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)
$110,374
Washington
Take-Home TX
$100,121
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):
$70,738
Junior developer, learning codebase
Mid Level (3–6 yrs)
$130,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$100,121
Independent contributor, owns features
Senior (7–12 yrs)
$165,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$124,044
Tech lead, system design, mentorship
Staff / Principal
$210,000
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$156,292
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 | $110,374 | |
| $155,000 | $105,024 | |
| $140,000 | $99,293 | |
| $135,000 | $97,009 | |
| $130,000 | $95,109 | |
| $130,000 | $93,484 | |
| $130,000 | $93,407 | |
| $120,000 | $93,250 | |
| $120,000 | $90,653 | |
| $125,000 | $90,104 | |
| $115,000 | $89,733 | |
12Maryland | $125,000 | $88,302 |
13Georgia | $120,000 | $88,011 |
14Illinois | $120,000 | $87,455 |
| $110,000 | $86,215 | |
| $110,000 | $86,215 | |
| $115,000 | $86,202 | |
| $115,000 | $85,653 | |
19Delaware | $118,000 | $85,396 |
20Oregon | $120,000 | $84,088 |
| $115,000 | $83,436 | |
| $105,000 | $82,698 | |
| $105,000 | $82,698 | |
24Utah | $110,000 | $81,320 |
25Ohio | $105,000 | $80,245 |
26Michigan | $105,000 | $78,486 |
| $105,000 | $78,212 | |
28Indiana | $100,000 | $76,260 |
29Hawaii | $105,000 | $75,771 |
30Missouri | $100,000 | $75,510 |
31Idaho | $100,000 | $74,988 |
| $100,000 | $74,715 | |
33Iowa | $95,000 | $72,664 |
34Nebraska | $95,000 | $72,044 |
35Alabama | $95,000 | $71,756 |
| $95,000 | $71,679 | |
37Vermont | $95,000 | $71,503 |
38Kansas | $95,000 | $71,161 |
39Maine | $95,000 | $70,484 |
| $92,000 | $70,375 | |
| $90,000 | $69,820 | |
42Kentucky | $90,000 | $69,113 |
43Oklahoma | $90,000 | $68,641 |
| $85,000 | $68,628 | |
| $85,000 | $68,628 | |
46Montana | $90,000 | $68,421 |
| $85,000 | $68,251 | |
48Arkansas | $88,000 | $67,941 |
| $82,000 | $63,329 | |
| $80,000 | $62,335 |
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
$71,756
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$82,698
net
Arizona
$90,653
net
Arkansas
$67,941
net
California
$105,024
net
Colorado
$95,109
net
Connecticut
$90,104
net
Delaware
$85,396
net
FloridaNo state tax
$89,733
net
Georgia
$88,011
net
Hawaii
$75,771
net
Idaho
$74,988
net
Illinois
$87,455
net
Indiana
$76,260
net
Iowa
$72,664
net
Kansas
$71,161
net
Kentucky
$69,113
net
Louisiana
$69,820
net
Maine
$70,484
net
Maryland
$88,302
net
Massachusetts
$97,009
net
Michigan
$78,486
net
Minnesota
$83,436
net
Mississippi
$63,329
net
Missouri
$75,510
net
Montana
$68,421
net
Nebraska
$72,044
net
NevadaNo state tax
$86,215
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$86,215
net
New Jersey
$93,484
net
New Mexico
$70,375
net
New York
$99,293
net
North Carolina
$85,653
net
North Dakota
$68,251
net
Ohio
$80,245
net
Oklahoma
$68,641
net
Oregon
$84,088
net
Pennsylvania
$86,202
net
Rhode Island
$78,212
net
South Carolina
$71,679
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$68,628
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$82,698
net
TexasNo state tax
$93,250
net
Utah
$81,320
net
Vermont
$71,503
net
Virginia
$93,407
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$110,374
net
West Virginia
$62,335
net
Wisconsin
$74,715
net
WyomingNo state tax
$68,628
net