Tech Careers June 20, 2026
Software Engineer Salary by State (2026)
Software engineers earn a national median of $124,200, but pay varies dramatically by state — from $93,150 to $204,930. This guide ranks all 50 states and shows where your dollar goes furthest.
$124,200
National Median
$204,930
Highest (HI)
$93,150
Lowest (MS)
$111,780
State Gap
All 50 States Ranked
| # | State | Median | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $204,930 | +65% |
| 2 | California | $190,026 | +53% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $180,090 | +45% |
| 4 | New York | $163,944 | +32% |
| 5 | Washington | $157,734 | +27% |
| 6 | Alaska | $150,282 | +21% |
| 7 | New Jersey | $150,282 | +21% |
| 8 | Maryland | $144,072 | +16% |
| 9 | Oregon | $144,072 | +16% |
| 10 | Connecticut | $142,830 | +15% |
| 11 | Colorado | $140,346 | +13% |
| 12 | Virginia | $139,104 | +12% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $132,894 | +7% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $131,652 | +6% |
| 15 | Utah | $126,684 | +2% |
| 16 | Delaware | $125,442 | +1% |
| 17 | Florida | $124,200 | 0% |
| 18 | Illinois | $124,200 | 0% |
| 19 | Minnesota | $124,200 | 0% |
| 20 | Arizona | $122,958 | -1% |
| 21 | Nevada | $122,958 | -1% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $121,716 | -2% |
| 23 | Texas | $121,716 | -2% |
| 24 | Vermont | $121,716 | -2% |
| 25 | Georgia | $119,232 | -4% |
| 26 | North Carolina | $119,232 | -4% |
| 27 | Maine | $117,990 | -5% |
| 28 | Idaho | $116,748 | -6% |
| 29 | New Mexico | $115,506 | -7% |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $114,264 | -8% |
| 31 | Montana | $113,022 | -9% |
| 32 | Michigan | $111,780 | -10% |
| 33 | Ohio | $111,780 | -10% |
| 34 | Tennessee | $110,538 | -11% |
| 35 | Indiana | $109,296 | -12% |
| 36 | Missouri | $109,296 | -12% |
| 37 | Nebraska | $109,296 | -12% |
| 38 | Louisiana | $108,054 | -13% |
| 39 | South Carolina | $108,054 | -13% |
| 40 | Iowa | $106,812 | -14% |
| 41 | North Dakota | $106,812 | -14% |
| 42 | Wyoming | $106,812 | -14% |
| 43 | Kansas | $104,328 | -16% |
| 44 | Kentucky | $103,086 | -17% |
| 45 | South Dakota | $103,086 | -17% |
| 46 | Alabama | $101,844 | -18% |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $101,844 | -18% |
| 48 | Arkansas | $96,876 | -22% |
| 49 | West Virginia | $94,392 | -24% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $93,150 | -25% |
Best States After Cost of Living
Raw salary doesn't tell the whole story. A $180,000 salary in California buys less than a $130,000 salary in Texas after accounting for taxes and cost of living.
Best value states for software engineers:
- Washington — High pay + no state income tax
- Texas — Above-average tech salaries + no income tax + low COL
- Colorado — Growing tech hubs with moderate costs
- North Carolina — Research Triangle pays well with low living costs
- Georgia — Atlanta's tech scene offers strong salary-to-COL ratio
Use our state pages to see exact COL-adjusted comparisons. Click any state above to drill into city-level data.
Salary by Experience
$78,000
Entry Level
0-2 years
$125,000
Mid Level
3-7 years
$185,000
Senior Level
8+ years