Software Engineer Salary 2026 — Take-Home Pay by State
Software engineers design, build, and maintain the systems and applications that power modern technology — from mobile apps and web platforms to cloud infrastructure and AI systems.
National Median
$130,000
Best State (Net)
$110,110
Washington
Take-Home TX
$99,857
No state tax
Job Growth
25%
Key Facts — Software Engineer 2026
BLS median salary: $130,160 (BLS May 2023 OES, 1.79M jobs)
25% projected growth 2022–2032 — much faster than average
AI/ML specialty commands 20–25% premium over general SWE
Top metros: San Jose $180K, Seattle $165K, SF $161K
Remote work has narrowed geographic pay gaps significantly
Salary by Experience Level
Entry Level (0–2 yrs)
$88,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$70,496
Junior developer, learning codebase
Mid Level (3–6 yrs)
$130,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$99,857
Independent contributor, owns features
Senior (7–12 yrs)
$165,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$123,780
Tech lead, system design, mentorship
Staff / Principal
$210,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$156,118
Org-wide technical strategy
Specialties & Salary Premiums
| Specialty | Est. Salary | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| AI / Machine Learning | $162,500 | +25% |
| Cloud / DevOps | $149,500 | +15% |
| Cybersecurity | $145,600 | +12% |
| Backend / APIs | $136,500 | +5% |
| Frontend / Web | $130,000 | 0% |
| Mobile (iOS / Android) | $136,500 | +5% |
Best States for Software Engineers — Real Take-Home Pay
Ranked by estimated take-home pay (single filer, no additional deductions). The highest gross salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
▲Top 5 — Highest Take-Home
Software Engineer Salary by State — All 50 States
Take-home estimates for a single filer with no additional deductions. Click any state for the full breakdown.
| State | Gross Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| $145,000 | $110,110 | |
| $155,000 | $103,925 | |
| $140,000 | $98,130 | |
| $135,000 | $97,275 | |
| $130,000 | $94,797 | |
| $130,000 | $93,245 | |
| $120,000 | $93,008 | |
| $130,000 | $92,532 | |
| $125,000 | $91,215 | |
| $125,000 | $90,940 | |
11Arizona | $120,000 | $90,383 |
| $115,000 | $89,491 | |
13Illinois | $120,000 | $87,811 |
14Georgia | $120,000 | $87,244 |
| $115,000 | $86,421 | |
| $110,000 | $85,973 | |
| $110,000 | $85,973 | |
18Delaware | $118,000 | $85,936 |
| $115,000 | $84,741 | |
20Oregon | $120,000 | $82,613 |
| $105,000 | $82,456 | |
| $105,000 | $82,456 | |
23Utah | $110,000 | $81,651 |
| $115,000 | $79,641 | |
25Ohio | $105,000 | $79,306 |
| $105,000 | $78,856 | |
27Michigan | $105,000 | $78,631 |
28Indiana | $100,000 | $76,261 |
29Missouri | $100,000 | $74,731 |
| $100,000 | $74,433 | |
31Hawaii | $105,000 | $74,356 |
32Idaho | $100,000 | $74,008 |
33Alabama | $95,000 | $72,221 |
34Kansas | $95,000 | $71,421 |
35Iowa | $95,000 | $70,861 |
36Nebraska | $95,000 | $70,749 |
| $95,000 | $70,301 | |
| $92,000 | $70,153 | |
39Maine | $95,000 | $69,701 |
40Vermont | $95,000 | $69,341 |
| $90,000 | $68,716 | |
42Kentucky | $90,000 | $68,528 |
| $85,000 | $68,386 | |
| $85,000 | $68,386 | |
45Oklahoma | $90,000 | $68,341 |
46Montana | $90,000 | $67,478 |
47Arkansas | $88,000 | $67,284 |
| $85,000 | $66,636 | |
| $82,000 | $63,595 | |
| $80,000 | $61,943 |
Maximize Your Take-Home
401(k) — $24,500 max
Reduces taxable income dollar-for-dollar
HSA — $4,400 single
Triple tax advantage — deductible, grows tax-free, tax-free withdrawals
FSA — $3,300 max
Medical expenses with pre-tax dollars
State consideration
Moving to TX, FL, WA can save $5,000–$15,000/year in taxes
Calculate Your Exact Take-Home as a Software Engineer
Add 401(k), HSA, dependents, and more to see your personalized take-home in your state.
Open Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about your taxes and our calculator.
Software Engineer Salary by State — Detailed Pages
Alabama
$72,221
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$82,456
net
Arizona
$90,383
net
Arkansas
$67,284
net
California
$103,925
net
Colorado
$94,797
net
Connecticut
$90,940
net
Delaware
$85,936
net
FloridaNo state tax
$89,491
net
Georgia
$87,244
net
Hawaii
$74,356
net
Idaho
$74,008
net
Illinois
$87,811
net
Indiana
$76,261
net
Iowa
$70,861
net
Kansas
$71,421
net
Kentucky
$68,528
net
Louisiana
$68,716
net
Maine
$69,701
net
Maryland
$91,215
net
Massachusetts
$97,275
net
Michigan
$78,631
net
Minnesota
$79,641
net
Mississippi
$63,595
net
Missouri
$74,731
net
Montana
$67,478
net
Nebraska
$70,749
net
NevadaNo state tax
$85,973
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$85,973
net
New Jersey
$92,532
net
New Mexico
$70,153
net
New York
$98,130
net
North Carolina
$84,741
net
North Dakota
$66,636
net
Ohio
$79,306
net
Oklahoma
$68,341
net
Oregon
$82,613
net
Pennsylvania
$86,421
net
Rhode Island
$78,856
net
South Carolina
$70,301
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$68,386
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$82,456
net
TexasNo state tax
$93,008
net
Utah
$81,651
net
Vermont
$69,341
net
Virginia
$93,245
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$110,110
net
West Virginia
$61,943
net
Wisconsin
$74,433
net
WyomingNo state tax
$68,386
net