Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

15-1133 Software Developers, Systems Software

Research, design, develop, and test operating systems-level software, compilers, and network distribution software for medical, industrial, military, communications, aerospace, business, scientific, and general computing applications. Set operational specifications and formulate and analyze software requirements. May design embedded systems software. Apply principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
387,050 1.8 % $48.28 $100,420 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $30.03 $37.36 $46.44 $57.93 $70.69
Annual Wage (2) $62,470 $77,720 $96,600 $120,500 $147,030


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 124,280 8.29 $47.66 $99,140
Software Publishers 25,250 9.53 $49.77 $103,510
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 22,590 5.56 $50.48 $105,000
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 20,400 12.85 $52.87 $109,970
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 17,140 1.33 $49.01 $101,940

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 20,400 12.85 $52.87 $109,970
Software Publishers 25,250 9.53 $49.77 $103,510
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 124,280 8.29 $47.66 $99,140
Communications Equipment Manufacturing 6,600 5.84 $51.47 $107,070
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing 22,590 5.56 $50.48 $105,000

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Schools and Instruction 50 0.01 $64.69 $134,560
Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services 730 0.09 $56.98 $118,520
Other Information Services 3,130 2.10 $55.35 $115,120
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 20,400 12.85 $52.87 $109,970
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing 80 0.03 $52.75 $109,710


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 74,410 5.30 1.76 $54.78 $113,940
Texas 34,820 3.38 1.12 $47.42 $98,630
Virginia 30,700 8.64 2.86 $53.60 $111,480
Massachusetts 27,340 8.66 2.87 $51.24 $106,590
New York 18,070 2.14 0.71 $45.40 $94,440




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts 27,340 8.66 2.87 $51.24 $106,590
Virginia 30,700 8.64 2.86 $53.60 $111,480
Colorado 12,360 5.67 1.88 $46.90 $97,550
Maryland 13,640 5.50 1.82 $49.25 $102,440
Washington 14,820 5.45 1.81 $49.25 $102,440




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 74,410 5.30 1.76 $54.78 $113,940
Virginia 30,700 8.64 2.86 $53.60 $111,480
New Hampshire 1,970 3.25 1.08 $51.50 $107,110
Massachusetts 27,340 8.66 2.87 $51.24 $106,590
New Jersey 9,890 2.62 0.87 $51.16 $106,420





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 27,110 11.73 3.89 $54.56 $113,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 24,140 27.55 9.13 $61.68 $128,300
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 18,490 11.03 3.66 $51.27 $106,650
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 13,650 9.96 3.30 $49.61 $103,190
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 13,220 3.46 1.15 $51.71 $107,550
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 12,930 6.32 2.10 $49.12 $102,170
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 11,720 3.27 1.08 $44.30 $92,140
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 11,510 2.27 0.75 $48.91 $101,740
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 9,270 4.16 1.38 $46.97 $97,700
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 8,270 5.97 1.98 $51.33 $106,770




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 24,140 27.55 9.13 $61.68 $128,300
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division 2,690 23.62 7.83 $52.64 $109,490
Framingham, MA NECTA Division 3,650 23.52 7.80 $48.74 $101,380
Huntsville, AL 2,630 13.04 4.32 $45.80 $95,270
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 27,110 11.73 3.89 $54.56 $113,480
Boulder, CO 1,760 11.29 3.74 $47.68 $99,170
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 18,490 11.03 3.66 $51.27 $106,650
Colorado Springs, CO 2,490 10.30 3.41 $49.16 $102,260
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 13,650 9.96 3.30 $49.61 $103,190
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division 1,140 8.94 2.96 $53.64 $111,580




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Jacksonville, NC (8) (8) (8) $72.85 $151,520
Billings, MT 40 0.45 0.15 $69.25 $144,040
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 24,140 27.55 9.13 $61.68 $128,300
Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division 70 0.94 0.31 $61.52 $127,970
Gainesville, FL 90 0.74 0.25 $61.13 $127,160
Worcester, MA-CT 1,220 5.07 1.68 $60.06 $124,930
Danbury, CT 120 1.81 0.60 $58.43 $121,540
Winchester, VA-WV (8) (8) (8) $58.18 $121,010
Salinas, CA (8) (8) (8) $56.66 $117,840
Racine, WI 30 0.45 0.15 $56.28 $117,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 560 13.32 4.42 $52.37 $108,920
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 350 7.45 2.47 $55.00 $114,390
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area 220 1.87 0.62 $34.33 $71,400
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 160 0.92 0.30 $40.07 $83,340
Southeast Arizona nonmetropolitan area 140 2.32 0.77 $33.73 $70,170

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 560 13.32 4.42 $52.37 $108,920
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 350 7.45 2.47 $55.00 $114,390
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 130 2.62 0.87 (8) (8)
Southeast Arizona nonmetropolitan area 140 2.32 0.77 $33.73 $70,170
Southwestern Montana nonmetropolitan area 220 1.87 0.62 $34.33 $71,400

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 50 0.37 0.12 $76.17 $158,430
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 350 7.45 2.47 $55.00 $114,390
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 560 13.32 4.42 $52.37 $108,920
Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 30 0.78 0.26 $50.27 $104,570
Northwestern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 70 0.57 0.19 $49.43 $102,810


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012