Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of Java developer salary by state for the United States in 2026:
-
California has the highest Java developer salary of $98,838
-
Wyoming has the lowest Java developer salary of $72,992
-
The national average salary for Java developers is $88,475
-
The national hourly pay for Java developers is $42.54
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, salary continues to be the most important aspect of a job for many professionals, including Java developers. Understanding how much you can expect to make as a Java developer in your area is crucial, especially given the evolving job market and the rise of remote work options.
While specific salaries can vary by city and region, our data provides a solid baseline for what to expect across different states. California remains the state with the highest salary for Java developers, reflecting its robust tech industry and demand for skilled developers.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the top ten states for Java developer salaries in 2026:
Let’s take a look at how we got here and a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Java Developers By State
| Rank | State | Average Java Developer Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $98,838 | $73,000 | $132,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $98,713 | $75,000 | $129,000 |
| 3 | New York | $93,725 | $72,000 | $120,000 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $93,414 | $72,000 | $120,000 |
| 5 | Maryland | $92,112 | $71,000 | $118,000 |
| 6 | Virginia | $92,099 | $71,000 | $119,000 |
| 7 | Delaware | $91,497 | $70,000 | $117,000 |
| 8 | Oregon | $91,007 | $68,000 | $120,000 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $90,104 | $70,000 | $115,000 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $89,414 | $69,000 | $114,000 |
| 11 | South Carolina | $89,285 | $69,000 | $115,000 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $89,008 | $69,000 | $114,000 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $88,757 | $68,000 | $114,000 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $88,630 | $68,000 | $114,000 |
| 15 | Nevada | $87,946 | $65,000 | $117,000 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $87,932 | $68,000 | $112,000 |
| 17 | Texas | $87,457 | $66,000 | $114,000 |
| 18 | Ohio | $86,048 | $66,000 | $110,000 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $85,961 | $67,000 | $109,000 |
| 20 | Arizona | $85,057 | $64,000 | $112,000 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $84,975 | $66,000 | $108,000 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $84,478 | $66,000 | $107,000 |
| 23 | Utah | $84,330 | $63,000 | $111,000 |
| 24 | Georgia | $84,295 | $65,000 | $108,000 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $83,810 | $66,000 | $105,000 |
| 26 | Michigan | $83,503 | $65,000 | $106,000 |
| 27 | Illinois | $83,183 | $64,000 | $106,000 |
| 28 | Alaska | $82,677 | $69,000 | $98,000 |
| 29 | Florida | $82,289 | $63,000 | $106,000 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $82,217 | $64,000 | $104,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $82,145 | $63,000 | $105,000 |
| 32 | Idaho | $81,871 | $62,000 | $107,000 |
| 33 | Colorado | $81,800 | $62,000 | $107,000 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $81,616 | $63,000 | $105,000 |
| 35 | Iowa | $81,407 | $63,000 | $104,000 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $80,904 | $63,000 | $103,000 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $80,729 | $62,000 | $104,000 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $80,516 | $62,000 | $104,000 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $80,374 | $62,000 | $103,000 |
| 40 | Vermont | $79,985 | $63,000 | $100,000 |
| 41 | Maine | $79,782 | $63,000 | $99,000 |
| 42 | Indiana | $79,319 | $61,000 | $101,000 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $78,476 | $60,000 | $101,000 |
| 44 | Kansas | $78,391 | $60,000 | $101,000 |
| 45 | Alabama | $77,539 | $60,000 | $100,000 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $77,104 | $59,000 | $100,000 |
| 47 | Montana | $76,899 | $59,000 | $99,000 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $76,638 | $59,000 | $99,000 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $75,858 | $57,000 | $99,000 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $72,992 | $56,000 | $95,000 |
Methodology: Java Developer Salary By State
To better understand Java developer pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across a multitude of channels including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We supplement that data with actual listed salaries from job postings. Finally, the data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to create an average pay for Java developers by state.
We took the average annual salary data for Java developers from these estimates and ranked every state based on this criteria, with the state with the highest salary ranking as the highest average salary for Java developers.
Java Developer Salary By State FAQs
-
What is the highest-paid state for Java developers?
The highest-paid state for Java developers is California with an average salary of $98,838 per year.
-
What city pays Java developers the most?
Sunnyvale, CA pays Java developers the most with an average salary of $104,146 per year.
-
What is the worst state for Java developers?
The worst state for Java developers is Wyoming with an average salary of $72,992 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
