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.
US Average
$148,100
BLS, May 2025
Best State (Net)
$128,172
Washington
Take-Home TX
$104,530
on $136,450 · No state tax
Job Growth
25%
Source: BLS, May 2025 · Software Developers (SOC 15-1252)
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
US Pay Range
Pay percentiles for Software Engineers across the US (BLS, May 2025), with the estimated take-home in Texas.
Bottom 10%
$82,460
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$66,841
25th percentile
$105,210
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$82,845
Median
$135,980
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$104,208
75th percentile
$171,980
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$128,814
Top 10%
$214,670
gross/year
Est. take-home (TX):
$159,731
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
BLS average pay in each state (BLS, May 2025) and the estimated take-home for a single filer with no additional deductions. BLS publishes no figure for 1 state: they show the US average, marked "US figure", at the end of the table. Click any state for the full breakdown.
| State | Average Pay (BLS) | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|
| $171,040 | $128,172 | |
| $186,770 | $123,511 | |
| $161,730 | $113,942 | |
| $163,820 | $113,600 | |
| $144,530 | $110,052 | |
| $150,940 | $108,501 | |
| $137,350 | $105,145 | |
| $137,010 | $104,912 | |
| $136,450 | $104,530 | |
10Maryland | $151,560 | $104,357 |
11Virginia | $146,340 | $103,689 |
| $143,800 | $101,979 | |
13Oregon | $149,060 | $100,435 |
| $141,260 | $100,142 | |
| $136,940 | $99,909 | |
16Arizona | $132,530 | $98,940 |
| $136,240 | $98,254 | |
18Illinois | $136,540 | $97,977 |
19Delaware | $138,110 | $97,890 |
20Vermont | $136,100 | $97,832 |
21Idaho | $134,370 | $97,095 |
22Montana | $133,550 | $96,363 |
23Georgia | $132,150 | $95,745 |
| $123,360 | $95,583 | |
| $128,110 | $94,896 | |
26Hawaii | $134,600 | $94,448 |
27Utah | $129,860 | $94,247 |
| $129,080 | $93,863 | |
| $120,560 | $93,644 | |
| $126,620 | $92,937 | |
31Maine | $129,040 | $91,859 |
| $127,530 | $91,255 | |
33Missouri | $123,810 | $91,052 |
34Ohio | $119,860 | $90,291 |
35Alabama | $122,840 | $90,236 |
36Michigan | $122,720 | $90,180 |
37Kentucky | $120,730 | $89,656 |
| $122,620 | $89,307 | |
39Iowa | $118,780 | $88,530 |
| $118,410 | $87,597 | |
41Oklahoma | $118,510 | $87,414 |
42Nebraska | $115,590 | $85,768 |
43Indiana | $113,980 | $85,682 |
44Kansas | $116,560 | $85,126 |
| $107,000 | $83,299 | |
| $104,790 | $82,550 | |
| $108,270 | $82,125 | |
48Arkansas | $109,590 | $82,072 |
| $99,840 | $75,806 | |
| $148,100US figure | $112,492 |
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
$90,236
net
AlaskaNo state tax
$112,492
net
Arizona
$98,940
net
Arkansas
$82,072
net
California
$123,511
net
Colorado
$108,501
net
Connecticut
$100,142
net
Delaware
$97,890
net
FloridaNo state tax
$104,912
net
Georgia
$95,745
net
Hawaii
$94,448
net
Idaho
$97,095
net
Illinois
$97,977
net
Indiana
$85,682
net
Iowa
$88,530
net
Kansas
$85,126
net
Kentucky
$89,656
net
Louisiana
$82,125
net
Maine
$91,859
net
Maryland
$104,357
net
Massachusetts
$113,942
net
Michigan
$90,180
net
Minnesota
$91,255
net
Mississippi
$75,806
net
Missouri
$91,052
net
Montana
$96,363
net
Nebraska
$85,768
net
NevadaNo state tax
$105,145
net
New HampshireNo state tax
$110,052
net
New Jersey
$101,979
net
New Mexico
$92,937
net
New York
$113,600
net
North Carolina
$99,909
net
North Dakota
$83,299
net
Ohio
$90,291
net
Oklahoma
$87,414
net
Oregon
$100,435
net
Pennsylvania
$94,896
net
Rhode Island
$93,863
net
South Carolina
$98,254
net
South DakotaNo state tax
$82,550
net
TennesseeNo state tax
$93,644
net
TexasNo state tax
$104,530
net
Utah
$94,247
net
Vermont
$97,832
net
Virginia
$103,689
net
WashingtonNo state tax
$128,172
net
West Virginia
$87,597
net
Wisconsin
$89,307
net
WyomingNo state tax
$95,583
net