Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

15-1132 Software Developers, Applications

Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team. May supervise computer programmers.


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)
539,880 1.1 % $44.27 $92,080 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $26.43 $33.80 $42.92 $53.84 $65.62
Annual Wage (2) $54,980 $70,300 $89,280 $111,990 $136,490


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 182,170 12.15 $44.25 $92,050
Software Publishers 44,790 16.90 $47.17 $98,110
Management of Companies and Enterprises 28,610 1.50 $43.26 $89,980
Insurance Carriers 20,270 1.74 $41.46 $86,240
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 18,670 1.77 $45.61 $94,870

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 44,790 16.90 $47.17 $98,110
Computer Systems Design and Related Services 182,170 12.15 $44.25 $92,050
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 14,830 9.34 $50.58 $105,210
Other Information Services 9,780 6.56 $49.23 $102,410
Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 15,100 6.32 $42.78 $88,980

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Animal Slaughtering and Processing 40 0.01 $72.34 $150,470
Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers 60 0.06 $54.40 $113,150
Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing 380 2.10 $53.15 $110,550
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 14,830 9.34 $50.58 $105,210
Other Information Services 9,780 6.56 $49.23 $102,410


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 87,430 6.23 1.48 $50.22 $104,450
Texas 38,040 3.69 0.88 $44.09 $91,710
Washington 33,970 12.48 2.97 $46.73 $97,190
New York 31,720 3.76 0.89 $46.70 $97,140
Virginia 31,290 8.81 2.09 $47.98 $99,800




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)
Washington 33,970 12.48 2.97 $46.73 $97,190
Colorado 19,980 9.17 2.18 $43.17 $89,790
Virginia 31,290 8.81 2.09 $47.98 $99,800
Massachusetts 24,990 7.92 1.88 $47.37 $98,520
New Hampshire 4,580 7.54 1.79 $44.74 $93,070




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 87,430 6.23 1.48 $50.22 $104,450
Virginia 31,290 8.81 2.09 $47.98 $99,800
Massachusetts 24,990 7.92 1.88 $47.37 $98,520
Maryland 11,520 4.64 1.10 $47.08 $97,920
New Jersey 27,540 7.30 1.73 $46.93 $97,610





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)
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 29,780 21.74 5.17 $47.81 $99,430
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 28,170 5.56 1.32 $50.22 $104,460
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 27,670 11.97 2.85 $49.76 $103,500
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 26,390 30.12 7.16 $56.32 $117,150
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 17,300 10.32 2.45 $47.51 $98,820
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 14,110 3.69 0.88 $45.28 $94,180
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 14,050 3.92 0.93 $46.16 $96,020
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 13,060 6.39 1.52 $45.14 $93,890
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 12,300 10.24 2.43 $43.58 $90,640
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 11,810 6.90 1.64 $43.84 $91,190




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 26,390 30.12 7.16 $56.32 $117,150
Framingham, MA NECTA Division 3,800 24.46 5.81 $49.09 $102,120
Boulder, CO 3,530 22.73 5.40 $43.92 $91,350
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 29,780 21.74 5.17 $47.81 $99,430
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division 2,290 17.94 4.26 $45.92 $95,520
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 2,910 13.43 3.19 $46.13 $95,940
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 27,670 11.97 2.85 $49.76 $103,500
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division 1,350 11.87 2.82 $50.43 $104,890
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 11,310 11.78 2.80 $52.35 $108,890
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 2,890 10.81 2.57 $42.20 $87,780




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)
El Centro, CA 40 0.77 0.18 $65.57 $136,390
Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division 130 1.72 0.41 $62.25 $129,480
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 90 1.24 0.29 $56.98 $118,510
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 26,390 30.12 7.16 $56.32 $117,150
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 80 0.96 0.23 $54.48 $113,320
Wilmington, NC 70 0.52 0.12 $53.15 $110,560
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 190 0.73 0.17 $52.40 $108,990
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 11,310 11.78 2.80 $52.35 $108,890
Longview, TX (8) (8) (8) $52.08 $108,320
Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division 5,850 6.17 1.47 $52.04 $108,250

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)
West Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 410 2.41 0.57 $35.11 $73,040
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 390 2.05 0.49 $36.44 $75,790
Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 320 1.88 0.45 $36.14 $75,170
St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area 300 7.00 1.66 $43.05 $89,550
Other New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 280 2.92 0.69 $44.03 $91,590

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 300 7.00 1.66 $43.05 $89,550
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 240 5.02 1.19 $47.46 $98,710
Western New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 260 4.34 1.03 $42.69 $88,800
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 220 3.87 0.92 $37.01 $76,990
Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area 260 3.75 0.89 $30.96 $64,400

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)
Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 50 0.84 0.20 $53.26 $110,770
North Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 50 0.81 0.19 $48.42 $100,720
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.28 0.07 $47.87 $99,560
Hawaii / Maui / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 110 0.73 0.17 $47.71 $99,240
Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area 240 5.02 1.19 $47.46 $98,710


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