Software Developers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Computer and Mathematical · SOC 15-1252 · O*NET 15-1252.00
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. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Software Developers fall under the Computer and Mathematical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Software Developers earn a median salary of $133,080 per year, ranking in the top 4% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +15.8% job growth through 2034, projected to grow far faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What parents should know about software developers right now
Software development remains one of the strongest career bets for teens who like solving puzzles and building things on a screen. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $133,080 for software developers in May 2024, with the top 10 percent earning more than $211,450 and the bottom 10 percent earning less than $79,850. BLS projects overall employment for software developers, quality assurance analysts, and testers will grow about 15 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, with roughly 129,200 openings each year. Most developers hold a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field, though strong portfolios, bootcamps, and internships can also open doors. The defining trend is the rise of AI coding assistants. Industry surveys report that 76 percent of developers use or plan to use AI tools, and an estimated 41 percent of code is now AI-generated, while job postings requiring AI-tool experience grew 340 percent between January 2025 and January 2026. The flip side: entry-level hiring has tightened, with one Stanford study showing roughly a 20 percent decline in employment for developers ages 22 to 25 from late 2022 levels. The takeaway for parents is that fundamentals still matter, namely data structures, algorithms, debugging, and clear communication, paired with comfort using AI tools as collaborators rather than crutches. Robotics, hackathons, GitHub projects, and CS courses are excellent on-ramps.
What do software developers earn?
The median annual wage for software developers is $133,080. That puts software developers at #35 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $79,850 |
| 25th percentile | $103,050 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $133,080 |
| 75th percentile | $169,000 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $211,450 |
| Median hourly wage | $63.98/hr |
Is software developers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for software developers is +15.8%, projected to grow far faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 1.7M positions in 2024 to 2.0M in 2034, a net change of 268K. Very fast growth indicates significant talent shortages and unusually strong hiring momentum — often the most resilient outlook a teenager can plan toward.
What do software developers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working software developers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
- 2.Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance.
- 3.Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- 4.Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- 5.Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
- 6.Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design.
- 7.Determine system performance standards.
- 8.Confer with data processing or project managers to obtain information on limitations or capabilities for data processing projects.
Top skills for software developers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become software developer?
The standard path into software developers begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about software developers
What is the median salary for software developers?
The median annual salary for software developers is $133,080 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is software developers a growing career?
BLS projects +15.8% growth for software developers from 2024 through 2034, which is very fast growth projected to grow far faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become software developer?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to software developers?
Related occupations within the Computer and Mathematical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.