Best paying cities for software developers, after cost of living
After cost of living, software developer pay goes furthest in San Jose (worth $193,034) and least far in Miami (worth $116,156).
| # | Metro area | Median pay | Prices (US = 100) | Worth | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $213,110 | 110.4 | $193,034 | +42% |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $186,640 | 115.6 | $161,453 | +19% |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $166,090 | 108.3 | $153,361 | +13% |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $167,280 | 111.1 | $150,567 | +11% |
| 5 | New York, NY | $166,830 | 112.6 | $148,162 | +9% |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $156,000 | 105.4 | $148,008 | +9% |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | $163,270 | 111.9 | $145,907 | +7% |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $154,930 | 108.9 | $142,268 | +5% |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $160,920 | 113.6 | $141,655 | +4% |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | $135,920 | 97.3 | $139,692 | +3% |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $134,120 | 98.1 | $136,718 | +1% |
| 12 | St. Louis, MO | $129,030 | 95.1 | $135,678 | 0% |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $128,430 | 94.7 | $135,618 | 0% |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $138,900 | 104.5 | $132,919 | −2% |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $132,960 | 100.1 | $132,827 | −2% |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | $126,610 | 96.3 | $131,475 | −3% |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | $124,500 | 94.7 | $131,468 | −3% |
| 18 | Houston, TX | $129,440 | 98.6 | $131,278 | −3% |
| 19 | Sacramento, CA | $139,640 | 106.7 | $130,872 | −4% |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $130,760 | 100.3 | $130,369 | −4% |
| 21 | Denver, CO | $137,610 | 105.8 | $130,066 | −4% |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $134,380 | 103.6 | $129,710 | −5% |
| 23 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,940 | 100.2 | $129,681 | −5% |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA | $133,040 | 102.6 | $129,669 | −5% |
| 25 | Tampa, FL | $130,450 | 100.9 | $129,286 | −5% |
| 26 | Dallas, TX | $133,290 | 103.1 | $129,282 | −5% |
| 27 | Orlando, FL | $129,620 | 101.4 | $127,830 | −6% |
| 28 | Phoenix, AZ | $131,750 | 103.3 | $127,541 | −6% |
| 29 | Minneapolis, MN | $130,920 | 104.8 | $124,924 | −8% |
| 30 | Miami, FL | $132,650 | 114.2 | $116,156 | −15% |
U.S. median for software developers: $135,980. "Worth" is the median adjusted for local prices: what that pay buys at average U.S. prices, using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 (Software Developers, SOC 15-1252); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024. Median pay for wage and salary workers, excluding bonuses, benefits and overtime. Metro areas, not city limits.