Which Countries Pay Software Engineers the Most? 2024 Salary Rankings Revealed

Global Software Development Landscape

Software now powers the world’s biggest devices – an estimated 9 trillion are in use – and connects people everywhere. By the end of 2021 there were 26.8 million active developers, and experts predict this will rise to 45 million by 2030, underscoring the soaring demand for IT talent.

About 62 % of developers are under 35 years old, and women now represent roughly 20 % of the workforce, a figure that is steadily increasing thanks to dedicated conferences, courses, and outreach programs.

Highest‑Paying Countries

The United States leads with an average software engineer salary of $110,140 per year, followed by Switzerland ($97,518) and Israel ($71,559). The top‑10 list also includes Denmark, Canada, Norway, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany.

United States – $110,140

Switzerland – $97,518

Israel – $71,559

Denmark – $63,680

Canada – $61,680

Norway – $57,013

Australia – $55,640

United Kingdom – $55,275

Germany – $52,275

Sweden – $50,437

Lowest‑Paying Countries

Developers in emerging markets earn far less. Typical examples include Nigeria ($7,255), India ($7,725), Poland ($22,740), Ukraine ($22,348) and Brazil ($11,337).

Where Is Demand Highest?

According to PageGroup, the strongest demand for software engineers comes from Canada, Australia, Russia, Sweden and New Zealand, where talent shortages also push salaries upward.

U.S. Salary Details

The average U.S. software developer earns $110,140 annually, with junior engineers at $69,354 and senior engineers at $104,188. The highest‑paying states are California ($146,770), Washington ($145,150), Maryland ($131,240), New York ($129,950) and Rhode Island ($128,790).

Top‑paying metropolitan areas include San Jose ($167,420), San Francisco ($158,320) and Seattle ($148,220). Secondary markets such as Southern Vermont and Eastern Oregon also offer competitive median salaries around $133,000.

Programming Language Salary Rankings (U.S.)

Go – $120,577

Ruby – $119,558

Python – $114,904

Java – $112,013

JavaScript – $111,922

Android – $109,377

iOS – $108,783

Rust – $108,744

C – $101,734

PHP – $92,867

SQL – $85,845

Salary by Role (U.S.)

Software Developer / QA Analyst – $110,140

Programmer / Tester – $105,310

Computer‑related occupations – $91,250

European Salary Overview

European developers earn less on average than their U.S. counterparts, but benefits and cost‑of‑living differences narrow the gap. Western European salaries exceed $40,000, while Eastern Europe averages around $20,000. Notable figures include Switzerland ($97,518), Denmark ($63,680), Norway ($57,013), the United Kingdom ($55,275) and Germany ($52,275).

Global City Salary Snapshot

San Jose – $167,420

San Francisco – $158,320

Seattle – $148,220

Baltimore – $137,510

New York – $133,620

San Diego – $133,580

Napa – $131,930

Sacramento – $130,690

Zurich – $110,123

Tel Aviv – $90,788

London – $73,993

Munich – $66,880

Berlin – $65,524

Tokyo – $45,552

New Delhi – $10,211

Manila – $8,772

Abuja – $5,808

Despite regional economic differences, software development remains one of the world’s most popular and highest‑earning professions.