What the numbers say
Washington's median Software Developer wage was $166,910 in 2024, about 20% above the US median of $138,520. The mean sits higher still at $175,600, which tells us a portion of developers in the state earn well above the midpoint and pull the average up.
The spread across experience levels is wide. The 25th percentile came in at $132,870, the 75th at $207,370. That $74,500 gap between those two points alone signals that where a developer sits in their career, and what kind of work they do, moves the needle significantly. Entry-level roles near the 10th percentile started around $102,630.
Washington's cost-of-living index sits at 108.9, about 9% above the national baseline. Adjusting for that narrows the real-dollar advantage. A $166,910 nominal median translates to roughly $153,000 in national-baseline purchasing terms. That still clears the US median by a meaningful margin, but the headline gap of $28,390 shrinks to something closer to $14,500 once local prices are factored in.
BLS projects Software Developer employment to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as much faster than average. Washington's share of that growth will depend on how the state's concentration of large technology employers evolves over the decade, but the national trajectory points clearly upward.
Salary distribution
Where Washington software developers fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Software Developers in Washington: 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: $174,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Washington. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Software Dev Engineer III | 224 | $154,700 |
| Microsoft Corporation | Software Engineering | 211 | $180,710 |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | Software Dev Engineer II | 75 | $155,900 |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | Software Dev Engineer II | 50 | $152,111 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Software Engineer | 41 | $215,000 |
| Expedia, Inc. | Software Development Engineer | 33 | $149,240 |
| Google LLC | Software Engineer | 22 | $180,000 |
| AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC | SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER II | 18 | $172,250 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Software Engineering PMTS | 14 | $216,225 |
| Snowflake Inc. | Software Engineer | 13 | $200,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Dev Engineer II at Amazon Web Services, Inc.$187,100SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501381
- Software Dev Engineer II at Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc.$152,100SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501338
- Principal Engineer at Siemens Corporation$200,000SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501866
- Software Dev Engineer III at Amazon.com Services LLC$227,400SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501132
- Software Dev Engineer III at Amazon.com Services LLC$207,690SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501108
- Software Dev Engineer III at Amazon.com Services LLC$227,400SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501129
- Software Dev Engineer III at Amazon.com Services LLC$201,400SeattleDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501219
- Software Engineering at Microsoft Corporation$191,692RedmondDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500934
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 Washington
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 Washington
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 874 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Dev Engineer at a median of $158,200.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Dev Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 213 | $158,200 |
| Software Engineering | Microsoft Corporation | 212 | $180,710 |
| Software Engineer | Meta Platforms, Inc | 198 | $185,000 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 178 | $152,100 |
| Sr Engineer, Software | T-Mobile USA, Inc. | 19 | $183,700 |
| System Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 11 | $144,900 |
| Software Developer | Gemini Software Services | 9 | $149,240 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Zoom Communications, Inc. | 8 | $170,355 |
| Front-End Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 7 | $152,122 |
| Member of Technical Staff (Software Engineer) | OpenAI OpCo, LLC | 7 | $255,000 |
| Data Engineer | Expedia, Inc. | 6 | $163,315 |
| Software Development Engineering | Apple Inc. | 6 | $171,600 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $174,090.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Microsoft Corporation | 615 | $174,090 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 268 | $159,150 |
| Manufacturing | NVIDIA Corporation | 39 | $183,158 |
| Finance and insurance | Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO) | 31 | $180,710 |
| Professional services | OpenAI OpCo, LLC | 29 | $200,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | FedEx Freight, Inc. | 4 | $167,160 |
| Real estate | Zillow, Inc. | 4 | $170,283 |
| Healthcare | THINK TOGETHER | 3 | $180,710 |
| Education | Vahati Association | 2 | $162,430 |
| Government and public sector | Washington State Department of Transportation | 2 | $154,614 |
| Energy and utilities | Constellation Energy Generation LLC | 1 | $149,240 |
| Media and entertainment | Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. | 1 | $165,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Washington 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 Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$169,340
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Washington?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Washington is $166,910.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Washington median is +20.5% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- 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.