Software Developer Salaries by State: What the Data Shows in 2026

Software Developer is one of the most benchmarked roles in the country. It is also one of the most geographically variable. What this role pays in California is not what it pays in Texas, and using the wrong market reference when building a pay range or evaluating an offer can mean a gap of $30,000 to $40,000 or more.

This article breaks down verified salary data for Software Developers across five major labor markets, compared against the national benchmark. All figures are sourced directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.

What Is a Software Developer?

According to the BLS, Software Developers research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. They analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. They may work with hardware engineers to integrate systems and may maintain databases within an application area.

BLS SOC Code: 15-1252 Typical education: Bachelor's degree recommended

National Benchmarks

These figures represent the full U.S. labor market for Software Developers and serve as the baseline for all state comparisons below.

Total employed nationally: 1,654,440

The national median of $133,080 is your anchor if you are hiring remotely and drawing from a broad talent pool. The spread between P25 and P75 — $103,050 to $169,000 — reflects the range across the competitive market, not outliers.

State-by-State Salary Data

California

California is the largest employer of Software Developers in the country and pays well above national benchmarks across every percentile.

Employed in state: 292,630 | Growth: 1.7%

The California median is $37,830 above the national median. An employer in California anchoring pay ranges to national figures is not being conservative — they are systematically below the state market. California also has active pay transparency requirements, which means defensible, documented pay ranges are not optional.

Washington

Washington is home to a high concentration of major technology employers, and the wage data reflects it. Washington pays the second-highest median in this comparison, sitting $33,830 above the national figure.

Employed in state: 91,470 | Growth: 3.8%

Washington's 3.8% employment growth rate is worth noting. It is one of the higher growth rates among large tech-employer states, which puts additional upward pressure on wages as employers compete for a limited local talent pool.

New York

New York shows strong above-national compensation, with a median of $161,260 — $28,180 above the national figure. The P75 of $194,790 reflects competitive pressure from financial services and technology employers concentrated in the state.

Employed in state: 104,130 | Growth: 2.1%

New York is also a pay transparency state. Employers posting roles in New York are required to include salary ranges in job postings, which makes accurate market data a compliance input, not just a hiring tool.

Texas

Texas is the second-largest employer of Software Developers in this comparison, with 151,460 employed in the state. The Texas market tracks closely to national benchmarks, with a median of $130,500 — just $2,580 below the national figure.

Employed in state: 151,460 | Growth: 2.8%

For employers with operations in both Texas and a higher-cost market like California or New York, these figures illustrate a decision point: do you apply state-specific pay ranges or a unified national range? Neither is inherently wrong, but the gap between Texas and California medians — $40,410 — is large enough that the decision has meaningful cost and equity implications.

Florida

Florida pays below the national median for this role, with a state median of $126,550 — $6,530 below the national figure. That said, Florida shows the highest employment growth rate in this comparison at 4.9%, which suggests upward wage pressure is likely in the near term.

Employed in state: 82,610 | Growth: 4.9%

Florida's P25 of $98,710 sits below the national P25 of $103,050, which means the bottom of the Florida competitive range is meaningfully lower than the national baseline. For employers growing a remote-first workforce and considering Florida-based hires, that gap is real and worth accounting for in pay range design.

How the States Compare at a Glance

The spread from the highest-paying state in this comparison (California at $170,910) to the lowest (Florida at $126,550) is $44,360. That is not a rounding error. It is the difference between a well-positioned offer and one that loses candidates to competitors who did their homework.

Why the Average Salary Is Not Your Benchmark

The national average salary for Software Developers is $144,570, which is $11,490 higher than the median of $133,080. That gap exists because compensation at the high end of the distribution — particularly at large technology companies in high-cost markets — pulls the average upward.

For most compensation decisions, the median is the more reliable anchor. It reflects the actual midpoint of the market, not the influence of outliers. If your pay ranges are built around the average, you may be setting targets that are above what most of your competitors are actually paying for comparable roles.

From Market Data to Individual Pay Decisions

Market benchmarks tell you what the labor market pays for a role. They do not tell you what to pay a specific employee. That gap is where most compensation decisions go wrong.

Bridging it requires layering experience level, internal equity, and your organization's compensation philosophy onto the benchmark. What It Pays™ does that automatically — run a role lookup for any of 40,000-plus job titles by state and you get market benchmarks, experience-adjusted positioning guidance, and comp ratio targets in one report.

Run a lookup at whatitpays.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median salary for a Software Developer in the United States? The national median salary for Software Developers (SOC 15-1252) is $133,080 per year, or $63.98 per hour, based on BLS OEWS data. The 25th percentile is $103,050 and the 75th percentile is $169,000.

Which state pays Software Developers the most? Among the states covered in this analysis, California has the highest median at $170,910, followed by Washington at $166,910 and New York at $161,260. All three pay significantly above the national median.

What is the median Software Developer salary in Texas? The Texas median for Software Developers is $130,500 per year, or $62.74 per hour — slightly below the national median of $133,080. Texas employs 151,460 Software Developers and shows 2.8% employment growth.

What is the median Software Developer salary in Florida? The Florida median is $126,550 per year, or $60.84 per hour. Florida pays below the national median but shows the highest employment growth rate in this comparison at 4.9%.

Should I use state or national benchmarks when setting pay ranges? It depends on where you are hiring. If you are hiring locally or on-site, your pay range should be anchored to the state market where employees will work. If you are hiring remotely from a national talent pool, the national benchmark is more relevant. For multi-state or fully remote workforces, most employers maintain state-specific ranges for higher-cost markets. What matters is that the decision is intentional and documented.

How do I look up Software Developer salaries in other states? What It Pays™ provides verified BLS and OEWS salary data for Software Developers and 40,000-plus other job titles, searchable by state and nationally. Run a free role lookup at whatitpays.com.

Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), SOC Code 15-1252 (Software Developers). Data accessed March 8, 2026 via What It Pays™. Figures reflect the most current BLS OEWS release available at time of publication.

Dr. Bruce Brown is the founder of CompRatio LLC and the creator of What It Pays™. He holds a PhD in Human Resources and the SHRM-SCP certification, and works as a practicing HR professional. Curious to hear how you are handling compensation decisions today.

Look up Software Developer salaries in your state at whatitpays.com.

This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Salary figures are sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and reflect market benchmarks, not guaranteed compensation levels. Compensation decisions should be made in the context of your organization's specific circumstances. What It Pays™ and CompRatio LLC are not law firms and do not provide legal or employment advice.