Software Developers in Pennsylvania. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
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 $98,590 and $158,390, with a median of $126,550.
Software Developers in Pennsylvania: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 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 | 220 | $88,088 |
| Level II — qualified | 891 | $109,845 |
| Level III — experienced | 403 | $131,602 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 370 | $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 | 126 | $124,100 |
| Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | Engineer 4, Software Development & Engineering | 89 | $127,078 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 37 | $110,000 |
| CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc. | Software Developer | 34 | $119,475 |
| SEI Investments Company | Technical Lead | 32 | $155,000 |
| Capgemini America Inc | Applications Consultant 3 | 30 | $132,138 |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Application Engineering Technical Lead - II | 28 | $151,177 |
| RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC | Software Developer | 22 | $130,000 |
| Google LLC | Software Engineer | 21 | $143,000 |
| Duolingo, Inc. | Software Engineer | 20 | $147,050 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Engineer, Site Reliability at Google LLC$145,000PittsburghWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-728805
- Solution Manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP$167,700MechanicsburgWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-730569
- SOFTWARE (FULL STACK) DEVELOPER at TEKPLANT, INC.$120,640PITTSBURGHWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-730403
- Software Engineer at ACE American Insurance Company$130,000PhiladelphiaWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-729212
- Software Engineer at Google LLC$141,050PittsburghWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-728548
- Software Developer at RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC$135,000PittsburghWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729671
- Technical Lead at SEI Investments Company$158,400OaksWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729186
- Software Engineer, Site Reliability at Google LLC$140,000PittsburghWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-728906
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.
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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 1,103 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $122,115.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Duolingo, Inc. | 362 | $122,115 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 352 | $109,845 |
| Engineer 4, Software Development & Engineering | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 103 | $126,090 |
| Senior Solution Specialist | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 57 | $100,400 |
| Java Developer | V-Soft Consulting Group, INC | 37 | $109,845 |
| Solution Architect | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 37 | $143,000 |
| Technical Lead | SEI Investments Company | 34 | $149,200 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 31 | $132,275 |
| .Net Developer | TOPSYS IT SOLUTIONS, LLC | 23 | $102,190 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 23 | $150,000 |
| Software Application Developer | Collasys LLC | 22 | $94,450 |
| Software Development Engineer | ProCare Pharmacy LLC | 22 | $141,850 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Pennsylvania, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,991 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 | 1,288 | $110,000 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 287 | $128,960 |
| Finance and insurance | SEI Investments Company | 207 | $145,400 |
| Retail and wholesale | Boomi L.P. | 69 | $146,849 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 57 | $140,000 |
| Real estate | Penske Truck Leasing Co LP | 26 | $127,949 |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University | 19 | $98,544 |
| Healthcare | UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside | 17 | $127,628 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 12 | $121,825 |
| Energy and utilities | AmeriGas Propane, Inc. | 7 | $141,050 |
| Media and entertainment | Fox Cable Network Services, LLC | 1 | $155,000 |
| Government and public sector | Intealth, d/b/a ECFMG | 1 | $144,892 |
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 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 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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Explore coursesTop metros in Pennsylvania
Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Pennsylvania metropolitan areas.
- Philadelphia$133,040
- Pittsburgh$124,500
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Pennsylvania with another state
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 $126,550.
- How does Pennsylvania compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Pennsylvania median is -11.5% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $77,750 and the 90th-percentile at $178,080, 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.