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Top 15 cities for software engineers
Full ranking
| # | Metro area | Price-adjusted median | Median salary | Price parity | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $192,994 | $213,110 | 110.4 | 87,350 |
| 2 | Pittsfield, MA | $162,829 | $154,860 | 95.1 | 280 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $161,435 | $186,640 | 115.6 | 69,030 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $156,423 | $164,560 | 105.2 | 7,130 |
| 5 | Manchester, NH | $153,412 | $162,090 | 105.7 | 4,370 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $153,409 | $166,090 | 108.3 | 42,310 |
| 7 | Bridgeport, CT | $152,203 | $162,650 | 106.9 | 3,090 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $150,522 | $167,280 | 111.1 | 92,770 |
| 9 | Wildwood, FL | $150,496 | $128,560 | 85.4 | 130 |
| 10 | Rocky Mount, NC | $148,389 | $130,600 | 88.0 | 120 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $148,210 | $166,830 | 112.6 | 121,000 |
| 12 | Rochester, MN | $148,038 | $134,450 | 90.8 | 1,840 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $147,978 | $156,000 | 105.4 | 18,260 |
| 14 | Pinehurst, NC | $147,437 | $130,240 | 88.3 | 200 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $145,924 | $163,270 | 111.9 | 20,610 |
| 16 | Ames, IA | $145,717 | $129,440 | 88.8 | 470 |
| 17 | Santa Maria, CA | $145,490 | $158,290 | 108.8 | 1,680 |
| 18 | Oxnard, CA | $144,236 | $159,430 | 110.5 | 2,170 |
| 19 | Worcester, MA | $143,334 | $146,950 | 102.5 | 1,800 |
| 20 | Peoria, IL | $143,142 | $130,590 | 91.2 | 1,650 |
| 21 | Santa Cruz, CA | $142,780 | $156,910 | 109.9 | 540 |
| 22 | Washington, DC | $142,289 | $154,930 | 108.9 | 69,060 |
| 23 | Jackson, MI | $141,884 | $130,220 | 91.8 | 390 |
| 24 | Albany, GA | $141,703 | $124,230 | 87.7 | 290 |
| 25 | Los Angeles, CA | $141,697 | $160,920 | 113.6 | 55,540 |
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Highest raw pay for software engineers, before cost of living
More rankings
Sources and how to read this page
- Ranking: median annual wage of Software Developers (BLS OEWS May 2025; the average where BLS publishes no median) divided by the BEA price parity x 100. Only metros where BLS counts at least 100 of these jobs with a reliable estimate.
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
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