Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$82,460
To
$105,210
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$135,980
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$105,210
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$171,980
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$148,100
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Software Developer in USA
$105,210 to $171,980
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$135,980
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$105,210
To
$171,980
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$171,980
To
$214,670
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare software developer offers in United States against $82,460 to $105,210.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare software developer offers in United States against $105,210 to $171,980.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare software developer offers in United States against $171,980 to $214,670.
How USA Salaries Compare With Major Cities for This Role
USA is the national BLS estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Software Developers, so candidates can compare national pay with city hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$193,430
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$174,920
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$165,870
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$162,440
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$161,900
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$153,100
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$149,400
USA
United States estimate
$148,100
Miami
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
$144,730
Austin
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
$143,630
How Software Developer Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares software developer pay in USA with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Engineering Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
CIO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
CTO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
IT Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
VP of Engineering
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$191,350
Software Developer
Software Developers, SOC 15-1252
$148,100
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for software developers in United States is $135,980. The middle market range runs from $105,210 at the 25th percentile to $171,980 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $82,460to $214,670.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,460 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $105,210 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $135,980 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $171,980 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $214,670 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Software Developer to BLS occupation Software Developers, SOC 15-1252. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Software Developers, SOC 15-1252, as the public wage source for Software Developer.
- BLS area
- United States
- Employment estimate
- 1,687,890
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median software developer salary in United States?
The median annual salary for software developers in United States is $135,980, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Software Developers.
How much can fresher software developer candidates expect in United States?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For software developers in United States, that range is $82,460 to $105,210. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate software developer salary range in United States?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For software developers in United States, that range is $105,210 to $171,980.
What do senior software developer candidates earn in United States?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For software developers in United States, that range is $171,980 to $214,670.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Software Developers instead of only Software Developer?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Software Developer to Software Developers, SOC 15-1252, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
How fresh is this USA salary data?
The snapshot uses BLS OEWS 2025, generated from public BLS series. Refresh the snapshot when BLS publishes a newer annual release.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 2 Jun 2026|Last updated: 14 Jul 2026
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