A Software Dev's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Software De Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Software Dev's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
How Do Software Dev Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Software Devs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $110,321
San Francisco: $109,113
Oakland: $106,813
San Jose, CA$110,321
San Francisco, CA$109,113
Oakland, CA$106,813
New York, NY$100,707
Paramus, NJ$99,483
Queens Village, NY$99,478
Passaic, NJ$99,395
Bergenfield, NJ$99,388
Stamford, CT$99,195
Huntington, NY$99,159
Newark, NJ$98,513
Bridgeport, CT$98,328
Vallejo, CA$98,154
New Brunswick, NJ$98,119
Petaluma, CA$98,067
Middlesex, NJ$97,901
Somerset, NJ$97,839
Santa Cruz, CA$97,726
Boston, MA$97,192
Monterey, CA$96,885
Seattle, WA$96,685
Santa Rosa, CA$96,667
Los Angeles, CA$96,641
Juneau, AK$96,414
Washington, DC$96,317
Orange, CA$96,006
Santa Ana, CA$95,775
Long Beach, CA$95,688
Anaheim, CA$95,670
Anchorage, AK$95,626
Santa Maria, CA$95,364
Everett, WA$95,347
Danbury, CT$95,039
Bremerton, WA$94,918
Tacoma, WA$94,603
New Suffolk, NY$94,601
Sacramento, CA$94,577
Santa Barbara, CA$94,481
Trenton, NJ$94,384
San Diego, CA$94,384
Brockton, MA$94,288
Fairbanks, AK$94,074
Lompoc, CA$93,851
Lowell, MA$93,780
Ventura, CA$93,763
Nashua, NH$93,746
Stockton, CA$93,737
Modesto, CA$93,099
Poughkeepsie, NY$92,906
Olympia, WA$92,740
Kennewick, WA$92,740
New Haven, CT$92,705
Lawrence, MA$92,390
Hartford, CT$92,303
Riverside, CA$92,285
New Bedford, MA$92,198
Richland, WA$92,198
Bakersfield, CA$92,075
San Bernardino, CA$92,040
New Britain, CT$92,032
Atlantic City, NJ$92,032
New London, CT$91,997
Norwich, CT$91,970
Portsmouth, NH$91,953
Boulder, CO$91,767
Portland, OR$91,647
Worcester, MA$91,638
Minneapolis, MN$91,367
Philadelphia, PA$91,244
Honolulu, HI$90,956
Saint Paul, MN$90,914
Vineland, NJ$90,895
Providence, RI$90,641
Chicago, IL$90,387
Bellingham, WA$90,282
Springfield, MA$90,212
Baltimore, MD$90,186
Chico, CA$89,967
Pittsfield, MA$89,731
Manchester, NH$89,565
Spokane, WA$89,180
Denver, CO$89,171
Albany, NY$88,760
Troy, NY$88,725
Nassau, NY$88,632
Schenectady, NY$88,542
Wilmington, DE$88,472
Burlington, VT$88,349
Salem, OR$88,314
Portland, ME$88,043
Yakima, WA$87,956
Rochester, MN$87,685
Reno, NV$87,641
Fresno, CA$87,641
Milwaukee, WI$87,562
Detroit, MI$87,475
Ann Arbor, MI$87,460
Allentown, PA$87,448
Colorado Springs, CO$87,300
Syracuse, NY$87,256
Carson City, NV$87,256
Houston, TX$87,134
Eugene, OR$87,090
Gary, IN$86,985
Springfield, OR$86,915
Bismarck, ND$86,897
Galveston, TX$86,836
Medford, OR$86,705
Fort Collins, CO$86,670
Concord, NH$86,626
Austin, TX$86,600
Mesa, AZ$86,416
Reading, PA$86,408
Phoenix, AZ$86,399
Dallas, TX$86,373
Saint Cloud, MN$86,289
Madison, WI$86,171
Utica, NY$85,935
Rochester, NY$85,795
Des Moines, IA$85,787
Raleigh, NC$85,778
Atlanta, GA$85,647
Battle Creek, MI$85,620
Salt Lake City, UT$85,594
Lancaster, PA$85,463
Harrisburg, PA$85,340
Kansas City, MO$85,253
Champaign, IL$85,236
Kansas City, KS$85,236
Fort Worth, TX$85,227
Columbus, OH$85,212
Boca Raton, FL$85,192
Pittsburgh, PA$85,157
Richmond, VA$85,122
Indianapolis, IN$85,104
Cleveland, OH$85,096
Las Vegas, NV$84,991
Cincinnati, OH$84,991
Petersburg, VA$84,859
Huntsville, AL$84,728
Lansing, MI$84,670
Lebanon, PA$84,658
Pueblo, CO$84,649
Appleton, WI$84,623
Buffalo, NY$84,588
Dayton, OH$84,562
Racine, WI$84,545
Charlotte, NC$84,536
Saint Louis, MO$84,510
York, PA$84,457
Elkhart, IN$84,457
Gastonia, NC$84,440
Billings, MT$84,419
Beaumont, TX$84,396
Lorain, OH$84,378
Benton Harbor, MI$84,361
Toledo, OH$84,343
Binghamton, NY$84,300
Rock Hill, SC$84,291
Rockford, IL$84,247
Springfield, IL$84,212
Elyria, OH$84,203
Fargo, ND$84,203
Flagstaff, AZ$84,142
Fort Lauderdale, FL$84,090
Duluth, MN$84,037
Miami, FL$84,037
Cheyenne, WY$83,976
Grand Forks, ND$83,976
Bangor, ME$83,784
Cedar Rapids, IA$83,687
Durham, NC$83,651
Louisville, KY$83,644
Grand Rapids, MI$83,626
Hialeah, FL$83,617
Casper, WY$83,495
Scranton, PA$83,390
New Orleans, LA$83,364
Virginia Beach, VA$83,355
Akron, OH$83,311
Peoria, IL$83,198
Sarasota, FL$83,180
Nashville, TN$83,119
Omaha, NE$83,119
Green Bay, WI$83,119
Baton Rouge, LA$83,075
Charleston, SC$83,058
Jamestown, NY$83,014
Davenport, IA$83,014
Tucson, AZ$82,970
Saint Petersburg, FL$82,918
Tampa, FL$82,900
Evansville, IN$82,848
Port Arthur, TX$82,848
Bradenton, FL$82,813
Santa Fe, NM$82,655
Orlando, FL$82,498
Clearwater, FL$82,472
Canton, OH$82,288
La Crosse, WI$82,288
Albuquerque, NM$82,235
Newport News, VA$82,227
High Point, NC$82,200
Ogden, UT$82,165
Corpus Christi, TX$82,095
Norfolk, VA$82,043
Laramie, WY$82,043
Rock Island, IL$81,991
Saginaw, MI$81,973
Jacksonville, FL$81,964
Salisbury, NC$81,947
Boise, ID$81,929
Moline, IL$81,886
Fort Myers, FL$81,859
Memphis, TN$81,842
Tulsa, OK$81,798
Waterloo, IA$81,746
Spartanburg, SC$81,658
Lincoln, NE$81,614
Fort Wayne, IN$81,597
Provo, UT$81,588
Cedar Falls, IA$81,483
San Antonio, TX$81,448
Greensboro, NC$81,413
South Bend, IN$81,405
Savannah, GA$81,308
Muskegon, MI$81,273
Birmingham, AL$81,265
Winston Salem, NC$81,222
Lake Charles, LA$81,011
Anderson, IN$80,993
Lexington, KY$80,967
Augusta, GA$80,941
Greenville, SC$80,941
Lima, OH$80,871
Wichita, KS$80,862
Tuscaloosa, AL$80,862
Columbia, SC$80,784
Springfield, OH$80,766
Asheville, NC$80,626
Bloomington, IN$80,565
Knoxville, TN$80,250
Shreveport, LA$80,241
Wilmington, NC$80,128
Roanoke, VA$80,128
Topeka, KS$79,970
Frankfort, KY$79,960
Oklahoma City, OK$79,900
Chillicothe, OH$79,865
Longview, TX$79,856
Melbourne, FL$79,848
Sioux Falls, SD$79,708
Mobile, AL$79,699
Terre Haute, IN$79,664
Altoona, PA$79,611
Amarillo, TX$79,550
Killeen, TX$79,524
Fayetteville, AR$79,454
Chattanooga, TN$79,428
Sioux City, IA$79,349
Idaho Falls, ID$79,332
Lynchburg, VA$79,262
Gainesville, FL$79,148
Portsmouth, OH$79,104
Little Rock, AR$79,087
Lafayette, LA$79,052
Youngstown, OH$79,052
Daytona Beach, FL$78,999
Clarksville, TN$78,990
Pensacola, FL$78,982
Temple, TX$78,976
Hopkinsville, KY$78,719
Erie, PA$78,702
Florence, SC$78,667
Charleston, WV$78,527
Great Falls, MT$78,483
Macon, GA$78,361
Tallahassee, FL$78,352
Fayetteville, NC$78,334
Waco, TX$78,317
Helena, MT$78,256
Pine Bluff, AR$78,223
Vincennes, IN$78,116
Lubbock, TX$78,081
Alamogordo, NM$78,028
Twin Falls, ID$77,950
Rapid City, SD$77,923
Jackson, MS$77,766
Huntington, WV$77,760
Greenville, MS$77,757
Parkersburg, WV$77,668
Montgomery, AL$77,652
Wichita Falls, TX$77,565
Springfield, MO$77,565
Biloxi, MS$77,521
Monroe, LA$77,434
Johnstown, PA$77,372
Sumter, SC$77,337
Columbus, GA$77,329
Pascagoula, MS$77,162
Abilene, TX$77,162
Kingsport, TN$76,935
Albany, GA$76,935
Gulfport, MS$76,909
Alexandria, LA$76,620
Fort Smith, AR$76,401
El Paso, TX$76,165
Las Cruces, NM$75,772
Harlingen, TX$75,550
Pocatello, ID$75,536
Florence, AL$75,422
Brownsville, TX$75,404
Mcallen, TX$75,221
Dothan, AL$75,098
Columbus, MS$74,579
Altus, OK$74,171
Lawton, OK$74,005
Pierre, SD$73,690
What Skills Can Increase a Software Dev's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 4.66% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Installation (Mentioned in 2.46% Job Postings): The action or process of installing someone or something, or of being installed. the act of installing the state of being installed, something that is installed for use.
Programming (Mentioned in 1.29% Job Postings): Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Software Dev's salary.
Systems Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Software Dev Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Software Dev roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Software De positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Software Dev as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Software Dev
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities
$104,959
$50.0
20%
Software & Networking
$100,586
$48.0
15%
Telecom
$100,586
$48.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$96,212
$46.0
10%
Chemicals
$96,212
$46.0
10%
How Education impacts a Software Dev's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Software Devs enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Software Dev with a Associate's Degree is between
$93,125
and $98,555).
Software Dev Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Software Dev's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Software Dev can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $94,413 in 2023
to around $92,510 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Software Dev salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Software Dev Over Time
$???
$94,413
$93,962
$92,510
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$94,413
2024
$93,962
2025
$92,510
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Software Dev
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Software Dev
Here are companies hiring for Software Dev and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Software Dev Job
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FAQ about Software Dev
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Software Dev?
The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Software Dev roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
