Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2015

15-1132 Software Developers, Applications

Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team. May supervise computer programmers.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
747,730 1.4 % $49.12 $102,160 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $27.57 $36.14 $47.24 $59.81 $73.90
Annual Wage (2) $57,340 $75,160 $98,260 $124,400 $153,710

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 272,020 14.43 $47.50 $98,810
Software Publishers 75,470 23.09 $54.07 $112,460
Other Information Services 38,380 16.53 $63.87 $132,850
Management of Companies and Enterprises 36,480 1.61 $47.39 $98,570
Insurance Carriers 22,890 1.97 $44.69 $92,950

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 75,470 23.09 $54.07 $112,460
Other Information Services 38,380 16.53 $63.87 $132,850
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 272,020 14.43 $47.50 $98,810
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 12,140 7.66 $56.47 $117,450
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 21,600 7.43 $48.02 $99,870

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Information Services 38,380 16.53 $63.87 $132,850
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing 410 2.11 $60.20 $125,210
Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) 2,490 1.84 $60.13 $125,060
Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage 9,000 2.01 $59.42 $123,580
Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance 390 0.38 $58.26 $121,190

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.




States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 123,950 8.00 1.48 $59.57 $123,900
Texas 53,460 4.62 0.85 $48.00 $99,830
Washington 49,980 16.75 3.09 $57.90 $120,430
New York 46,470 5.17 0.95 $53.14 $110,530
New Jersey 40,940 10.48 1.93 $47.75 $99,320



States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 49,980 16.75 3.09 $57.90 $120,430
New Jersey 40,940 10.48 1.93 $47.75 $99,320
Colorado 23,610 9.63 1.78 $50.22 $104,450
Virginia 35,060 9.52 1.76 $50.88 $105,830
Massachusetts 28,630 8.43 1.55 $52.61 $109,430



Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 123,950 8.00 1.48 $59.57 $123,900
Washington 49,980 16.75 3.09 $57.90 $120,430
New York 46,470 5.17 0.95 $53.14 $110,530
Massachusetts 28,630 8.43 1.55 $52.61 $109,430
Maryland 12,490 4.81 0.89 $52.02 $108,190




Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 54,220 8.37 1.54 $53.56 $111,410
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 46,230 30.09 5.55 $58.91 $122,530
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 42,650 42.16 7.77 $70.78 $147,220
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 28,230 11.68 2.15 $53.12 $110,480
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division 22,950 22.50 4.15 $56.62 $117,770
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 20,760 8.37 1.54 $45.82 $95,300
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 20,550 5.75 1.06 $44.00 $91,530
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division 19,490 11.07 2.04 $51.80 $107,740
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 16,900 7.25 1.34 $48.83 $101,570
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 15,220 3.71 0.68 $53.07 $110,380



Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 42,650 42.16 7.77 $70.78 $147,220
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 46,230 30.09 5.55 $58.91 $122,530
Framingham, MA NECTA Division 4,400 25.52 4.71 $49.86 $103,710
Boulder, CO 3,980 23.19 4.28 $51.84 $107,830
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division 22,950 22.50 4.15 $56.62 $117,770
Trenton, NJ 4,210 18.95 3.49 $49.69 $103,360
Raleigh, NC 7,920 14.04 2.59 $46.58 $96,880
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division 1,690 13.27 2.45 $45.68 $95,010
Huntsville, AL 2,800 13.13 2.42 $48.56 $101,010
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division 1,910 12.93 2.38 (8) (8)



Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 42,650 42.16 7.77 $70.78 $147,220
Oakland-Hayward-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division 9,590 9.10 1.68 $59.19 $123,120
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 46,230 30.09 5.55 $58.91 $122,530
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 80 1.14 0.21 $56.92 $118,390
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division 22,950 22.50 4.15 $56.62 $117,770
San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division 510 4.54 0.84 $55.27 $114,960
Santa Rosa, CA 540 2.89 0.53 $54.20 $112,730
Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Division 540 6.73 1.24 $53.87 $112,050
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 54,220 8.37 1.54 $53.56 $111,410
Silver Spring-Frederick-Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division 4,350 7.57 1.40 $53.54 $111,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 500 2.44 0.45 $34.64 $72,050
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 430 1.73 0.32 $41.58 $86,480
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 400 2.10 0.39 $39.83 $82,840
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 400 1.73 0.32 $44.44 $92,430
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 380 2.99 0.55 $37.78 $78,570

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Alamos County, New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 80 5.12 0.95 $45.14 $93,890
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 210 4.27 0.79 $48.66 $101,210
West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 270 4.27 0.79 $46.83 $97,400
Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 140 3.56 0.66 $44.26 $92,060
Wasatch Back nonmetropolitan area 110 3.42 0.63 (8) (8)

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 90 0.68 0.13 $50.28 $104,590
Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area 210 4.27 0.79 $48.66 $101,210
Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $48.04 $99,920
Big Thicket Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 170 1.61 0.30 $47.16 $98,080
West Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 270 4.27 0.79 $46.83 $97,400

About May 2015 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.

Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2015 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2015 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 30, 2016