National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs Web Developers at $92,750/year. Software Engineers earn 30% more nationally. The gap is $39,520 per year — or $3,293 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
Web Developer
$92,750
national median/year
$7,729/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$39,520
Software Engineers earn 30% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $447,971.
Best states for Web Developers
vs Software Engineers
North Dakota+$-16,000
Mississippi+$-18,000
West Virginia+$-18,000
Kentucky+$-20,000
Nebraska+$-20,000
Best states for Software Engineers
vs Web Developers
California+$46,000
Colorado+$40,000
Washington+$40,000
Massachusetts+$36,000
New Jersey+$36,000
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $92,750 for Web Developers — a difference of $39,520 per year or $3,293 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and Web Developers is $39,520 per year. Software Engineers earn 30% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $447,971.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Web Developers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 per hour nationally and Web Developers earn approximately $45 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
