Software Developers salary in Washington, DC

Median pay for software developers in Washington, DC: $141,510/yr

Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $84,670 – $209,700 · about 72,010 employed locally

Above the typical metro median ($111,055) by +$30,455 (+27%).

What it's really worth in Washington

With Washington's cost of living at 110 (US=100), that $141,510 has the buying power of about $129,182 in an average-cost US metro.

Local context: median household income $119,803 · median home $583,013 · median rent $2,416/mo.

Full Washington cost of living & taxes →

How Washington ranks for this job

On raw pay, Washington, DC is 12th of the 186 metros we hold software developers wages for. Once Washington's cost of living is applied, it ranks 35th.

The headline number flatters Washington. Once housing and everyday costs are taken into account, software developers here keep less of what they earn than the raw salary implies.

What that salary buys in Washington

A median home in Washington, DC costs $583,013 — about 4.1× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.

Median rent of $2,416/mo works out at 20% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.

Where software developers earn more

Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Washington.

Metro	Median pay	vs Washington	Rent vs Washington
San Jose, CA	$199,100	+41%	1.5×
San Francisco, CA	$172,340	+22%	1.3×
Seattle, WA	$167,030	+18%	0.9×
Santa Maria, CA	$154,200	+9%	1.4×

Who hires software developers around Washington

Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.

• Capital One · Finance
• Northrop Grumman · Aerospace/Defense

Other jobs in Washington