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
$138110

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$199100$135850—110.4$180941
San Francisco, CA$172340$124790—115.6$156747
Seattle, WA$167030$100510$219440111.1$147688
Boston, MA$159827$80849$215111108.3$147624
Long Beach, CA$153560$94840$209590113.6$133649
Los Angeles, CA$153560$94840$209590113.6$133649
San Diego, CA$152600$89440$208450111.9$136093
New York, NY$149090$86310$215420112.6$135124
Sacramento, CA$142240$90370$204740106.7$137330
Washington, DC$141510$84670$209700108.9$136365
Baltimore, MD$138370$87270$219460104.5$145587
Charlotte, NC$135750$81640$17695097.3$138215
Fort Worth, TX$135735$71668$180581103.1$131667
Denver, CO$134990$89200$191070105.8$132036
Portland, OR$132870$78540$182730105.4$128466
Raleigh, NC$132000$80730$18518098.2$134784
Austin, TX$131320$77600$18126098.1$135113
Atlanta, GA$129700$75930$174380100.1$127646
Arlington, TX$129490$77350$172580——
Dallas, TX$129490$77350$172580103.1$124260
Miami, FL$129330$68770$179110114.2$110113
Chicago, IL$129180$78570$170130103.6$123519
Albuquerque, NM$128770$74420$18514095.5$133538
Fresno, CA$127900$72870$175450102.2$125188
Minneapolis, MN$127720$79980$165930104.8$117275
Colorado Springs, CO$127690$84260$186740100.7$132265
Philadelphia, PA$127150$79820$169960102.6$122716
Mesa, AZ$125890$77470$173620103.3$124956
Phoenix, AZ$125890$77470$173620103.3$124956
Houston, TX$125720$71310$17390098.6$128573
San Antonio, TX$124600$70870$16470094.7$127782
Las Vegas, NV$121830$76170$216070100.2$131288
Jacksonville, FL$121250$65590$17026099.5$119175
Nashville, TN$119380$77160$15622096.3$121053
New Orleans, LA$116750$78530$15521026.3$535703
Columbus, OH$114330$79630$16427095.5$126523
Memphis, TN$113500$68680$16928092.2$125495
Omaha, NE$112130$80530$15269091.9$126307
Tucson, AZ$111310$85920$18153096.9$129778
Milwaukee, WI$107830$68380$16200096.9$116859
Kansas City, MO$107570$63610$16191092.5$122062
Detroit, MI$107490$76740$162950100.3$114529
El Paso, TX$106750$60020$15931089.9$120462
Indianapolis, IN$106740$69300$16104095.7$119200
Louisville, KY$105990$73220$15553093.1$119625
Cleveland, OH$105790$72290$158360——
Oklahoma City, OK$104030$60410$16401090.4$124823
Wichita, KS$103920$60990$15647018.3$577213
Tulsa, OK$103480$62730$16740089.2$124151

“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.

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