Projected pay for Software Developers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $135,980 → in 3 years $146,600 → in 5 years $154,100 → in 10 years $174,600 (10-year range $150,100–$202,700). The model assumes pay growth of +2.5% per year.
$135,980
Now 2026
$146,600
In 3 yrs 2029
$135,300–$159,500
$154,100
In 5 yrs 2031
$138,800–$171,600
$174,600
In 10 yrs 2036
$150,100–$202,700
What drives the annual growth rate
Base wage growth +3.0%Labor demand +0.31%AI impact -0.78%Total +2.5% / yr
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Software Developers
59/100
★★★☆☆
Average · ranked #261 of all U.S. occupations
Pay level
94 pts
AI resistance
24 pts
Entry barrier
89 pts
Annual openings
8 pts
Projected growth
93 pts
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Labor demand for Software Developers
Employment
1.7M
BLS OEWS
Projected employment
1.9M
2025–35
Projected change
+10.2%
ranked #58 for growth
Annual openings
95K
growth + replacement needs
Demand score
High
69/100
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
None
in a related occupation
On-the-job training
None
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns.
Install, configure, and maintain an organization's local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), data communications network, operating systems, and physical and virtual servers.
Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes.
$104,300
49/100
81%
Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.