Best paying cities for web developers, after cost of living
After cost of living, web developer pay goes furthest in San Jose (worth $150,969) and least far in Portland (worth $70,133).
| # | Metro area | Median pay | Prices (US = 100) | Worth | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $166,670 | 110.4 | $150,969 | +63% |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $152,450 | 115.6 | $131,877 | +42% |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $134,350 | 108.9 | $123,370 | +33% |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $130,440 | 111.1 | $117,408 | +27% |
| 5 | St. Louis, MO | $106,360 | 95.1 | $111,840 | +21% |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $108,550 | 100.3 | $108,225 | +17% |
| 7 | Charlotte, NC | $101,980 | 97.3 | $104,810 | +13% |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $107,590 | 104.5 | $102,957 | +11% |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $106,890 | 104.8 | $101,994 | +10% |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $108,520 | 108.3 | $100,203 | +8% |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $107,290 | 113.6 | $94,445 | +2% |
| 12 | Dallas, TX | $96,740 | 103.1 | $93,831 | +1% |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $96,870 | 103.6 | $93,504 | +1% |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $93,590 | 100.1 | $93,497 | +1% |
| 15 | New York, NY | $104,820 | 112.6 | $93,091 | 0% |
| 16 | Sacramento, CA | $98,560 | 106.7 | $92,371 | 0% |
| 17 | Philadelphia, PA | $94,570 | 102.6 | $92,173 | −1% |
| 18 | Houston, TX | $89,040 | 98.6 | $90,304 | −3% |
| 19 | San Diego, CA | $98,300 | 111.9 | $87,846 | −5% |
| 20 | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,560 | 94.7 | $87,181 | −6% |
| 21 | Denver, CO | $92,060 | 105.8 | $87,013 | −6% |
| 22 | Austin, TX | $84,960 | 98.1 | $86,606 | −7% |
| 23 | Orlando, FL | $83,820 | 101.4 | $82,663 | −11% |
| 24 | San Antonio, TX | $77,730 | 94.7 | $82,080 | −11% |
| 25 | Nashville, TN | $78,990 | 96.3 | $82,025 | −11% |
| 26 | Las Vegas, NV | $78,930 | 100.2 | $78,772 | −15% |
| 27 | Tampa, FL | $78,910 | 100.9 | $78,206 | −16% |
| 28 | Phoenix, AZ | $76,230 | 103.3 | $73,795 | −20% |
| 29 | Portland, OR | $73,920 | 105.4 | $70,133 | −24% |
U.S. median for web developers: $92,650. "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 (Web Developers, SOC 15-1254); 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.