Salary by profession · US · 2026
Software developer salary in the US
What is the average software developer salary in the US?
The median US software developer earns about $132,000 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics), typically $96,000–$175,000. That's around $8,457 a month take-home in a no-tax state, and places the typical software developer in roughly the 89th percentile of US earners — $78,990 above the median.
Verified 12 August 2026
Software developer pay and take-home
| Salary | Take-home, no-tax state | Take-home, California | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry / lower | $96,000 | $76,366 | $70,896 |
| Median | $132,000 | $101,488 | $92,670 |
| Experienced | $175,000 | $130,879 | $118,061 |
How software developers compare
The US median individual income is $53,010. At $132,000, the typical software developer earns $78,990 more — around the 89th percentile of all earners. Big-tech total compensation (base + stock + bonus) runs well above the BLS base-salary median.
Location matters as much as the number. The same salary stretches far further in Texas than California. See what you'd keep in your city →