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How Much Does a Software Developer Make?

A software developer in the US earns a median salary of $135,980 a year, or $65.38 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $148,100, and the middle half earn between $105,210 and $171,980.

Median a year $135,980
Median an hour $65.38
Median a month $11,332
Average a year $148,100

Software developer pay range

What software developers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $82,460 $39.64
25th $105,210 $50.58
Median (50th) $135,980 $65.38
75th $171,980 $82.68
90th (top 10%) $214,670 $103.21

The median is 167% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 1,687,890 people work as software developers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,615
Every two weeks
$5,230
Twice a month
$5,666
A month
$11,332

At the median salary, before tax.

Software developer salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays software developers the most, at $186,770 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $186,770 $174,410 284,390 After tax
Washington $171,040 $166,540 107,030 After tax
New York $163,820 $166,180 113,510 After tax
Massachusetts $161,730 $165,210 48,190 After tax
Maryland $151,560 $138,680 31,350 After tax
Colorado $150,940 $138,390 43,320 After tax
Oregon $149,060 $142,720 21,830 After tax
Virginia $146,340 $136,460 88,280 After tax
New Hampshire $144,530 $139,720 10,840 After tax
District of Columbia $144,430 $136,880 6,120 After tax
New Jersey $143,800 $135,940 51,570 After tax
Connecticut $141,260 $134,120 13,660 After tax
Delaware $138,110 $133,020 3,380 After tax
Nevada $137,350 $128,810 4,520 After tax
Florida $137,010 $130,980 87,890 After tax
North Carolina $136,940 $134,710 58,470 After tax
Illinois $136,540 $132,110 56,310 After tax
Texas $136,450 $132,150 163,880 After tax
South Carolina $136,240 $129,450 13,230 After tax
Vermont $136,100 $125,280 1,740 After tax
Hawaii $134,600 $124,040 1,600 After tax
Idaho $134,370 $131,590 5,750 After tax
Montana $133,550 $121,990 2,160 After tax
Arizona $132,530 $129,690 38,050 After tax
Georgia $132,150 $131,010 49,700 After tax
Utah $129,860 $128,810 31,940 After tax
Rhode Island $129,080 $130,590 5,070 After tax
Maine $129,040 $123,120 2,790 After tax
Pennsylvania $128,110 $126,550 55,920 After tax
Minnesota $127,530 $130,050 35,890 After tax
New Mexico $126,620 $124,520 3,960 After tax
Missouri $123,810 $126,120 20,020 After tax
Wyoming $123,360 $115,170 1,510 After tax
Alabama $122,840 $122,540 17,450 After tax
Michigan $122,720 $125,570 43,460 After tax
Wisconsin $122,620 $122,660 21,730 After tax
Kentucky $120,730 $109,010 7,660 After tax
Tennessee $120,560 $122,430 19,030 After tax
Ohio $119,860 $114,090 44,790 After tax
Iowa $118,780 $114,890 9,040 After tax
Oklahoma $118,510 $118,100 6,880 After tax
West Virginia $118,410 $121,000 2,650 After tax
Kansas $116,560 $113,420 13,580 After tax
Nebraska $115,590 $110,900 7,260 After tax
Indiana $113,980 $105,920 14,130 After tax
Arkansas $109,590 $104,490 6,050 After tax
Louisiana $108,270 $102,800 4,080 After tax
North Dakota $107,000 $105,600 1,450 After tax
South Dakota $104,790 $96,310 2,380 After tax
Mississippi $99,840 $95,330 1,880 After tax
Puerto Rico $80,980 $79,380 2,020

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other computer and mathematical jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Software Developers” (SOC 15-1252). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a software developer make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a software developer is $65.38, and the average is $71.20. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39.64 an hour and the top 10% over $103.21.

How much does a software developer make a month?

At the median salary of $135,980, a software developer earns about $11,332 a month before tax, or $5,230 every two weeks.

Which state pays software developers the most?

California has the highest average pay for a software developer, at $186,770 a year. Next are Washington and New York. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a software developer?

The lowest-paid 10% of software developers earn less than $82,460 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $105,210. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid software developers make?

The top 10% earn more than $214,670 a year, and the top 25% more than $171,980.