Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020
15-1256 Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
This occupation includes the the 2018 SOC occupations 15-1252 Software Developers and 15-1253 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers and the 2010 SOC occupations 15-1132 Software Developers, Applications and 15-1133 Software Developers, Systems Software.
National estimates for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 1,476,800 |
0.9 % |
$ 54.94 |
$ 114,270 |
0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 31.35 |
$ 40.39 |
$ 52.95 |
$ 67.53 |
$ 81.78 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 65,210 |
$ 84,020 |
$ 110,140 |
$ 140,470 |
$ 170,100 |
Industry profile for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
480,840 |
21.86 |
$ 53.73 |
$ 111,770 |
| Software Publishers |
139,820 |
28.65 |
$ 58.96 |
$ 122,630 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
76,470 |
3.16 |
$ 53.26 |
$ 110,790 |
| Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services |
53,000 |
14.76 |
$ 53.89 |
$ 112,090 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services |
44,650 |
2.93 |
$ 52.69 |
$ 109,600 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Software Publishers |
139,820 |
28.65 |
$ 58.96 |
$ 122,630 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
480,840 |
21.86 |
$ 53.73 |
$ 111,770 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing |
34,440 |
21.46 |
$ 70.10 |
$ 145,800 |
| Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services |
53,000 |
14.76 |
$ 53.89 |
$ 112,090 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing |
9,410 |
11.16 |
$ 55.67 |
$ 115,780 |
Top paying industries for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Inland Water Transportation |
40 |
0.16 |
$ 116.89 |
$ 243,130 |
| Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers |
120 |
0.26 |
$ 89.94 |
$ 187,070 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores |
60 |
0.01 |
$ 70.49 |
$ 146,630 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing |
34,440 |
21.46 |
$ 70.10 |
$ 145,800 |
| Electronics and Appliance Stores |
540 |
0.12 |
$ 65.95 |
$ 137,170 |
Geographic profile for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
249,700 |
15.20 |
1.43 |
$ 66.16 |
$ 137,620 |
| Texas |
113,140 |
9.35 |
0.88 |
$ 52.68 |
$ 109,570 |
| Washington |
99,630 |
31.18 |
2.94 |
$ 66.54 |
$ 138,400 |
| New York |
83,330 |
9.59 |
0.90 |
$ 58.80 |
$ 122,300 |
| Virginia |
77,260 |
20.87 |
1.97 |
$ 56.18 |
$ 116,850 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Washington |
99,630 |
31.18 |
2.94 |
$ 66.54 |
$ 138,400 |
| Virginia |
77,260 |
20.87 |
1.97 |
$ 56.18 |
$ 116,850 |
| Colorado |
48,230 |
18.71 |
1.76 |
$ 54.18 |
$ 112,700 |
| Massachusetts |
59,010 |
17.62 |
1.66 |
$ 57.59 |
$ 119,790 |
| California |
249,700 |
15.20 |
1.43 |
$ 66.16 |
$ 137,620 |
Top paying states for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Washington |
99,630 |
31.18 |
2.94 |
$ 66.54 |
$ 138,400 |
| California |
249,700 |
15.20 |
1.43 |
$ 66.16 |
$ 137,620 |
| New York |
83,330 |
9.59 |
0.90 |
$ 58.80 |
$ 122,300 |
| Massachusetts |
59,010 |
17.62 |
1.66 |
$ 57.59 |
$ 119,790 |
| District of Columbia |
8,110 |
11.80 |
1.11 |
$ 57.52 |
$ 119,630 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
104,470 |
11.83 |
1.11 |
$ 59.43 |
$ 123,600 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
92,710 |
47.40 |
4.46 |
$ 67.75 |
$ 140,930 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
77,900 |
70.63 |
6.65 |
$ 75.71 |
$ 157,480 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
75,910 |
25.12 |
2.37 |
$ 57.65 |
$ 119,920 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
64,310 |
27.59 |
2.60 |
$ 69.59 |
$ 144,740 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
60,310 |
10.36 |
0.98 |
$ 56.91 |
$ 118,360 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
57,950 |
22.27 |
2.10 |
$ 57.66 |
$ 119,940 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
52,490 |
14.63 |
1.38 |
$ 53.45 |
$ 111,180 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
47,040 |
10.78 |
1.02 |
$ 51.89 |
$ 107,920 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
41,810 |
15.88 |
1.50 |
$ 50.50 |
$ 105,050 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
77,900 |
70.63 |
6.65 |
$ 75.71 |
$ 157,480 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
92,710 |
47.40 |
4.46 |
$ 67.75 |
$ 140,930 |
| Boulder, CO |
7,470 |
41.15 |
3.88 |
$ 56.10 |
$ 116,690 |
| Bloomington, IL |
2,750 |
33.36 |
3.14 |
$ 52.32 |
$ 108,830 |
| Huntsville, AL |
7,480 |
32.42 |
3.05 |
$ 53.96 |
$ 112,250 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC |
8,660 |
27.95 |
2.63 |
$ 51.44 |
$ 107,000 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
64,310 |
27.59 |
2.60 |
$ 69.59 |
$ 144,740 |
| Madison, WI |
9,710 |
25.40 |
2.39 |
$ 46.83 |
$ 97,400 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
75,910 |
25.12 |
2.37 |
$ 57.65 |
$ 119,920 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA |
3,360 |
24.47 |
2.30 |
$ 52.71 |
$ 109,640 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
77,900 |
70.63 |
6.65 |
$ 75.71 |
$ 157,480 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
64,310 |
27.59 |
2.60 |
$ 69.59 |
$ 144,740 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
92,710 |
47.40 |
4.46 |
$ 67.75 |
$ 140,930 |
| Wenatchee, WA |
(8) |
(8) |
(8) |
$ 63.14 |
$ 131,320 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA |
3,140 |
10.50 |
0.99 |
$ 61.36 |
$ 127,620 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA |
190 |
4.15 |
0.39 |
$ 60.59 |
$ 126,030 |
| Leominster-Gardner, MA |
230 |
4.70 |
0.44 |
$ 59.73 |
$ 124,240 |
| Napa, CA |
90 |
1.28 |
0.12 |
$ 59.57 |
$ 123,900 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
104,470 |
11.83 |
1.11 |
$ 59.43 |
$ 123,600 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA |
7,590 |
7.83 |
0.74 |
$ 58.82 |
$ 122,350 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers:
About May 2020 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 OEWS estimates and related information:
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021
United States Department of Labor
