Computer and Mathematical Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Occupation-level safety SOC 15-1252

Software Developers

Occupation-specific BLS fatality and injury rates set the reading order for Software Developers, then wages beside peers such as Computer and Information Research Scientists, Database Administrators, Mathematicians, Actuaries.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Software Developers: Computer and Information Research Scientists ($140K) , Database Administrators ($105K) , Mathematicians ($127K) , Actuaries ($130K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Software Developers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 15-1252 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Monitor functioning of equipment to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications
  2. 2. Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints
  3. 3. Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation
  4. 4. Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and ca…
  5. 5. Coordinate installation of software system
  6. 6. Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance
  7. 7. Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status
  8. 8. Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system
  9. 9. Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements
  10. 10. Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and conseq…
  11. 11. Determine system performance standards
  12. 12. Supervise the work of programmers, technologists and technicians and other engineering and scientific personnel

Software Developers: O*NET ranks Programming first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 15-1252 - lead skill Programming at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Computers and Electronics. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Programming 4.0
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.9
  3. 3. Judgment and Decision Making 3.6
  4. 4. Reading Comprehension 3.5
  5. 5. Active Learning 3.5
  6. 6. Systems Analysis 3.5
  7. 7. Active Listening 3.4
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 3.4

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Computers and Electronics 4.8
  2. 2. Mathematics 3.6
  3. 3. Customer and Personal Service 3.6
  4. 4. English Language 3.3
  5. 5. Education and Training 2.8
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 2.8
Occupation safety grade
A
Very Safe
Transparent derived index from BLS CFOI/SOII, not an official BLS rating · formula
National median still $135,980/yr
$136K
National median
↑ +16%
Growth 2024-2034
115,200
Annual openings
1,687,890
Estimated US jobs
Computer and Information Research Scientists
Highest-pay peer · $140K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Software Developers

1. District of Columbia $136,880
2. Oregon $142,720
3. Massachusetts $165,210
4. Colorado $138,390
5. Maryland $138,680
6. Washington $166,540
7. California $174,410
8. New York $166,180
9. Virginia $136,460
10. New Hampshire $139,720

Other Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles

  1. 1. Mathematicians $126,710
  2. 2. Actuaries $130,000
  3. 3. Computer Occupations, All Other $116,580
  4. 4. Database Architects $139,500
  5. 5. Database Administrators $104,620
  6. 6. Computer and Information Research Scientists $140,300

Software Developers carries an occupation-specific WageDex safety grade of A from BLS CFOI/SOII rates. The national OEWS median is $135,980 inside Computer and Mathematical Occupations (SOC 15-1252).

Employment Projections expect +16% change between 2024 and 2034 (much faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 115,200 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements.

Highest published state median in this ranking: District of Columbia at $136,880. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Computer and Information Research Scientists at $140,300. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Software Developers pay-rank #3 in Computer and Mathematical Occupations

Among 21 detailed Computer and Mathematical Occupations with a published OEWS median, Software Developers is pay-rank #3, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 15-1252 · national median $135,980 · upper third of Computer and Mathematical Occupations (#3/21). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Software Developers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 15-1252

District of Columbia · top state for Software Developers

$137K published median

Oregon · #2 state pay

$143K · behind District of Columbia

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Highest-pay peer vs Software Developers · $140K

Database Administrators

Lower-pay peer beside Software Developers · $105K

Compare Software Developers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Software Developers with another occupation →

Safety and risk next reads

Safest Occupations

Roles with the strongest published safety grades

Software Developers full wage map

State and metro pay after the safety lead

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Computer and Mathematical Occupations titles sit near Software Developers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Software Developers is pay-rank #3 of 21 detailed Computer and Mathematical Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Computer Network Architects ($134K), Database Architects ($140K), Computer and Information Research Scientists ($140K), Actuaries ($130K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do software developers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Software Developers. Leading ones include: Monitor functioning of equipment to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications; 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 ca…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for software developers? ▼
For SOC 15-1252, O*NET importance scores lead with Programming (4.0), Critical Thinking (3.9), Judgment and Decision Making (3.6), Reading Comprehension (3.5). Knowledge areas emphasize Computers and Electronics, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Software Developers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $135,980 as the national median for Software Developers. The published 10th-90th range is $82,460 to $214,670. Beside Computer and Information Research Scientists ($140,300), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Software Developers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Software Developers is +16%. Projected annual openings: about 115,200. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: much faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Software Developers? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Software Developers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Software Developers? ▼
District of Columbia ($136,880), Oregon ($142,720), Massachusetts ($165,210) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Software Developers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 15-1252. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Software Developers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics