Software engineer salary in the US: what official data shows
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a median of $135,980 per year for software developers in May 2025, the closest match to a software engineer salary in the US. BLS files software engineers under "software developers" (SOC 15-1252). The median is the midpoint: half of workers earned more and half less. It leaves out stock and year-end bonuses.
At a glance
| Item | BLS figure | Reference period |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage, software developers | $135,980 | May 2025 |
| Lowest 10 percent earned less than | $82,460 | May 2025 |
| Highest 10 percent earned more than | $214,670 | May 2025 |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay tab, accessed 31 October 2026. The figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program.
Is "software engineer" an official job category?
No. BLS does not use "engineer" as a title in this category. It classifies software engineers under Software Developers, SOC code 15-1252. Employers use many titles for the same work, such as software engineer, backend developer or full stack developer. Match a posting to BLS by duties, not by title. The career guide for software developers describes those duties.
Pay by industry
BLS prints median annual wages for software developers in its largest industries, all for May 2025:
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Software publishers | $164,550 |
| Manufacturing | $136,330 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $135,680 |
| Finance and insurance | $135,460 |
| Computer systems design and related services | $132,050 |
The spread is a reminder that one national number hides large differences between employers.
How to read the percentiles
A percentile tells you the share of workers who earned less than a given wage.
- Median (50th percentile): the middle worker. Half earned more, half earned less.
- 10th percentile: 10 percent earned less than this. Often early-career, lower-cost areas or smaller employers.
- 90th percentile: 10 percent earned more than this. Often senior roles, specialists or high-cost areas.
- Mean (average): pulled up by a few very high earners, so it is usually higher than the median.
Do not read the 10th or 90th percentile as a promise for your own job. Treat the range as the outer edges of a market and place yourself inside it by experience, specialty and location.
Top-paying states and metropolitan areas
BLS publishes pay for software developers by state and metropolitan area in the OEWS data tables. We do not copy those tables here because they are updated each year and we do not want to show a stale ranking. To see them, open the OEWS May 2025 data tables, choose the state or metropolitan area table, and look up SOC 15-1252. The same tables print the 25th and 75th percentiles, which are the most useful range for a negotiation.
What this data leaves out
BLS defines OEWS wages as straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. According to the OEWS definition, base rates, commissions, guaranteed pay and production bonuses count. Overtime, year-end bonuses, non-production bonuses, stock bonuses and profit-sharing do not, and neither do employer costs of benefits such as health insurance and retirement contributions. BLS also notes that its pay data do not cover self-employed workers.
For software roles, equity and bonuses can be a large part of an offer. Read total compensation before you compare two offers on base pay alone.
How to use this for negotiation
- Find the median and the percentile range for your occupation and area. See how to research pay.
- Decide where you sit in the range, based on years of experience and the scope of the role.
- Compare with pay ranges posted for similar jobs.
- Ask for base pay inside your range, then ask separately about equity, bonus and benefits.
- Use the steps in how to negotiate salary.
Official data is a reference point, not a bargaining chip on its own. Say what you will bring to the role first, then use the data to explain the number you are asking for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median software developer salary in the US? BLS reports $135,980 per year for software developers in May 2025. This is the median, not the average.
Does BLS list "software engineer" separately? No. BLS classifies software engineers under Software Developers, SOC 15-1252.
Does the BLS figure include stock options? No. OEWS wages exclude stock bonuses, year-end bonuses and profit-sharing, so total pay can be higher.
Where do I find my state's figure? Open the BLS OEWS data tables, pick the state or metropolitan area table and search for SOC 15-1252.
Next step
Write down the median and your area's 25th and 75th percentile, then browse current openings on LiveRec at search jobs to compare posted ranges.
Related guides
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay tab: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm#tab-5 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS frequently asked questions: https://www.bls.gov/oes/oes_ques.htm (accessed 31 October 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS data tables: https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm (accessed 31 October 2026)
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.