Software developer pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical software developer pay ranges from $106,870 in Indianapolis, IN to $213,110 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Software Developers, SOC 15-1252).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $213,110 | $129,500 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $167,280 | $113,100 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $186,640 | $108,900 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $166,090 | $107,800 |
| 5 | Memphis, TN | $125,580 | $105,300 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $134,120 | $104,900 |
| 7 | San Antonio, TX | $128,430 | $104,600 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $135,920 | $102,000 |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $126,610 | $101,600 |
| 10 | Houston, TX | $129,440 | $101,200 |
| 11 | Jacksonville, FL | $130,330 | $100,900 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $163,270 | $100,000 |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,940 | $99,900 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $130,450 | $99,500 |
| 15 | Oklahoma City, OK | $122,390 | $99,500 |
| 16 | Dallas, TX | $133,290 | $99,300 |
| 17 | Raleigh, NC | $132,770 | $99,000 |
| 18 | Orlando, FL | $129,620 | $98,500 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $156,000 | $98,500 |
| 20 | Washington, DC | $154,930 | $98,200 |
| 21 | New York, NY | $166,830 | $98,100 |
| 22 | Birmingham, AL | $125,410 | $98,000 |
| 23 | St. Louis, MO | $129,030 | $97,800 |
| 24 | Kansas City, MO | $124,990 | $97,800 |
| 25 | Los Angeles, CA | $160,920 | $97,300 |
| 26 | Richmond, VA | $132,120 | $96,800 |
| 27 | Buffalo, NY | $127,850 | $96,200 |
| 28 | Atlanta, GA | $132,960 | $95,800 |
| 29 | Phoenix, AZ | $131,750 | $95,100 |
| 30 | Virginia Beach, VA | $129,090 | $94,900 |
| 31 | Denver, CO | $137,610 | $94,400 |
| 32 | Providence, RI | $130,690 | $94,300 |
| 33 | Cincinnati, OH | $121,420 | $93,800 |
| 34 | Pittsburgh, PA | $124,500 | $93,700 |
| 35 | Milwaukee, WI | $123,730 | $93,600 |
| 36 | Hartford, CT | $132,520 | $93,500 |
| 37 | Columbus, OH | $122,340 | $93,400 |
| 38 | Chicago, IL | $134,380 | $93,300 |
| 39 | Salt Lake City, UT | $129,600 | $93,200 |
| 40 | Detroit, MI | $130,760 | $91,900 |
| 41 | Sacramento, CA | $139,640 | $91,800 |
| 42 | Baltimore, MD | $138,900 | $91,300 |
| 43 | Philadelphia, PA | $133,040 | $90,800 |
| 44 | Miami, FL | $132,650 | $89,300 |
| 45 | Minneapolis, MN | $130,920 | $89,000 |
| 46 | Riverside, CA | $133,270 | $88,500 |
| 47 | Cleveland, OH | $111,310 | $87,400 |
| 48 | Louisville, KY | $110,270 | $86,200 |
| 49 | Indianapolis, IN | $106,870 | $82,300 |
| 50 | Grand Rapids, MI | $107,520 | $82,200 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays software developers the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical software developer pay among the 50 largest US metros: $213,110 a year. The lowest is Indianapolis, IN at $106,870. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does software developer pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical software developer pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA. It goes the least far in Grand Rapids, MI, where it's worth about $82,200 in typical-US-city dollars.