Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

15-1133 Software Developers, Systems Software

Research, design, develop, and test operating systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software for medical, industrial, military, communications, aerospace, business, scientific, and general computing applications. Set operational specifications and formulate and analyze software requirements. May design embedded systems software. Apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.

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)
405,330 1.3 % $54.81 $114,000 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $32.09 $41.16 $52.89 $67.09 $80.27
Annual Wage (2) $66,740 $85,610 $110,000 $139,550 $166,960

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 126,960 6.06 $54.23 $112,810
Software Publishers 21,790 5.53 $54.59 $113,540
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 21,300 5.26 $59.07 $122,860
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 19,190 1.32 $56.40 $117,310
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 17,810 3.67 $60.27 $125,360

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 16,720 10.67 $59.29 $123,330
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 5,550 6.72 $55.82 $116,100
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 126,960 6.06 $54.23 $112,810
Software Publishers 21,790 5.53 $54.59 $113,540
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 21,300 5.26 $59.07 $122,860

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 590 0.12 $63.18 $131,410
Technical and Trade Schools 250 0.19 $61.71 $128,350
Other Information Services 5,850 1.98 $61.62 $128,170
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 7,300 1.99 $61.45 $127,810
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 260 1.41 $60.35 $125,530

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 88,910 5.23 1.87 $63.32 $131,700
Texas 28,720 2.37 0.85 $53.24 $110,740
Virginia 27,800 7.25 2.59 $57.62 $119,860
Massachusetts 25,540 7.15 2.55 $56.62 $117,760
New York 19,690 2.10 0.75 $55.35 $115,120




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)
Virginia 27,800 7.25 2.59 $57.62 $119,860
Massachusetts 25,540 7.15 2.55 $56.62 $117,760
Maryland 15,430 5.75 2.05 $57.63 $119,860
California 88,910 5.23 1.87 $63.32 $131,700
Washington 16,130 4.95 1.77 $58.29 $121,250




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 88,910 5.23 1.87 $63.32 $131,700
New Hampshire 1,510 2.31 0.82 $60.96 $126,790
Colorado 11,170 4.26 1.52 $59.81 $124,410
New Jersey 8,960 2.21 0.79 $59.31 $123,370
Washington 16,130 4.95 1.77 $58.29 $121,250





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)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 30,230 9.64 3.44 $58.86 $122,420
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 28,290 25.28 9.03 $70.92 $147,520
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 24,870 9.01 3.22 $57.18 $118,920
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 23,300 3.81 1.36 $60.47 $125,770
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 20,270 2.13 0.76 $59.15 $123,030
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 17,090 7.06 2.52 $65.99 $137,260
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 15,230 3.28 1.17 $52.73 $109,670
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 14,820 7.47 2.67 $59.06 $122,840
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 11,870 3.33 1.19 $53.56 $111,410
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 11,080 4.13 1.47 $50.98 $106,050




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 28,290 25.28 9.03 $70.92 $147,520
California-Lexington Park, MD 740 15.78 5.63 $53.62 $111,540
Huntsville, AL 2,760 12.19 4.35 $54.26 $112,860
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 2,270 10.61 3.79 $56.32 $117,140
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 30,230 9.64 3.44 $58.86 $122,420
Tucson, AZ 3,520 9.54 3.40 $51.22 $106,530
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 24,870 9.01 3.22 $57.18 $118,920
Colorado Springs, CO 2,250 7.99 2.85 $56.76 $118,070
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 14,820 7.47 2.67 $59.06 $122,840
Austin-Round Rock, TX 7,640 7.43 2.65 $53.94 $112,180