Computer & Math

Software Developers

SOC 15-1252

Design and build the applications and systems that run on phones, computers, and servers.

The job

Median pay

$136k

$105k to $172k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+10% projected

Openings a year

95k

BLS projection

Typical education

Bachelor's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Very high

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

2/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

99th pct

More exposed than 99% of occupations · modeled estimate · 85th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

51/100

Take the next step

Weigh it against Software QA & TestersPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostCalifornia leads at $174k; every state is below Find careers like itOpen the map at Software Developers and explore its neighbours See open jobsSoftware Developers roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Software Developers, who lean most on critical thinking Real pay & reviewsWhat Software Developers say they actually earn

Related careers

Key skills

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Learning
Active Listening
Writing
Speaking

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
California	284,390	15.6	1.4×	$174k
Texas	163,880	11.6	1.1×	$132k
New York	113,510	11.7	1.1×	$166k
Washington	107,030	30.1	2.8×	$167k
Virginia	88,280	21.5	2.0×	$136k
Florida	87,890	8.9	0.8×	$131k
North Carolina	58,470	11.8	1.1×	$135k
Illinois	56,310	9.2	0.8×	$132k
Pennsylvania	55,920	9.2	0.8×	$127k
New Jersey	51,570	12.0	1.1×	$136k

All 51 states

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Georgia	49,700	10.2	0.9×	$131k
Massachusetts	48,190	13.2	1.2×	$165k
Ohio	44,790	8.1	0.7×	$114k
Michigan	43,460	9.9	0.9×	$126k
Colorado	43,320	15.1	1.4×	$138k
Arizona	38,050	11.7	1.1×	$130k
Minnesota	35,890	12.2	1.1×	$130k
Utah	31,940	18.4	1.7×	$129k
Maryland	31,350	11.3	1.1×	$139k
Oregon	21,830	11.1	1.0×	$143k
Wisconsin	21,730	7.4	0.7×	$123k
Missouri	20,020	6.8	0.6×	$126k
Tennessee	19,030	5.8	0.5×	$122k
Alabama	17,450	8.3	0.8×	$123k
Indiana	14,130	4.4	0.4×	$106k
Connecticut	13,660	8.1	0.7×	$134k
Kansas	13,580	9.4	0.9×	$113k
South Carolina	13,230	5.7	0.5×	$129k
New Hampshire	10,840	15.9	1.5×	$140k
Iowa	9,040	5.8	0.5×	$115k
Kentucky	7,660	3.8	0.3×	$109k
Nebraska	7,260	7.1	0.7×	$111k
Oklahoma	6,880	4.0	0.4×	$118k
Washington DC	6,120	8.7	0.8×	$137k
Arkansas	6,050	4.6	0.4×	$104k
Idaho	5,750	6.7	0.6×	$132k
Rhode Island	5,070	10.1	0.9×	$131k
Nevada	4,520	2.9	0.3×	$129k
Louisiana	4,080	2.1	0.2×	$103k
New Mexico	3,960	4.5	0.4×	$125k
Delaware	3,380	7.0	0.6×	$133k
Maine	2,790	4.4	0.4×	$123k
West Virginia	2,650	3.8	0.3×	$121k
South Dakota	2,380	5.2	0.5×	$96k
Montana	2,160	4.2	0.4×	$122k
Mississippi	1,880	1.6	0.1×	$95k
Vermont	1,740	5.7	0.5×	$125k
Hawaii	1,600	2.5	0.2×	$124k
Wyoming	1,510	5.4	0.5×	$115k
North Dakota	1,450	3.4	0.3×	$106k
Alaska	530	1.6	0.1×	$114k~

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ121,000 jobs · $167k median
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA92,770 jobs · $167k median
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA87,350 jobs · $213k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV69,060 jobs · $155k median
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA69,030 jobs · $187k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX67,030 jobs · $133k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA55,540 jobs · $161k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH42,310 jobs · $166k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.