How much does a software engineer make? Software Engineer salary and hourly pay
A software engineer in the US earns a median of $135,980 a year, about $65.38 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,460 and the top 10% earn over $214,670. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, California, has a median of $174,410.
Software Engineer pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure Ă· 2,080 hours (40 hours Ă 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a software engineer make an hour?
The median software engineer earns $65.38 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $39.64 for the lowest-paid 10% to $103.21 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $82,460 | $39.64 |
| Lower 25% | $105,210 | $50.58 |
| Median (typical) | $135,980 | $65.38 |
| Upper 25% | $171,980 | $82.68 |
| Top 10% | $214,670 | $103.21 |
Software Engineer salary by state
Median annual pay for software engineers in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | â Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $122,540 | $58.91 |
| Alaska | Not published | â |
| Arizona | $129,690 | $62.35 |
| Arkansas | $104,490 | $50.24 |
| California | $174,410 | $83.85 |
| Colorado | $138,390 | $66.53 |
| Connecticut | $134,120 | $64.48 |
| Delaware | $133,020 | $63.95 |
| District of Columbia | $136,880 | $65.81 |
| Florida | $130,980 | $62.97 |
| Georgia | $131,010 | $62.99 |
| Hawaii | $124,040 | $59.63 |
| Idaho | $131,590 | $63.26 |
| Illinois | $132,110 | $63.51 |
| Indiana | $105,920 | $50.92 |
| Iowa | $114,890 | $55.24 |
| Kansas | $113,420 | $54.53 |
| Kentucky | $109,010 | $52.41 |
| Louisiana | $102,800 | $49.42 |
| Maine | $123,120 | $59.19 |
| Maryland | $138,680 | $66.67 |
| Massachusetts | $165,210 | $79.43 |
| Michigan | $125,570 | $60.37 |
| Minnesota | $130,050 | $62.52 |
| Mississippi | $95,330 | $45.83 |
| Missouri | $126,120 | $60.63 |
| Montana | $121,990 | $58.65 |
| Nebraska | $110,900 | $53.32 |
| Nevada | $128,810 | $61.93 |
| New Hampshire | $139,720 | $67.17 |
| New Jersey | $135,940 | $65.36 |
| New Mexico | $124,520 | $59.87 |
| New York | $166,180 | $79.89 |
| North Carolina | $134,710 | $64.76 |
| North Dakota | $105,600 | $50.77 |
| Ohio | $114,090 | $54.85 |
| Oklahoma | $118,100 | $56.78 |
| Oregon | $142,720 | $68.62 |
| Pennsylvania | $126,550 | $60.84 |
| Rhode Island | $130,590 | $62.78 |
| South Carolina | $129,450 | $62.24 |
| South Dakota | $96,310 | $46.30 |
| Tennessee | $122,430 | $58.86 |
| Texas | $132,150 | $63.53 |
| Utah | $128,810 | $61.93 |
| Vermont | $125,280 | $60.23 |
| Virginia | $136,460 | $65.61 |
| Washington | $166,540 | $80.07 |
| West Virginia | $121,000 | $58.17 |
| Wisconsin | $122,660 | $58.97 |
| Wyoming | $115,170 | $55.37 |
Highest-paying states for software engineers
- California: $174,410 median
- Washington: $166,540 median
- New York: $166,180 median
- Massachusetts: $165,210 median
- Oregon: $142,720 median
The lowest medians are in Mississippi ($95,330), South Dakota ($96,310), Louisiana ($102,800), Arkansas ($104,490), North Dakota ($105,600). The most software engineer jobs are in California (284,390 jobs), Texas (163,880 jobs), New York (113,510 jobs), Washington (107,030 jobs), Virginia (88,280 jobs).
How much does a software engineer make a month?
At the median salary of $135,980, a software engineer earns about $11,332 a month, $5,230 every two weeks or $2,615 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced software engineer pay
New software engineers typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,460 a year and the lowest 25% under $105,210. The top 25% earn over $171,980 and the top 10% over $214,670. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Software Engineer salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Software engineer | $135,980 |
| Cyber security analyst | $129,180 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Financial advisor | $105,070 |
| Lawyer | $159,670 |
| Construction manager | $114,990 |
Common questions
How much does a software engineer make?
The US median is $135,980 a year ($65.38 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a software engineer make an hour?
The median is about $65.38 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $39.64 and the top 10% about $103.21 an hour.
Which state pays software engineers the most?
California has the highest median at $174,410, followed by Washington ($166,540) and New York ($166,180).
How much does a software engineer make a month?
At the US median of $135,980 a year, about $11,332 a month or $5,230 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level software engineer make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $82,460 a year and the lowest 25% under $105,210, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of software engineers make?
The top 10% earn over $214,670 a year; the top 25% earn over $171,980.
How much does a software engineer make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $174,410 in California, $132,150 in Texas, $130,980 in Florida, $166,180 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 15-1252, âSoftware Developersâ), the most recent official release; âmedianâ means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.