $168,570. Software developers earn the most in the software publishing industry at $130,180, followed by the manufacturing and finance industries at $124,950 and $124,390, respectively.
Software Developer Salary Growth by Year
The median annual salary for software developers has grown by almost 30% from $93,350 in 2012 to $120,730 in 2021.
(Source: BLS.gov)
We can see that there is a steady growth in the salaries of software developers by year. However, the wage varies due to industry, location, and other factors.
| Year | Median Annual Wage of Software Developers |
| 2012 | $93,350 |
| 2015 | $100,690 |
| 2016 | $102,280 |
| 2018 | $105,590 |
| 2021 | $120,730 |
According to Glassdoor, the average software developer wage in December 2022 was $95,464 per year.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
Glassdoor bases its estimates on the collected data from its users. According to Glassdoor, the estimated salary for software developers is that base median annual salary is $88,592, and the additional pay is $6,872. Other forms of compensation may include cash bonuses, commissions, tips, and a profit percentage.
The ‘most likely range’ for software developer salary in December 2022 was from $76,000 to $120,000.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
‘The most likely range is between the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. There is also a possible range in salary for software developers from $63K to $146K per year.
How Much Does a Software Developer Make an Hour?
The average software developer’s hourly wage is $58.17.
(Source: BLS.gov)
The state of California has the highest median hourly wage at $70.56. The pay for software developers varies depending on their geographical location, educational background, knowledge, and year of experience.
Software Developer Hourly Wage by Different Sources
(Source: ZipRecruiter, Economic Research Institute, PayScale, Upwork, Talent.com, Zippia)
The hourly rate varies depending on the sources’ estimation according to their base of data from their respondents. The hourly wage also depends on the job title of the developer and his years of experience and knowledge. Nevertheless, if we generalize from the given data from the table, we will see that the average hourly rate would be more than $40 in the US.
| Source | Hourly wage |
| Economic Research Institute | $55/hr |
| ZipRecruiter | $43 /hr |
| PayScale | $32/hr |
| Upwork | $15-$30/hr |
| Talent.com | $51.57 |
| Zippia | $42.08 |
Software Developer Salary by Years of Experience
Software developers with less than a year of experience have an average salary of $65K.
(Source: PayScale)
We can see in the table the average data for software development salaries for years by experience, collected by Payscale through their respondents. The pay varies on the years of experience and many other factors, such as the firm, the location, the knowledge, and project involvement.
| Years of Experience | Software Developers Salary |
| <1 | $65K |
| 1-4 | $72K |
| 5-9 | $85K |
| 10-19 | $96K |
| 20+ | $100K |
Average Starting Salary for a Software Developer
The entry-level software developers average salary in the US is $90,110 annually.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a beginner software developer is $83,844, with additional median cash compensation of $6,266. The starting salary for a software developer can vary based on the location or the company that hired him. Some companies offer starting software developer salaries in the US of $59K, while others offer much higher starting salaries of up to $138K per year. With experience and time spent in an organization, software developers can expect a fast rise in salary.
Mid-level Software Developer Salary
The average salary for Mid-level software developers in the US is $95,022.
(Source: Salary.com)
The range of mid-level software developers’ salaries falls between $86,642 and $105,157. The salary can vary depending on various factors, such as the education of the software developer, the number of years spent in the profession, the size of the company, the industry, etc.
Part-time Software Developer Salary
Comparably estimated that the average part-time software developer salary in the US is $105,914 per year.
(Source: Comparably)
The range of salaries of part-time software developers in the US falls between $57,340 and $159,850. The middle 57% of part-time software developers make an annual salary of $105,570, while the top 86% earn $159,850 per year. The base salary in Salt Lake City, Dallas, Phoenix, and Houston is 2% higher than the part-time median software developer salary, while in Portland is 5% smaller than the median part-time software developer salary.
According to Glassdoor, in December 2022, the median part-time software developer wage in the US was $102,819 per year.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
The base pay is $88,797, and the additional pay is $14,023, totaling the average part-time developer’s salary. The possible range for part-time developers’ salary is from $68K to $157K, and the most probable range is between $83k and $129K. There is some difference between the estimate of Comparably and Glassdoor, but their estimate is close to each other, with a slight difference in numbers.
Software Developer Salary by State
California is the highest-paid state for software developers, with an annual mean wage of $146,770.
(Source: BLS.gov)
In second place is the state of Washington, with a mean wage of $145,150, and in third is the state of Maryland, with a mean salary of $131,240.
10 Best States for Software Developers With the Highest Average Salary
| № | State | Annual Mean Wage | Hourly Mean Wage |
| 1 | California | $146,770 | $70.56 |
| 2 | Washington | $145,150 | $69.78 |
| 3 | Maryland | $131,240 | $ 63.09 |
| 4 | New York | $129,950 | $62.48 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $128,790 | $61.92 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $128,190 | $61.63 |
| 7 | Virginia | $127,830 | $61.46 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $124,770 | $59.99 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $124,100 | $59.66 |
| 10 | Colorado | $120,140 | $57.76 |
10 Lowest Paying States for Software Developers
West Virginia is the lowest-paying state for software developers, with an annual mean wage of $83,450.
(Source: BLS.gov)
North Dakota and Mississippi are also among the states with the lowest annual mean wages of $83,460 and $85,590, respectively.
| № | State | Annual Mean Wage | Hourly Mean Wage |
| 1 | West Virginia | $83,450 | $40.12 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $83,460 | $40.13 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $85,590 | $41.15 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $85,730 | $41.22 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $85,910 | $41.30 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $89,420 | $42.99 |
| 7 | Montana | $92,980 | $44.70 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $93,670 | $45.03 |
| 9 | Indiana | $94,920 | $45.64 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $96,900 | $46.59 |
Software Developer Salary by City
San Jose, California, is the best city for software developers, which offers a wage of $157,480 annually.
(Source: US News)
According to US News, the best-paying city for software developers is San Jose, CA. Following close are San Francisco, CA, and Seattle, WA. Both region and education level lead to varying software developer salaries, but other employer-specific factors like industry or company size also have an impact.
5 Best Cities for Software Developers
| City | Software Developer Average Salary |
| San Jose, CA | $157,480 |
| San Francisco, CA | $144,740 |
| Seattle, WA | $140,930 |
| Wenatchee, WA | $131,320 |
| Oxnard, CA | $127,620 |
Software Developer Salaries by Country
Switzerland is one of the best countries for software developers, with an estimated total pay of CHF 106,666 per year.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
The total pay consists of an average salary of CHF 100,000 and an additional pay of CHF 7,000.
The most likely salary range for software developers in Switzerland is between CHF 89,000 and CHF 130,000.
Denmark’s estimated total pay for software developers is DKK 72,317 per month.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
Denmark is another great option to live in for software developers. Additionally, Denmark is home to many world-class tech companies, such as Microsoft, Oracle, and Adobe, and is also home to many innovative startups.
10 Best Countries for Software Developers
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
| Country | Total Pay in Local Currency | Pay Range |
| United States | $95,468/yr | $63K – $146K |
| Switzerland | CHF 106,666/yr | CHF 78K – CHF 153K |
| Denmark | DKK 72,317/mo | DKK 43K – DKK 160K |
| Israel | ₪58,500/mo | ₪25K – ₪109K |
| Canada | CA$84,724/yr | CA$59K – CA$129K |
| Norway | NOK 708,533/yr | NOK 540K – NOK 959K |
| Australia | A$110,000/yr | A$74K – A$173K |
| United Kingdom | £46,369/yr | £28K – £82K |
| Germany | €65,000/yr | €48K – €94K |
| Sweden | SEK 75,200/mo | SEK 37K – SEK 147K |
India is one of the lowest-income countries for software developers, with an estimated total salary of ₹908,500 per annum.
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
Software development is an increasingly competitive field. Due to the high population in India, many developers compete for a limited number of jobs. This is why software developers in India earn significantly lower wages than developers in other countries.
10 Lowest Paying Countries for Software Developers
(Source: Glassdoor, Dec 7, 2022)
| Country | Total Pay | Pay Range |
| India | ₹908,500/yr | ₹325K – ₹3M |
| China | CN¥76,043/mo | CN¥21K – CN¥167K |
| Vietnam | ₫46M/ mo | ₫10M – ₫94M |
| Egypt | EGP 33,000/mo | EGP 11K – EGP 74K |
| Bangladesh | BDT 97,750/mo | BDT 45K – BDT 200K |
| Philippines | ₱81,000/mo | ₱29K – ₱243K |
| Sri Lanka | LKR 430,000/mo | LKR 100K – LKR 2M |
| Brazil | R$19,150/mo | R$6K – R$86K |
| Mexico | MX$63,000/mo | MX$22K – MX$208K |
| Pakistan | PKR 220,000/mo | PKR 62K – PKR 896K |
Software Developer Salary by Industry
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing is one of the highest-paying industries for software developers, offering an average salary of $152,840.
(Source: BLS.gov)
A study by the US Bureau of Labor in May 2021 showed that Computer Systems Design and Related Services is the lowest-paying industry. That industry offers an average wage of $115,550 and has the highest number of employed software developers compared to other industries – an astonishing 455,050.
| Industry | Employment | Annual Mean Wage | Hourly Mean Wage |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 455,050 | $115,550 | $55.56 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70,070 | $118,380 | $56.92 |
| Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services | 52,690 | $124,040 | $59.63 |
| Software Publishers | 133,340 | $131,020 | $62.99 |
| Personal Care Services | 90 | $140,080 | $67.35 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 39,960 | $142,070 | $68.30 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 23,080 | $152,840 | $73.48 |
| Other information services | 58,420 | $156,800 | $75.39 |
In research done by Zippia, Finance is the highest-paying industry in the US for software developer jobs, with an average wage of $96,138 per year.
(Source: Zippia)
This is higher than those in the technology industry, which is $93,297. The lowest-paying industry for software developer jobs, according to the data from Zippia, is telecommunications, where they earn an average of $88,060 annually.
| Industry | Average Software Developer Pay |
| Finance | $96,138 |
| Technology | $93,297 |
| Professional | $89,302 |
| Telecommunication | $88,060 |
Salaries of Different Types of Software Developers
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are different types of software developers, such as software engineers, application software developers, and system software developers.
Let’s check out how the salaries of these types of software developers differ.
Software Engineer Salary
The average software engineer’s salary in 2022 is $100,260 per year or $48.20 per hour.
(Source: Zippia)
The entry-level salary for software engineers in the US is $73,000 annually. California is the top state for software engineers, with the highest average salary of any other US state at $115,477. San Bruno, CA, is the highest-paid city, with an average salary of $126,992.
Software Application Developer Salary
Application software developers earn an average wage of $104,724 per year.
(Source: Zippia)
Application software developer pay per hour is standard $50.35. The range of salaries ranges from $80k to $136K. The highest wages for application software developers are in California, Washington, Vermont, Nevada, and New York.
System Software Developer Salary
The average system software developer salary in the US is $108,328 annually or $52.08 hourly.
(Source: Zippia)
The salary can range from $81K to $144K, depending on the firm and location and the employee’s skills, experience, and knowledge. California is the highest-income state for a system software developer, with an average salary of $129,618. San Francisco, CA, is the highest-paying city in the US for system software developers and offers them a mean wage of $137,643.
Conclusion
The software developer field is growing in salary and job availability. The US Bureau of Labour predicts that the software development industry will grow by 26% and have 1,796,500 available jobs by 2031. In contrast, computer occupations are expected to grow by 15%. The software developer’s salary is also impacted by region, education, industry, employer, skills, knowledge, and experience. In summary, the demand for software developers will continue to rise, and there will always be available jobs for this kind of occupation.
FAQ’s
Do software developers make a lot of money?
Software developers can make a lot of money. A software developer’s salary ranges from $84,020 to $140,470 annually. Technically, the payment is relatively reasonable, and an experienced software developer has a bigger salary than the average one. Several factors influence the revenue flow. Having experience and talent is a crucial element. Learning a rare and unused language can put your skills in demand and a bigger salary—a 2019 report by Dice Tech found that Go is the most profitable language to learn. The average salary for those who knew the programming language was $132,827 per year. Wages vary greatly depending on location in the US. Pay Scale reports that San Francisco is the highest-paying location. However, the employee’s location does not matter much due to the rising number of work-from-home and remote jobs. Working for more prominent firms also increases the chances of more revenue. Amazon, for example, pays approximately $133,000 annually for an experienced software developer. Another option is to start up your tech firm.
Do software developers work every day?
The number of hours an employee works in a week legally varies both on industry and country. However, 8 hours a day is a typical schedule for most professionals. Averagely, software developers work 35-45 hours per week, as it is within the international Labor Regulations of working hours.
There are specific differences depending on where the software developer works, a small firm, freelance, or for a big company. It also varies depending on the location where they work or the location of the firm they work. Moreover, software developers need to be able to put in extra hours if the current project demands, as in every other profession where sometimes overtime is required. There are also laws regarding how many hours can be done over time.
