What the numbers say
The median wage for Software Developers in Pennsylvania was $123,740 in 2024, about 11% below the US median of $138,520. That gap is notable but not unusual for states outside the highest-cost tech hubs.
The spread across the occupation tells its own story. Developers at the 10th percentile earned $73,730 while those at the 90th earned $167,290. Top earners made roughly 2.3 times what bottom earners made. That kind of range shows up in occupations where experience, specialization, and employer type vary widely, and Pennsylvania has all three: large financial services firms in Philadelphia, healthcare systems statewide, and a smaller but active technology sector in Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania's cost of living index sits at 97.4, just below the national baseline of 100. That closes some of the headline gap. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the state median lands closer to $127,000 in national-baseline terms, narrowing the difference with the US figure to around 8%.
BLS projects Software Developer employment to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a "much faster than average" outlook by their classification. That rate applies nationally, and Pennsylvania's 47,350 developers in 2024 give the state a large enough base that even modest share growth translates to meaningful hiring volume over the decade.
Salary distribution
Where Pennsylvania software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $94,490 and $147,060, with a median of $123,740.
Software Developers in Pennsylvania: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $119,475. 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 | 46 | $88,088 |
| Level II — qualified | 159 | $109,845 |
| Level III — experienced | 73 | $131,602 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 70 | $153,358 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Pennsylvania. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Senior Solution Specialist | 61 | $124,100 |
| Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | Engineer 3, Software Development & Engineering | 49 | $123,009 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 17 | $110,000 |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Application Engineering Technical Lead - II | 17 | $148,514 |
| CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. | Software Developer | 16 | $119,475 |
| Capgemini America Inc | Applications Consultant 3 | 15 | $131,602 |
| Penske Truck Leasing Co LP | Software Engineer I | 12 | $121,000 |
| The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. | Software Engineer Principal | 12 | $138,877 |
| CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | Applications Consultant 2 | 12 | $131,094 |
| Collabrium Systems, LLC | Software Developer | 11 | $128,960 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Applications Consultant 3 at Capgemini America Inc$131,602King of PrussiaDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500826
- Senior Java Developer at SkilzMatrix Digital, LLC$108,000PittsburghDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501990
- Sr. Software Developer at TEKCREW, INC.$125,000AllentownDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501828
- AWS AI Engineer at S R International, Inc.$115,000MalvernDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25357-504539
- SR. SOFTWARE ENGINEER at MORTGAGE CONNECT, LP$118,331MOON TOWNSHIPDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503682
- Software Developer at Mastech Digital Technologies, Inc.$98,197GIBSONIADecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501557
- Applications Developer at UNIFY SOLUTIONS INC$110,000DowningtownDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502534
- Senior Salesforce Developer at Penske Truck Leasing Co LP$138,321ReadingDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502311
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 Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 562 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $119,475.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. | 183 | $119,475 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 178 | $109,845 |
| Engineer 3, Software Development & Engineering | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 59 | $123,009 |
| Senior Solution Specialist | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 25 | $100,400 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 20 | $131,602 |
| Solution Architect | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 19 | $149,200 |
| Java Developer | V-Soft Consulting Group, INC | 15 | $109,845 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 15 | $148,475 |
| Data Engineer | Caremark LLC | 13 | $139,569 |
| Technical Lead | SEI Investments Company | 12 | $144,812 |
| .Net Developer | TOPSYS IT SOLUTIONS, LLC | 12 | $109,845 |
| Vice President | The Bank of New York Mellon | 11 | $171,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Pennsylvania, by industry
Median offered wage across 994 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $110,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 618 | $110,000 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 145 | $129,938 |
| Finance and insurance | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | 109 | $142,500 |
| Retail and wholesale | Boomi L.P. | 38 | $147,433 |
| Manufacturing | Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. | 32 | $144,722 |
| Real estate | Penske Truck Leasing Co LP | 18 | $126,801 |
| Education | WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 12 | $98,371 |
| Healthcare | UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside | 12 | $129,204 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 7 | $119,475 |
| Energy and utilities | Exelon Business Services Company LLC | 3 | $128,943 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania metropolitan areas.
- Philadelphia$130,670
- Pittsburgh$122,350
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Pennsylvania?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Pennsylvania is $123,740.
- How does Pennsylvania compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Pennsylvania median is -10.7% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $73,730 and the 90th-percentile at $167,290, 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.