The current salary of a software developer


While many people enter the software development industry with only a vague idea of what they’re in for, it’s important to know what you can expect when you first start out, and how your salary will change as you gain more experience. To help you determine what your current salary could be, we’ve put together this list of salary statistics based on various factors including age, gender, location and more. Take a look at this list to get a general idea of where you might fall!


Introduction

Software developers are in high demand, but there is an increasingly wide range for what you can expect to make. According to PayScale, the median base pay for someone with five years or less experience is $65K per year. The median base pay for someone with 10 years or more experience is $110K per year. Additionally, bonuses and benefits vary across industries and companies. For example, based on data from Payscale, the average bonus for a software developer ranges from $0 (for 0% of workers) to $33K (for 33% of workers). They also get paid up to 5% more if they work at Microsoft as opposed to Amazon.


How Much Do Software Developers Make in Different Countries?

Programming designers make somewhere in the range of $50,000 to $150,000 relying upon their range of abilities. In 2016, the middle compensation for a programmer in the US was around $90,000. This figure fluctuates with area: Computer programmers in Silicon Valley procure a normal of $140,000 while those in Seattle acquire a normal of $112,000. Canada's middle compensation is generally between these two figures at around $100,000 and bring down pay rates can be found in pieces of Eastern Europe and India where they can be just about as low as under $10,000 each year.


Salary by years of experience

Software developers with less than 5 years experience earn an average annual salary of $78,000. Software developers with more than five but less than 10 years experience earn an average annual salary of $89,000. Software developers with more than 10 but less than 15 years experience earn an average annual salary of $97,000. Finally, software developers with more than 15 years experience earn an average annual salary of $109,000.


Entry-level salaries for software developers

Software developers can expect to earn an average starting salary of $59,000. The range for entry-level salaries is wide, with some employees earning as little as $40,000 and others earning as much as $80,000. These numbers are significantly higher than the median household income in the United States which is around $50,000.


Experienced salaries for software developers

Salaries are based on the level of experience and skill set. For entry-level jobs, salaries range from $40,000 to $55,000 per year. Experienced professionals with more than five years of work experience usually earn between $75,000 and $100,000 annually. Senior developers with 10 years or more experience can expect to make anywhere from $100,000 to over $150,000 per year. The highest-paid developers typically have 15 or more years of experience and earn around $160,000 to over $200,000 in annual income.


Salary by education level

It's important to keep in mind that the average salaries can be quite different depending on what type of company you work for, your location and your education level. Here's some insight into how much you can expect to earn based on your experience and how many years you've been working: 

- Entry-level Software Developer: $40,000 - $45,000 

- Mid-level Software Developer: $60,000 - $70,000 

- Senior Software Developer: $80,000+


Salary by industry

$100,000 - $200,000 

$50,000 - $100,000 

$25,000 - $50,000 

$0 - $25,000 Most developers come from the IT industry and are paid an average of $85,000. Developers with more than five years experience can expect to make an average salary of up to $120,000. Entry level positions start around $60-70,000 annually. Those without degrees in computer science or programming languages often find themselves starting out around $40-50,000 yearly. Keep in mind that these numbers are for large companies with many employees and only take into account base pay. These figures do not take into account other perks such as bonuses or stock options offered by the company.


Conclusion

Software developers make an average of $105,000 per year. 

Software developers are in high demand and make up one-third of the tech sector's workforce. 

Software development jobs are projected to grow by 17% between 2014 and 2024, which is much faster than the average for all occupations in the US. 

The hourly wage ranges from $35 to $90 per hour.