Software developers, applications & systems software

Detailed Occupation

Add Comparison

2017 Workforce

1.19M

Average Age

39.9

Average Salary

$104,838

Average Male Salary

$109,043

Average Female Salary

$87,907

About

Software developers, applications & systems software are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Software developers, applications & systems software was $104,838 in 2017.

The locations that employ the most Software developers, applications & systems software are Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA, Fremont City (East) PUMA, CA, and Mountain View, Palo Alto & Los Altos Cities PUMA, CA. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Software developers, applications & systems software are Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA, Redmond, Kirkland Cities, Inglewood & Finn Hill PUMA, WA, and San Jose (Northwest) & Santa Clara Cities PUMA, CA.

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Computer & mathematical occupations Computer, engineering, & science occupations

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Software developers, applications & systems software workforce. Software developers, applications & systems software workforce in 2017 was 1,185,536 people, of which 19.9% were women and 80.1% were men. Software developers, applications & systems software are paid most in Nevada & Sierra Counties PUMA, CA but are relatively concentrated in Sunnyvale & San Jose (North) Cities PUMA, CA.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

949,650

Male Workforce

± 23.8k

235,886

Female Workforce

± 11.9k

The Software developers, applications & systems software workforce in 2017 was 1,185,536 people (19.9% women and 80.1% men). This implies an average annual growth of 22.3% between 2014 (969,721) and 2017 (1,185,536).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Software developers, applications & systems software.

During 2017, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Washington ($129,799), California ($126,219), and Montana ($123,032).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$104,838

AVERAGE WAGE

#21 in the ranking (2017)

$59,596

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2017, Software developers, applications & systems software earned an average of $104,838, $45,242 more than the average national salary of $59,596

The graph shows the ranking of Software developers, applications & systems software in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2017.

Wage Distribution

Gender

0.284

WAGE GINI

In 2017, Software developers, applications & systems software had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.284, which is lower than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Software developers, applications & systems software (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Software developers, applications & systems software compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Software developers, applications & systems software and on wages for those in the field. Computer Systems Design is the industry that employs the most Software developers, applications & systems software, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Software developers, applications & systems software, by average wage, is Video tape & disk rental ($344,858).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

1.19M

2017 Workforce

± 26,621

6.99%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 3.02%

This graphic shows the share of Software developers, applications & systems software employed by various industries. Computer Systems Design employs the largest share of Software developers, applications & systems software at 87.7%, followed by Insurance carriers & related activities with 6.49% and Architectural, engineering & related services with 5.83%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Software developers, applications & systems software in the US. The workforce of Software developers, applications & systems software in 2017 was 1,185,536 people, with 19.9% woman, and 80.1% men. The average age of male Software developers, applications & systems software in the workforce is 39.7 and of female Software developers, applications & systems software is 40.8, and the most common race/ethnicity for Software developers, applications & systems software is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Software developers, applications & systems software in 2017 was 1,185,536 people, with 19.9% woman, and 80.1% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 30 to 34 years (210,487 people), 35 to 39 years (187,209 people), and 25 to 29 years (172,520 people). Among them they concentrated 48.1% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2017, 4.69% of Software developers, applications & systems software workers were Hispanic and 95.3% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (69.7%), Puerto Rican (18.8)%, and Cuban (11.5)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2017, 59.8% of the Software developers, applications & systems software workforce were White, of which 16.6% were women and 83.4% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Asian (32.1%) and Black (4.35%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Software developers, applications & systems software from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Software developers, applications & systems software is Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2017 were Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Software developers, applications & systems software in 2017 (counting all academic degrees) were Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (344,218 people), Engineering (290,711 people), and Business (93,230 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Software developers, applications & systems software workers were Bachelors Degree (597,295 people), Graduate Degree (397,706 people), and Some college (101,192 people).

The graphic shows the Software developers, applications & systems software workforce by gender and educational level.