What the numbers say
The median wage for Software Developers in Alabama was $113,020 in 2024, about 18% below the national median of $138,520. That gap is real, but it does not tell the whole story.
Alabama's cost of living sits well below the US average. Our index puts it at 87.3, meaning a dollar goes roughly 15% further here than it does at the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the effective purchasing power of the Alabama median comes to around $129,400 in national-baseline dollars. The headline gap narrows to under 7%.
The spread between earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, Alabama Software Developers earned $63,670 in 2024. At the 90th, they earned $176,060. The top earners made about 2.8 times what the bottom earners made. That kind of range shows up in occupations where experience, specialization, and the type of employer matter a lot. A junior developer at a small firm and a senior engineer at a defense contractor both fall under the same occupation code.
The mean wage of $117,380 runs about $4,400 above the median. A group of higher earners is pulling the average up, which is consistent with that wide spread.
BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. Alabama's 18,020 Software Developer jobs put it among the mid-sized state markets by headcount, with a mix of federal contractor work, aerospace, and a growing commercial tech sector contributing to that base.
Salary distribution
Where Alabama software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $82,610 and $141,140, with a median of $113,020.
Software Developers in Alabama: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 303 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $97,836. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 63 | $69,368 |
| Level II — qualified | 143 | $93,600 |
| Level III — experienced | 36 | $119,403 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 21 | $136,471 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Alabama. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahwan Cybertek Inc. | Software Engineer | 24 | $68,000 |
| Nexturn Inc | Software Developer | 12 | $105,000 |
| My Supply Chain Group, LLC | Sr. SAP AATP Analyst | 9 | $135,000 |
| Regions Bank | Software Engineer II | 8 | $134,971 |
| CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. | Software Developer | 7 | $86,694 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Senior Consultant | 6 | $90,085 |
| The University of Alabama at Birmingham | Systems Analyst Lead | 5 | $83,766 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | SOFTWARE DEVELOPER | 4 | $128,000 |
| Shipt, Inc. | Engineer | 4 | $117,967 |
| Alfa Mutual Insurance Company | Senior Software Engineer | 4 | $93,266 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Informatica Administrator at Regions Bank$134,971HooverDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498699
- SAP Software Engineer at ArcelorMittal Calvert LLC$120,000CalvertDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489818
- Senior Software Developer at RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC$130,000MadisonDecided Dec 17, 2025I-200-25344-472386
- SR. SOFTWARE DEVELOPER at HCL GLOBAL SYSTEMS INC$107,016MONTGOMERYDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25343-469312
- Software Developer at IPOLARITY LLC$93,496BirminghamDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-464737
- Software Developer at Fourth Technologies Inc.$80,000HooverDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-465287
- Senior Associate at PwC US Consulting LLP$189,000BirminghamDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-462413
- Project Delivery Senior Analyst at Deloitte Consulting LLP$72,405BirminghamDecided Dec 10, 2025I-200-25337-453420
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Software Developers pay by experience level in Alabama
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Developers specialties in Alabama
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 194 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $86,642.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Bahwan Cybertek Inc. | 84 | $86,642 |
| Software Developer | Nexturn Inc | 62 | $91,166 |
| Senior Developer | Merastar Insurance Company | 7 | $113,901 |
| Data Engineer | Cisco Systems, Inc. | 6 | $114,557 |
| Java Developer | Aurum Data Solutions, Inc. | 6 | $84,632 |
| Senior Consultant | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 6 | $110,615 |
| Software Development Engineer | Aetna Resources LLC | 5 | $118,999 |
| Engineer | Shipt, Inc. | 5 | $105,227 |
| Application Developer | HCL GLOBAL SYSTEMS INC | 4 | $100,173 |
| LEAD SAP DEVELOPER & NWBC PM | Phifer Incorporated | 3 | $182,292 |
| Full Stack Developer | Federal Express Corporation | 3 | $86,694 |
| Applications Consultant | CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | 3 | $116,050 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Alabama, by industry
Median offered wage across 302 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $88,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Bahwan Cybertek Inc. | 205 | $88,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Regions Bank | 27 | $120,856 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 25 | $114,347 |
| Manufacturing | Phifer Incorporated | 21 | $125,000 |
| Education | The University of Alabama at Birmingham | 9 | $85,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 5 | $97,586 |
| Energy and utilities | Spire Inc. | 3 | $124,115 |
| Retail and wholesale | CVS Pharmacy Inc. | 3 | $130,000 |
| Healthcare | Encompass Health Corporation | 2 | $108,399 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Open Avenues Foundation | 1 | $93,475 |
| Real estate | United Rentals Inc. | 1 | $117,603 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Alabama over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+15.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Alabama metropolitan areas.
- Birmingham$106,890
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Alabama?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Alabama is $113,020.
- How does Alabama compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Alabama median is -18.4% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Alabama?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $63,670 and the 90th-percentile at $176,060, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Developers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 15.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Developers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.