Software Developers in Washington. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
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.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $132,290 and $211,860, with a median of $166,540.
Software Developers in Washington: 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: $176,910. 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 | 203 | $131,600 |
| Level II — qualified | 758 | $163,027 |
| Level III — experienced | 455 | $192,500 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 318 | $221,487 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Corporation | Software Engineering | 496 | $181,400 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Software Development Engineer II | 253 | $152,100 |
| Google LLC | Software Engineer | 163 | $174,000 |
| Meta Platforms, Inc | Software Engineer | 153 | $203,350 |
| Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. | Software Development Engineer II | 87 | $149,240 |
| Amazon Web Services, Inc. | Software Development Engineer II | 59 | $149,240 |
| Apple Inc. | Software Development Engineering | 50 | $191,327 |
| Salesforce, Inc. | Software Engineering SMTS | 45 | $211,161 |
| NVIDIA Corporation | Engineer Senior Systems Software | 22 | $212,202 |
| Zoom Communications, Inc. | Machine Learning Engineer | 19 | $180,710 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Engineer at Google LLC$149,500KirklandDecided —I-200-26084-729262
- Software Developers - KBGFJG223906-14 at Ernst & Young U.S. LLP$168,000SeattleDecided —I-200-26084-727671
- Software Development Engineer at Expedia, Inc.$149,240SeattleWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730482
- Solutions Architect II at Amazon Web Services, Inc.$149,240BELLEVUEWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728653
- Software Engineer at Google LLC$148,000KirklandDecided —I-200-26084-728029
- Software Engineering at Microsoft Corporation$155,700RedmondWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-727797
- Software Engineer at Google LLC$180,000KirklandWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730589
- Engineer, Firmware Engineering at Sandisk Technologies, Inc.$117,749SeattleWage Level IDecided —I-200-26084-728939
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 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 1,648 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $180,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Google LLC | 574 | $180,000 |
| Software Engineering | Microsoft Corporation | 497 | $181,566 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 364 | $149,240 |
| Software Dev Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 45 | $164,000 |
| Software Developer | Socotra Tech Services LLC | 32 | $149,240 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | Zoom Communications, Inc. | 31 | $195,000 |
| Engineer | Nordstrom, Inc. | 30 | $171,130 |
| System Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 22 | $149,240 |
| Software Engineering SMTS | Salesforce, Inc. | 15 | $203,000 |
| Software Development Engineering | Apple Inc. | 14 | $171,600 |
| Software Engineering LMTS | Salesforce, Inc. | 13 | $235,000 |
| Front-End Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 11 | $157,500 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Washington, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $180,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Microsoft Corporation | 1,409 | $180,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 318 | $155,000 |
| Manufacturing | Apple Inc. | 121 | $180,710 |
| Finance and insurance | Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO) | 75 | $191,042 |
| Professional services | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 56 | $170,650 |
| Real estate | Zillow, Inc. | 8 | $153,427 |
| Government and public sector | King County | 6 | $111,974 |
| Healthcare | Providence Health & Services | 3 | $117,333 |
| Media and entertainment | HULU, LLC | 2 | $186,765 |
| Transportation and logistics | BNSF Railway Company | 1 | $212,202 |
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 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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Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Washington metropolitan areas.
- Seattle$167,280
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Washington with another state
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 $166,540.
- How does Washington compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Washington median is +16.5% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Washington?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $96,810 and the 90th-percentile at $255,350, 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.