Software Developers
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.
Software Developers research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. The role reports a median annual salary of $133,080 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $74,600 and $202,600 and is projected to grow 16% over the next decade (much faster than average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.68 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Programming, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Critical Thinking, Active Learning.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Design
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Telecommunications
A day in the life
You start your morning by checking Slack messages and scanning through pull request reviews over coffee, often before you even get to the office or open your home-office laptop. Your day is a mix of focused coding sessions, pair-programming with teammates, and attending standups or design-review meetings where you hash out architectural decisions on a whiteboard or shared screen. You spend hours in your IDE and terminal, writing features, squashing bugs, and pushing code through CI/CD pipelines, frequently toggling between documentation, Stack Overflow, and internal wikis. The most satisfying moments come when a stubborn bug finally clicks into place or when you ship a feature that users actually love, but the challenge is constant context-switching between deep technical work and the collaborative demands of a team.
Frequently asked questions
What does Software Developers do?
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis.
What does a typical day look like in Software Developers?
You start your morning by checking Slack messages and scanning through pull request reviews over coffee, often before you even get to the office or open your home-office laptop. Your day is a mix of focused coding sessions, pair-programming with teammates, and attending standups or design-review meetings where you hash out architectural decisions on a whiteboard or shared screen.
How much does Software Developers earn?
The median annual salary for Software Developers in the US is $133,080. The middle 80% of workers earn between $74,600 and $202,600 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $101,800 and $168,200.
What is the job outlook for Software Developers?
The role is projected to grow 16% over the next decade (much faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 1,693,800 workers.
How do I become software developers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Software Developers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Programming, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Mathematics. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Software Developers?
Our AI-durability model gives Software Developers a score of 0.68 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Software Developers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.
Is Software Developers right for you?
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