• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

15-1252 Software Developers

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.

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National estimates for Software Developers
Industry profile for Software Developers
Geographic profile for Software Developers

National estimates for Software Developers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Software Developers:

Employment (1)	Employment RSE (3)	Mean hourly wage	Mean annual wage (2)	Wage RSE (3)
1,534,790	0.4 %	$ 63.91	$ 132,930	0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Software Developers:

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$ 34.27	$ 46.54	$ 61.18	$ 77.64	$ 95.24
Annual Wage (2)	$ 71,280	$ 96,790	$ 127,260	$ 161,480	$ 198,100

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Industry profile for Software Developers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Software Developers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Software Developers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Software Developers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services	526,240	21.30	$ 58.30	$ 121,270
Software Publishers	162,130	26.43	$ 68.00	$ 141,440
Management of Companies and Enterprises	78,280	2.92	$ 60.44	$ 125,720
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services	67,690	14.90	$ 64.79	$ 134,750
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only)	50,640	2.50	$ 64.54	$ 134,250

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Software Developers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers	162,130	26.43	$ 68.00	$ 141,440
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services	41,590	23.66	(8)	(8)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services	526,240	21.30	$ 58.30	$ 121,270
Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services	67,690	14.90	$ 64.79	$ 134,750
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	20,850	13.23	$ 77.76	$ 161,730

Top paying industries for Software Developers:

Industry	Employment (1)	Percent of industry employment	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers	13,260	5.70	$ 80.93	$ 168,330
Local Messengers and Local Delivery	320	0.18	$ 80.39	$ 167,200
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing	20,850	13.23	$ 77.76	$ 161,730
Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers	1,380	0.16	$ 75.91	$ 157,890
Other Support Activities for Transportation	140	0.39	$ 74.89	$ 155,760

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Geographic profile for Software Developers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Software Developers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Software Developers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in Software Developers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
California	258,170	14.64	1.41	$ 87.77	$ 182,570
Texas	116,970	9.00	0.87	$ 56.46	$ 117,440
New York	92,040	10.10	0.97	$ 67.85	$ 141,130
Washington	91,200	26.78	2.58	$ 73.08	$ 152,010
Virginia	84,220	21.74	2.10	$ 63.87	$ 132,850

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Developers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
Washington	91,200	26.78	2.58	$ 73.08	$ 152,010
Virginia	84,220	21.74	2.10	$ 63.87	$ 132,850
Massachusetts	60,310	16.91	1.63	$ 64.30	$ 133,750
Colorado	40,930	14.80	1.43	$ 65.49	$ 136,230
California	258,170	14.64	1.41	$ 87.77	$ 182,570

Top paying states for Software Developers:

State	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
California	258,170	14.64	1.41	$ 87.77	$ 182,570
Washington	91,200	26.78	2.58	$ 73.08	$ 152,010
Rhode Island	(8)	(8)	(8)	$ 70.69	$ 147,030
New York	92,040	10.10	0.97	$ 67.85	$ 141,130
Alaska	390	1.27	0.12	$ 66.32	$ 137,940

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Software Developers:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	108,650	11.83	1.14	$ 68.67	$ 142,830
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	83,860	74.67	7.20	$ 112.76	$ 234,540
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	80,770	39.64	3.82	$ 74.85	$ 155,680
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	69,360	22.91	2.21	$ 67.23	$ 139,850
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	67,010	28.01	2.70	$ 87.32	$ 181,620
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH	55,590	20.56	1.98	$ 65.16	$ 135,530
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	53,220	8.72	0.84	$ 71.83	$ 149,410
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	50,370	13.24	1.28	$ 57.94	$ 120,520
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	41,920	15.37	1.48	$ 58.96	$ 122,630
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	40,840	9.25	0.89	$ 59.54	$ 123,830

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Developers:

Metropolitan area	Employment (1)	Employment per thousand jobs	Location quotient (9)	Hourly mean wage	Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	83,860	74.67	7.20	$ 112.76	$ 234,540
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	80,770	39.64	3.82	$ 74.85	$ 155,680
Boulder, CO	6,590	34.34	3.31	$ 81.61	$ 169,750
Huntsville, AL	6,960	29.11	2.80	$ 57.76	$ 120,140
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	67,010	28.01	2.70	$ 87.32	$ 181,620
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	8,330	25.42	2.45	$ 63.77	$ 132,640
Raleigh, NC	15,520	23.08	2.22	$ 61.48	$ 127,870
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	69,360	22.91	2.21	$ 67.23	$ 139,850
Provo-Orem, UT	6,160	21.62	2.08	$ 55.97	$ 116,420
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH	55,590	20.56	1.98	$ 65.16	$ 135,530