Software Developers: Career Profile
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.
Featured schools near , edit
The Daily Work of Software Developers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of software developers include:
- Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
- Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
- Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.
- Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
- Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.
- Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design.
What Software Developers Need to Know
Effective software developers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.### Top Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Software Developers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- AI Specialist (Artificial Intelligence Specialist)
- Application Analyst
- Application Architect
- Application Developer
- Application Engineer
- Application Integration Engineer
- Application Integrator
- Application Programmer
How Many Software Developers Are There?
There are roughly 127,793 software developers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +13.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Software Developers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $76,447 |
| Hourly median | $36.75 |
| 10th percentile | $45,951 |
| 25th percentile | $61,199 |
| 75th percentile | $91,695 |
| 90th percentile | $106,943 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Software Developers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $170,910 |
| Washington | $166,910 |
| Virgin Islands | $162,820 |
| New York | $161,260 |
| Massachusetts | $150,520 |
| Maryland | $137,890 |
| District of Columbia | $136,040 |
| Oregon | $135,260 |
| Delaware | $135,160 |
| Colorado | $134,540 |
| Virginia | $134,470 |
| New Hampshire | $132,420 |
| New Jersey | $132,400 |
| North Carolina | $131,000 |
| Connecticut | $130,870 |
| Vermont | $130,720 |
| Texas | $130,500 |
| Nevada | $129,030 |
| Georgia | $128,920 |
| Arizona | $128,690 |
| Rhode Island | $128,660 |
| Illinois | $127,770 |
| Utah | $127,390 |
| Florida | $126,550 |
| Minnesota | $124,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $123,740 |
| New Mexico | $120,820 |
| Hawaii | $119,880 |
| Alaska | $119,600 |
| Tennessee | $117,340 |
| Nebraska | $116,420 |
| Missouri | $114,550 |
| Maine | $113,800 |
| Alabama | $113,020 |
| Wyoming | $112,590 |
| Iowa | $109,850 |
| South Carolina | $108,690 |
| Idaho | $107,900 |
| Michigan | $107,820 |
| Ohio | $107,690 |
| Oklahoma | $107,420 |
| Kansas | $106,660 |
| Kentucky | $106,200 |
| Indiana | $103,570 |
| West Virginia | $103,550 |
| Wisconsin | $103,360 |
| Louisiana | $102,290 |
| Montana | $100,190 |
| North Dakota | $98,550 |
| Arkansas | $96,820 |
| South Dakota | $87,770 |
| Mississippi | $86,460 |
| Puerto Rico | $64,350 |
Where Software Developers Earn the Most
Pay for software developers shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $167,432 | 25.0% | 1.66 |
| Middle Atlantic | $143,527 | 15.3% | 1.02 |
| New England | $142,509 | 5.3% | 1.22 |
| Rocky Mountains | $129,503 | 5.2% | 1.48 |
| Southwest | $129,113 | 12.1% | 0.99 |
| Southeast | $125,921 | 20.7% | 1.07 |
| Plains States | $116,213 | 5.7% | 0.95 |
| Great Lakes | $113,122 | 10.6% | 0.78 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Software Developers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $208,270 | 90,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $174,910 | 76,900 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $169,340 | 72,730 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $163,020 | 2,030 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $161,970 | 119,610 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $159,670 | 7,790 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $159,240 | 21,080 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $157,540 | 3,800 |
Top Industries Employing Software Developers
The bulk of software developers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 690,860 | $130,250 |
| Information | 330,980 | $161,640 |
| Finance and Insurance | 160,000 | $132,880 |
| Manufacturing | 141,300 | $134,910 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 99,720 | $133,650 |
| Wholesale Trade | 63,860 | $131,640 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 63,100 | $133,040 |
| Educational Services | 21,840 | $104,110 |
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: AJAX (hot technology)
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Alteryx software (hot technology)
- Data base management system software: Amazon DynamoDB (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2 (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Redshift (hot technology)
- Cloud-based management software: Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for software developers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Sitting
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level software developers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Computer and Information Systems Managers (Supplemental)
- Project Management Specialists (Supplemental)
- Computer Systems Analysts (Primary-Short)
- Computer Network Architects (Primary-Long)
- Database Administrators (Primary-Short)
- Database Architects (Primary-Long)
- Data Warehousing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for software developers commonly pursue programs in:
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
12 programs across 6 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 15-1252.00 (Software Developers).
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
ComputerScienceDegree.io provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© ComputerScienceDegree.io – All Rights Reserved.