SOC 15-1252 · Computer and mathematical
Software Developers prevailing wage by area
At Level II this ranges from $187,075 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA down to $89,814 in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR, a spread of $97,261 on the same job.
What this occupation covers
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Occupation definition from oes_soc_occs.csv, OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip.
Every area with a surveyed figure
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $152,797 | $187,075 | $221,374 | $255,653 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,093 | $165,131 | $193,149 | $221,187 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $111,613 | $143,104 | $174,595 | $206,086 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $109,845 | $137,717 | $165,589 | $193,461 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $105,664 | $134,347 | $163,010 | $191,693 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $106,787 | $134,202 | $161,637 | $189,051 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $107,078 | $129,896 | $152,714 | $175,531 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $103,605 | $128,773 | $153,962 | $179,130 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $102,086 | $127,462 | $152,838 | $178,214 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $105,955 | $127,067 | $148,179 | $169,291 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $104,624 | $126,901 | $149,178 | $171,454 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $93,454 | $123,531 | $153,608 | $183,685 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $95,888 | $119,642 | $143,395 | $167,149 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $99,029 | $118,934 | $138,840 | $158,746 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $92,789 | $117,083 | $141,398 | $165,693 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $95,202 | $116,896 | $138,590 | $160,285 |
| Richmond, VA | $94,162 | $116,646 | $139,110 | $161,595 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $88,774 | $116,605 | $144,456 | $172,286 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $91,874 | $113,859 | $135,824 | $157,810 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $91,915 | $113,776 | $135,658 | $157,518 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $92,123 | $113,714 | $135,304 | $156,894 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $89,398 | $112,902 | $136,406 | $159,910 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $91,624 | $110,926 | $130,208 | $149,510 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $89,003 | $110,573 | $132,122 | $153,691 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $87,776 | $110,344 | $132,891 | $155,459 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $88,296 | $110,344 | $132,413 | $154,461 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $89,877 | $109,886 | $129,875 | $149,885 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $87,173 | $109,179 | $131,186 | $153,192 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $89,877 | $108,950 | $128,003 | $147,077 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $84,448 | $108,909 | $133,390 | $157,851 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $86,174 | $105,290 | $124,426 | $143,541 |
| Columbus, OH | $85,800 | $104,624 | $123,427 | $142,251 |
| Rochester, NY | $85,114 | $104,270 | $123,427 | $142,584 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $81,702 | $103,958 | $126,194 | $148,450 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $83,699 | $103,106 | $122,512 | $141,918 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $83,678 | $103,043 | $122,408 | $141,773 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $84,677 | $102,586 | $120,494 | $138,403 |
| Cleveland, OH | $83,013 | $101,234 | $119,434 | $137,654 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $77,667 | $95,805 | $113,942 | $132,080 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $70,054 | $89,814 | $109,554 | $129,314 |
40 areas, all surveyed for that metropolitan area rather than imputed from a broader geography. 27 of them carry a full breakdown page, selected by filing volume; the rest show their figures here. ALC_Export.csv, wage year 2026-27.
How employers filed for this occupation
Across 29,058 certified H-1B filings in FY2025 Q1 to Q4 that recorded a level, the plurality landed on Level II. The median wage actually offered was $140,000 a year, from 33,157 filings.
| Level | Filings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | 3,117 | 10.7% |
| Level II | 12,940 | 44.5% |
| Level III | 7,091 | 24.4% |
| Level IV | 5,910 | 20.3% |
LCA disclosure data, FY2025 Q1 to Q4. Certified H-1B filings only.
Work out a specific determination
The level depends on the requirements in the job description rather than the title. Run the worksheet for Software Developers with a specific area, experience requirement and education level.