Software Developer Salary by U.S. City (2026)

Software Developer salaries across 49 U.S. cities, from BLS wage data: median and 10th-90th percentiles, plus cost-of-living-adjusted real pay. Compare metros.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS) & BEA Regional Price Parities · Updated June 2026

Cities tracked
49
National average
$138,110

How Software Developer pay varies by city

Across the 49 U.S. metros tracked here, Software Developer pay ranges from about $103,480 in Tulsa, OK to $199,100 in San Jose, CA (median wage). But the highest nominal pay isn’t the best deal once local prices are factored in: adjusted for cost of living, Wichita, KS delivers the strongest real buying power (about $577,213 in national-average dollars). The U.S. national average for this role is about $138,110.

The table below ranks every metro by median wage. “Real pay” adjusts each salary for local cost of living (BEA Regional Price Parity, U.S. = 100) so you can compare what the paycheck is actually worth. See our methodology for sources and formulas.

CityMedian10th %ile90th %ileCost of living
(US = 100)		Real pay
(COL-adjusted)
San Jose, CA$199,100$135,850—110.4$180,941
San Francisco, CA$172,340$124,790—115.6$156,747
Seattle, WA$167,030$100,510$219,440111.1$147,688
Boston, MA$159,827$80,849$215,111108.3$147,624
Long Beach, CA$153,560$94,840$209,590113.6$133,649
Los Angeles, CA$153,560$94,840$209,590113.6$133,649
San Diego, CA$152,600$89,440$208,450111.9$136,093
New York, NY$149,090$86,310$215,420112.6$135,124
Sacramento, CA$142,240$90,370$204,740106.7$137,330
Washington, DC$141,510$84,670$209,700108.9$136,365
Baltimore, MD$138,370$87,270$219,460104.5$145,587
Charlotte, NC$135,750$81,640$176,95097.3$138,215
Fort Worth, TX$135,735$71,668$180,581103.1$131,667
Denver, CO$134,990$89,200$191,070105.8$132,036
Portland, OR$132,870$78,540$182,730105.4$128,466
Raleigh, NC$132,000$80,730$185,18098.2$134,784
Austin, TX$131,320$77,600$181,26098.1$135,113
Atlanta, GA$129,700$75,930$174,380100.1$127,646
Arlington, TX$129,490$77,350$172,580——
Dallas, TX$129,490$77,350$172,580103.1$124,260
Miami, FL$129,330$68,770$179,110114.2$110,113
Chicago, IL$129,180$78,570$170,130103.6$123,519
Albuquerque, NM$128,770$74,420$185,14095.5$133,538
Fresno, CA$127,900$72,870$175,450102.2$125,188
Minneapolis, MN$127,720$79,980$165,930104.8$117,275
Colorado Springs, CO$127,690$84,260$186,740100.7$132,265
Philadelphia, PA$127,150$79,820$169,960102.6$122,716
Mesa, AZ$125,890$77,470$173,620103.3$124,956
Phoenix, AZ$125,890$77,470$173,620103.3$124,956
Houston, TX$125,720$71,310$173,90098.6$128,573
San Antonio, TX$124,600$70,870$164,70094.7$127,782
Las Vegas, NV$121,830$76,170$216,070100.2$131,288
Jacksonville, FL$121,250$65,590$170,26099.5$119,175
Nashville, TN$119,380$77,160$156,22096.3$121,053
New Orleans, LA$116,750$78,530$155,21026.3$535,703
Columbus, OH$114,330$79,630$164,27095.5$126,523
Memphis, TN$113,500$68,680$169,28092.2$125,495
Omaha, NE$112,130$80,530$152,69091.9$126,307
Tucson, AZ$111,310$85,920$181,53096.9$129,778
Milwaukee, WI$107,830$68,380$162,00096.9$116,859
Kansas City, MO$107,570$63,610$161,91092.5$122,062
Detroit, MI$107,490$76,740$162,950100.3$114,529
El Paso, TX$106,750$60,020$159,31089.9$120,462
Indianapolis, IN$106,740$69,300$161,04095.7$119,200
Louisville, KY$105,990$73,220$155,53093.1$119,625
Cleveland, OH$105,790$72,290$158,360——
Oklahoma City, OK$104,030$60,410$164,01090.4$124,823
Wichita, KS$103,920$60,990$156,47018.3$577,213
Tulsa, OK$103,480$62,730$167,40089.2$124,151

“Real pay” = average wage × 100 ÷ the metro’s Regional Price Parity — what the salary is worth in national-average dollars. A high-paying city with high costs can rank below a cheaper one on real pay.

Put these numbers to work