Software, Data and AI Salaries by State
Compare software engineering, data science, machine learning, and AI salary ranges by U.S. state and metro. Choose a role and market to see employer-posted base salary ranges. See methodology.
Role Salaries by State
Each cell shows the mid listed salary for a selected role in a state or metro when enough postings include salary ranges.
Role Salary Range
Bars show lower to higher listed salary ranges. The marker shows the mid listed salary.
Top Salary Markets
States by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $185K |
| New York | $177K |
| Washington | $174K |
| New Jersey | $155K |
| Virginia | $153K |
| Massachusetts | $146K |
| Arkansas | $144K |
| Texas | $143K |
States after cost of living adjustment
| Market | Adjusted |
|---|---|
| California | $167K |
| Arkansas | $165K |
| New York | $164K |
| Washington | $163K |
| Kentucky | $157K |
| Virginia | $152K |
| Texas | $147K |
| Iowa | $144K |
Metros by median salary
| Market | Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $200K |
| San Francisco Bay Area | $199K |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $196K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $180K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $176K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $176K |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $165K |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $165K |
Role Salary Highlights
| Role | Lower | Mid | Higher | Top state shown | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Learning & AI Salaries Professionals in this category design, develop, and optimize AI and machine learning systems to solve complex problems and enhance technological capabilities. |
$156K | $195K | $238K | California ($215K) | 4,278 |
| Backend Engineering Salaries Professionals specializing in developing and maintaining the server-side logic and infrastructure of software applications. |
$165K | $193K | $225K | New York ($207K) | 1,365 |
| Software Engineering Leadership Salaries | $156K | $190K | $225K | California ($213K) | 8,073 |
| Backend Engineer Salaries | $152K | $186K | $216K | California ($200K) | 2,773 |
| Android Engineering Salaries Professionals specializing in developing, testing, and maintaining Android applications and systems. |
$145K | $178K | $210K | California ($200K) | 420 |
| iOS Engineering Salaries This category encompasses senior-level positions focused on developing and leading iOS mobile applications. |
$145K | $177K | $205K | Texas ($202K) | 377 |
| Frontend Engineering Salaries A category focused on developing and maintaining the user interface and client-side functionality of web applications. |
$142K | $177K | $212K | California ($194K) | 1,929 |
| Frontend Development Salaries A category encompassing roles focused on building and designing user interfaces for web applications. |
$135K | $175K | $208K | New York ($198K) | 738 |
| Data Engineering Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on designing, building, and managing data systems and infrastructure to support data-driven decision-making. |
$133K | $167K | $207K | Limited state coverage | 9,572 |
| Full Stack Engineering Salaries A versatile role involving the development of both client-side and server-side software applications. |
$134K | $167K | $201K | Limited state coverage | 2,469 |
| Game Development Salaries Professionals specializing in various engineering roles within the game development industry, focusing on graphics, audio, security, and gameplay. |
$123K | $164K | $200K | Limited state coverage | 346 |
| Software Engineering Salaries A field focused on designing, developing, and maintaining software systems and applications. |
$128K | $159K | $194K | Limited state coverage | 8,508 |
| Data Management Salaries Professionals overseeing the organization, quality, and governance of data to ensure its accuracy, accessibility, and security. |
$120K | $151K | $189K | Limited state coverage | 1,251 |
| Game Design Salaries Game Design And Art |
$109K | $139K | $173K | Limited state coverage | 435 |
| Data & Analytics Salaries Roles focused on managing, analyzing, and strategizing data to drive business insights and decisions. |
$107K | $138K | $173K | Limited state coverage | 3,487 |
| Java Engineering Salaries A category encompassing roles focused on developing and architecting software solutions using Java technology. |
$111K | $137K | $166K | Limited state coverage | 1,699 |
| Pricing Analysis Salaries Professionals in this category focus on developing, analyzing, and implementing pricing strategies to optimize revenue and market competitiveness. |
$100K | $135K | $175K | Limited state coverage | 583 |
| Java Backend Salaries Professionals specializing in backend development using Java, often with additional skills in related technologies. |
$105K | $133K | $161K | Limited state coverage | 886 |
| Software QA Salaries This category encompasses roles focused on ensuring software quality through testing, automation, and infrastructure development. |
$104K | $130K | $159K | Limited state coverage | 1,374 |
| Database Engineering Salaries Professionals specializing in managing, maintaining, and optimizing database systems and architectures. |
$104K | $130K | $156K | Limited state coverage | 283 |
How to Read Salary Ranges
Salary ranges show what employers are currently advertising for a role. Start with the exact role or closest role group, compare pay across states and metros, and treat lower, mid, and higher values as market anchors rather than a strict experience ladder. Role scope, location, seniority, contract type, travel work, industry demand, and sample size can all move the numbers.
Using Salary Ranges in a Salary Conversation
- Lower salary range
- Useful for early-career roles, narrower scope, or stretch opportunities.
- Mid listed salary
- A practical anchor when your background closely matches the posting.
- Higher salary range
- Stronger anchor for scarce skills, senior experience, management responsibility, specialized expertise, or competing offers.
- Location salary gap
- Useful for discussing local market pay, relocation, remote compensation, or cost-of-living adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should I use this salary tool?
- Compare pay across states and cities, then set a realistic target before applying or negotiating. State views show broad regional differences; metro views compare specific cities.
- What do lower, mid, and higher salaries mean?
- They show how advertised pay is distributed for a role. Lower is near the bottom of listed ranges, mid is around the middle, and higher is toward the top.
- Where does the salary data come from?
- Current U.S. job postings where employers list pay. The data is grouped by job type, state, metro area, and pay level; it does not use Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
- Does the salary data include bonuses, equity, or benefits?
- No. It reflects listed base pay. Tips, bonuses, commissions, equity, benefits, and other compensation are excluded when listed separately.
- Why do salaries differ by state and city?
- Markets differ by employer mix, industry, labor demand, competition, and cost of living. Higher pay in one city may not mean higher purchasing power.
How the Salary Numbers Are Calculated
Figures reflect base pay listed in job postings, not guaranteed pay, actual total earnings, Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates, or official wage statistics. Salaries are converted to yearly U.S. dollars where possible and grouped by role, location, and pay level. Lower is the lower listed range, mid is the middle listed salary, and higher is the higher listed range. Hourly wages are annualized using a 2,080-hour work year; cost-of-living adjustment uses Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, or BEA RPP. Tips, bonuses, equity, commissions, and benefits are excluded when listed separately from base pay.
Important Notes About the Data
Only postings that list salary information are included, so coverage is stronger in some states than others. Current role mix can affect results, including contract work, travel work, senior roles, junior roles, specialized jobs, and industry-specific demand. On mobile, regional charts may default to areas with the most available data so the view stays readable.