Software Developers: salary, outlook & degrees
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.
Middle half $105,210–$171,980. 1,687,890 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
90% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $122,891.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 95,300 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 32% | Computer Science |
| Computer Engineering | 11% | Computer Engineering |
| Electrical Engineering | 8% | Electrical Engineering |
| Computer And Information Systems | 4% | Computer and Information Sciences |
| Mechanical Engineering | 3% | Mechanical Engineering |
| Mathematics | 2% | Mathematics |
| General Engineering | 2% | Engineering |
| Business Management And Administration | 2% | Business Administration |
| Information Sciences | 1% | Information Science / Studies |
| General Business | 1% | Business |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| California | $174,410 |
| Washington | $166,540 |
| New York | $166,180 |
| Massachusetts | $165,210 |
| Oregon | $142,720 |
| New Hampshire | $139,720 |
| Maryland | $138,680 |
| Colorado | $138,390 |
| District of Columbia | $136,880 |
| Virginia | $136,460 |
| New Jersey | $135,940 |
| North Carolina | $134,710 |
| Connecticut | $134,120 |
| Delaware | $133,020 |
| Texas | $132,150 |
| Illinois | $132,110 |
| Idaho | $131,590 |
| Georgia | $131,010 |
| Florida | $130,980 |
| Rhode Island | $130,590 |
| Minnesota | $130,050 |
| Arizona | $129,690 |
| South Carolina | $129,450 |
| Nevada | $128,810 |
| Utah | $128,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $126,550 |
| Missouri | $126,120 |
| Michigan | $125,570 |
| Vermont | $125,280 |
| New Mexico | $124,520 |
| Hawaii | $124,040 |
| Maine | $123,120 |
| Wisconsin | $122,660 |
| Alabama | $122,540 |
| Tennessee | $122,430 |
| Montana | $121,990 |
| West Virginia | $121,000 |
| Oklahoma | $118,100 |
| Wyoming | $115,170 |
| Iowa | $114,890 |
| Ohio | $114,090 |
| Kansas | $113,420 |
| Nebraska | $110,900 |
| Kentucky | $109,010 |
| Indiana | $105,920 |
| North Dakota | $105,600 |
| Arkansas | $104,490 |
| Louisiana | $102,800 |
| South Dakota | $96,310 |
| Mississippi | $95,330 |
| PR | $79,380 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$132,650
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$130,450
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$129,620
- Jacksonville$130,330
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$131,760
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$131,890
- Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin$130,640
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers$126,940
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$154,930
- Richmond$132,120
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$129,090
- Charlottesville$128,520
- Roanoke$121,110
- Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford$111,630
- Lynchburg$109,840
- Kingsport-Bristol$115,310
California metro areas
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$213,110
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$186,640
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$160,920
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$163,270
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$139,640
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$133,270
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$159,430
- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara$158,290
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Writing
Knowledge used
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Education and Training
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Innovation
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Achievement Orientation
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Software Developers: questions
How much do software Developers make?
Software Developers earn a U.S. median $135,980 a year; the middle half earn $105,210 to $171,980 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $121,830 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is software Developers a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 10.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 95,300 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a software Developer?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 90% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is computer Science (32%).
How much do software Developers make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $130,980 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $135,980 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 15-1252. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Software Developers: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/software-developers.