Tracy Phillips

Tracy Phillips

CodeSubmit Team

The Average Software Developer Salaries in the US [November 2022]

Industry Research

What is the average software developer salary in the US?

Today, you’ll learn how much US software developers earn on average countrywide, as well as salary averages in each of the 50 states. We also cover some of the reported averages for the larger tech companies, to give you an idea of what compensation looks like in Fall of 2022

Want to learn more? Let’s dive right in.

The average software developer salary in the US in 2022

  • Software developers in the US earn $110,140 per year or $9,178 per month on average.
  • Junior developers get paid, on average, $78,551 per year in the US.
  • Senior developers earn $126,389 annually in the US.
  • The highest-paid software developers live in California, where the average developer salary is $146,770 per year.
  • The US cities where developers get paid the most include San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara.
  • The US ranks in the top worldwide for developer salaries.

How much do software developers make in the US?

How much do software developers make in the US?

In this section, you’ll learn what the average software developer salary is per month and per hour. You’ll also learn what junior and senior software developers earn.

The average software developer salary in the US per month

The average software developer salary in the US is $110,140 per year or $9,178 per month, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The average software developer salary per hour

On average, software developers get paid $52/hour based on the average developer salary reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The average entry-level software developer salary

The average junior software developer salary is $78,551 per year or $6,546 per month, according to Indeed. Broken down, that equates to $37/hour.

The average senior software developer salary

The average senior software developer salary in the US is $126,389. Senior software developers make $10,532 per month and approximately $60 per hour.

The average software developer salary in different US states

What is the average software developer salary in different US states?

Here is what US developers earn in each state. The data comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed.com, and represents what we are seeing in the Fall of 2022.

As you can see, California leads the way with an average salary of $146,770 per year. The state with the lowest-paid developers is West Virginia, where developers earn $83,450/year. Hourly salaries vary from $40 to $70, depending on the state.

StateSalary
Alabama$102,990
Alaska$113,800
Arizona$114,630
Arkansas$89,420
California$146,770
Colorado$120,140
Connecticut$113,530
Delaware$115,330
Florida$105,200
Georgia$114,740
Hawaii$112,410
Idaho$98,560
Illinois$109,970
Indiana$94,920
Iowa$101,530
Kansas$99,380
Kentucky$97,810
Louisiana$93,670
Maine$101,440
Maryland$131,240
Massachusetts$128,190
Michigan$97,730
Minnesota$111,400
Mississippi$85,590
Missouri$100,290
Montana$92,980
Nebraska$98,590
Nevada$101,850
New Hampshire$116,940
New Jersey$124,100
New Mexico$107,460
New York$129,950
North Carolina$117,240
North Dakota$83,460
Ohio$101,870
Oklahoma$100,840
Oregon$115,160
Pennsylvania$105,550
Rhode Island$128,790
South Carolina$102,630
South Dakota$85,910
Tennessee$99,680
Texas$111,830
Utah$109,000
Vermont$108,720
Virginia$127,830
Washington$145,150
West Virginia$83,450
Wisconsin$96,900
Wyoming$85,730

The average software developer salary in Alabama

The average software developer salary in Alabama is $102,990 per year. That translates to $8,582 per month or $49.51 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Alaska

In Alaska, software developers get paid $113,800 per year on average and $9,483 per month. That translates to $54.71 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Arizona

Software developers in Arizona get paid on average $114,630 per year. They get paid $9,552 per month and $55.11 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Arkansas

In Arkansas, software developers earn $89,420 per year on average. They earn $7,451 per month and $42.99 per hour. Arkansas developers are among the lowest paid in the country.

The average software developer salary in California

According to BLS, the average mean wage for software developers in California is $146,770. The hourly mean wage is $70.56.

Some metropolitan areas in California have higher wages than others. The metropolitan areas with the highest wages are San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara where salaries are, on average, $167,420/year and $80.49/hour. These are the highest average wages across all US metropolitan areas. Not surprising, given that this area hosts the headquarters of many of the most successful and up-and-coming tech companies in the world, including Google, Apple, Netflix, Adobe, eBay, Intel, Intuit, and over 7,000 other tech companies.

In second place is the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metropolitan area, which also comes in second place nationally. Here, salaries are, on average, $76.12/hour and $158,320/year. This metropolitan area is home to Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park.

In third place states-wide is the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metropolitan area, which ranks fifth nationally. The average software developer salary there is $134,680 per year or $64.75 per hour.

Interesting but probably not surprising, out of the ten best-paid metropolitan areas, California takes up six spots. The three others (ranking eighth to tenth best-paid metropolitan areas) are the San Diego-Carlsbad metropolitan area ($133,580), the Napa metropolitan area ($131,930), and the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade metropolitan area ($130,690).

The average software developer salary in Colorado

On average, software developers earn $120,140 per year in Colorado. That’s $57.76 per hour and $10,011 per month.

The average software developer salary in Connecticut

Software developers get paid $113,530 per year and $9,460 per month. They earn $54.58 an hour.

The average software developer salary in Delaware

The average salary in Delaware is $115,330 per year or $9,610 per month and $55.45 an hour.

The average software developer salary in the District of Columbia

We are including data on Washington, DC as it is of interest for a national comparison, even though this is a list of US states. In the District of Columbia, developers make $124,770 per year, $10,397 per month, and $59.99 per hour. In other words, DC ranks among the highest-paid areas for developers in the US.

The average software developer salary in Florida

Software developers in Florida earn annually $105,200 or $8,766 per month. That’s $50.58 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Georgia

In Georgia, software developers get paid $114,740 per year. Their monthly average salary is $9,561 and the hourly salary is $55.16.

The average software developer salary in Hawaii

Software developers in Hawaii get paid $112,410 per year. That translates to $9,367 per month and $54.04 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Idaho

The average software developer salary in Idaho is $98,560 per year. That’s $8,213 per month and $47.39 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Illinois

The average software developer salary in Illinois is $109,970 per year on average. They earn $9,164 per month and $52.87 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Indiana

In Indiana, software developers get paid $94,920 per year on average. This translates to $7,190 per month and $45.64 per hour. In other words, Indiana developers are some of the lowest paid developers in the country.

The average software developer salary in Iowa

In Iowa, software developers earn $8,460 per month, $101,530 per year and $48.81 per hour. Iowa developers are among the lowest paid in the US.

The average software developer salary in Kansas

The average software developer salary in Kansas is $99,380 per year. They earn $8,281 per month and $47.78 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Kentucky

Kentucky developers earn $97,810 per year. Their salary per month is, on average, $8,150 and $47.02 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Louisiana

In Louisiana, developers get paid $45.03/hour or $7,805 per month. Their yearly salary is $93,670.

The average software developer salary in Maine

Developers in Maine get paid $8,453 per month or $101,440 per year. Their hourly salary is $48.77 on average.

The average software developer salary in Maryland

Where do the third best-paid software developers live in the US? In Maryland, where software developers earn $131,240 per month and $63.09 per hour.

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson ranks as the fourth best-paid metropolitan area in the US, with salaries averaging $137,510 per year and $66.11 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Massachusetts

The average software developer salary in Massachusetts is $128,190 per year. Developers in this state make $61.63 an hour and $8,288 per month.

The average software developer salary in Michigan

In Michigan, the average software developer salary is $97,730 per year. The monthly salary is $8,144 and the hourly pay is $46.99.

The average software developer salary in Minnesota

Minnesota developers earn $111,400 per year. This means $53.56 per hour or $9,283 per month. This puts Minnesota at the top of salaries across states in the US.

The average software developer salary in Mississippi

Developers in Mississippi are among the worst paid in the country. They make $85,590 per year and $41.15. On a monthly basis, their average salary is 7,132.

The average software developer salary in Missouri

Software developers in Missouri make $100,290 per year. Their hourly wages are $48.21 and their monthly income is $8,357.

The average software developer salary in Montana

The average developer salary in Montana is $92,980 per year. That’s $44.70 per hour and $7,748 per month.

The average software developer salary in Nebraska

In Nebraska, software developers make $98,590/year. This means that their monthly salary is $8,215 and their hourly pay is $47.40.

The average software developer salary in Nevada

The average salary in Nevada is $101,850 per year. Nevada developers make $48.97 per hour and $8,497 per month.

The average software developer salary in New Hampshire

How much do developers in New Hampshire make? They make $116,940/year on average. On an hourly basis, this means $56.22 and on a monthly basis, $9,745.

The average software developer salary in New Jersey

A software developer makes, on average, $124,100 per year or $10,341 per month. Their hourly salary is $59.66.

The average software developer salary in New Mexico

In New Mexico, software developers make $107,460 per month. That’s $51.66 per hour or $8,955 per month.

The average software developer salary in New York

In New York, software developers get paid $129,950 per year on average. This breaks down to $62.48 per hour. Software developers in New York get paid the fourth highest among software developers in the US.

The New York-Newark-New Jersey City metropolitan area is the seventh best-paid metropolitan area in the US at $133,620 per year.

The average software developer salary in North Carolina

The average yearly developer salary in North Carolina is $117,240 per year. This means $56.36 per hour or $9,770 per month.

The average software developer salary in North Dakota

North Dakota software developers are paid relatively low salaries compared to the rest of the country; $83,460 per year on average. Their hourly rate comes out at $40.13 per hour and their monthly salary is $6,955.

The average software developer salary in Ohio

What do software developers in Ohio make per year? Their average yearly pay is $101,870, whereas they get paid $48.97 per hour. They make an average of $8,489 per month.

The average software developer salary in Oklahoma

Oklahoma developers make $100,840 per year. Their hourly salary is $48.48 and their monthly pay is $8,403.

The average software developer salary in Oregon

Oregon developers make $115,160 per year. That’s $55.36 per hour and $9,596 per month.

The average software developer salary in Pennsylvania

Software developers in Pennsylvania make $105,550 per year. Their hourly salary is $50.75, while they make $8,795 per month.

The average software developer salary in Rhode Island

Software developers get paid $128,790 per year in Rhode Island. They get paid $61.92 per hour. This is the fifth best-paid state in the US.

The average software developer salary in South Carolina

Software developers in South Carolina make $102,630 per year. Their hourly pay is $49,34, while their monthly salary is $8,552.

The average software developer salary in South Dakota

What’s the average salary in South Dakota? It’s $85,910 per year and $7,159 per month. Their hourly rate is $41.30.

The average software developer salary in Tennessee

In Tennessee, the average pay is $47.92/hour, which means that developers make $99,680 per year. Their monthly salary is $8,306.

The average software developer salary in Texas

In Texas, the average annual mean wage is $111,830. That’s $53.77 per hour and $9,139 per month.

The average software developer salary in Utah

Utah developers make $109,000/year on average. Their hourly rate is $52.40, whereas their monthly salary is $9,083.

The average software developer salary in Vermont

How much do Vermont software developers make? Software developers make $108,720 in this state. Their hourly rate is $52.27 and their monthly salary is $9,060.

The average software developer salary in Virginia

In Virginia, developers make $127,830 per month. Their hourly salary is $61.46 and their monthly pay is $10,652.

The average software developer salary in Washington

Developers in Washington state are paid second highest among developers in the US. The average software developer salary in Washington is $145,150 per year and $69.78 per hour.

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area is also the third highest-paid area in the United States. This area also hosts the headquarters of Amazon.

The average software developer salary in West Virginia

Software developers in West Virginia make $83,450 per year and $6,954 per month. Their hourly rate is $40.12. This is one of the lower developer salaries in the US.

The average software developer salary in Wisconsin

What’s the average developer salary in Wisconsin? $96,900 per year, $8,075 per month, or $46.59 per hour.

The average software developer salary in Wyoming

The last state on our list is Wyoming. Here, developers make $85,730/year or $7,144 per month. Their hourly pay is $41.22.

Types of software developer salaries

Software developer salaries can vary a lot. It all comes down to things like how far along someone is in their career, as well as their technical skills. Some languages and frameworks are more in-demand and better paid than others.

Let’s take a look at the following languages/job titles:

  • Software developers vs software engineers
  • Fullstack engineers
  • C++ programmers
  • Python programmers

Software developer vs software engineer salary

The average software developer salary is $110,140. But how does this differ from the average software engineer salary?

Indeed estimates that the average software engineer salary is $122,948, which is slightly higher than software developer salaries, as reported by BLS. Ultimately, the specific salary will be based on things like technical skills rather than what job title a developer uses.

Fullstack engineer salary in the US

Fullstack developers earn $101,801 per year, according to Indeed. Salaries range from $65,647 to $157,867.

C++ programmer salary in the US

Indeed estimates that C++ developers make $114,895 per year. On the lower end, they make $60,852 per year and on the higher end, $216,935.

Python programmer salary in the US

The average pay for Python developers is $116,849 per year in the US. The least paid Python developers make $72,404 while the highest-paid developers make $188,576.

Is software development a good career in the US?

Yes, software development is a good career in the US. After all, software developers in the US are some of the best-paid folks in the world. What’s more, by specializing in a sought-after language or skill set, developers can significantly increase their salary.

Another strategy to get paid more is to find a job in a city or state that pays well, or a remote job that pays a higher salary than the local average.

Of course, salary isn’t the only consideration to take into account when determining if software development is the right career.

According to a StackOverflow survey, software engineers work an average of 40-45 hours a week. 10% work less than 35 hours a week and 5% work more than 60 hours a week. In other words, most software developers have a relatively good work-life balance.

Which country pays the highest to software developers?

Based on a comparison of 20+ countries, the highest-paying countries for software developers are:

  • United States $110,140
  • Switzerland $97,518
  • Israel $71,559

The seven countries that are next on the list are Denmark ($63,680), Canada ($61,680), Norway ($57,013), Australia ($55,640), United Kingdom ($55,275), Germany ($52,275), and Sweden ($50,437).

CountrySalary
USA$110,140
Switzerland$97,518
Israel$71,559
Denmark$63,680
Canada$61,680
Norway$57,013
Australia$55,640
UK$55,275
Germany$52,275
Sweden$50,437

Software developers earn the lowest salaries in countries such as South Africa ($19,151), Brazil ($11,337), the Philippines ($7,936), India ($7,725), and Nigeria ($7,255). Note that these are not the overall lowest-paid countries; rather the countries that ranked last in our comparison.

Conclusion

There you have it! That’s the average software developer salary in the US.

The US is one of the best-paid countries for software developers. At the same time, there are clear differences between cities, states, and even programming languages.

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