Best cities for a program developer
The best cities for program developers are Oakland, CA, Seattle, WA, and Long Beach, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for program developers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for program developers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a program developer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for program developers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for program developers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a program developer. While the absolute best city for program developers is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for program developers in 2024.
If you're looking for a program developer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for program developers in 2026
1. Oakland, CA
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $118,616 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $194,000 Location quotient: 2.27 2. Seattle, WA
Total program developer jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $108,914 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $185,000 Location quotient: 1.80 3. Long Beach, CA
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $100,451 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location quotient: 3.56 4. Sacramento, CA
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $118,248 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $195,000 Location quotient: 1.04 5. Fremont, CA
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $118,118 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 1.08 6. Anaheim, CA
Total program developer jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $100,282 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location quotient: 2.15 7. Portland, OR
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $107,884 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location quotient: 0.64 8. San Francisco, CA
Total program developer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $118,847 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $194,000 Location quotient: 0.54 9. Scottsdale, AZ
Total program developer jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $80,757 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location quotient: 2.09 10. San Jose, CA
Total program developer jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $117,748 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 0.61
Choose from 10+ customizable program developer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use program developer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your program developer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for program developers
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Long Beach, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Fremont, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Portland, OR
- San Francisco, CA
- Scottsdale, AZ
- San Jose, CA
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (14 program developer jobs)
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (1 program developer jobs)
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (5 program developer jobs)
- (2 program developer jobs)
- (4 program developer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a program developer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $118,616 | $72,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $108,914 | $63,000 | 704,352 | 14 |
| 3 | Long Beach, CA | $100,451 | $61,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $118,248 | $71,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 5 | Fremont, CA | $118,118 | $71,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 6 | Anaheim, CA | $100,282 | $60,000 | 351,043 | 1 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $107,884 | $63,000 | 639,863 | 2 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $118,847 | $72,000 | 870,887 | 5 |
| 9 | Scottsdale, AZ | $80,757 | $48,000 | 246,645 | 2 |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | $117,748 | $71,000 | 1,025,350 | 4 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $99,598 | $60,000 | 266,122 | 3 |
| 12 | Reno, NV | $102,080 | $61,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 13 | Las Vegas, NV | $92,994 | $55,000 | 632,912 | 1 |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $69,892 | $40,000 | 278,508 | 1 |
| 15 | Stockton, CA | $117,777 | $71,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,918 | $48,000 | 1,615,017 | 3 |
| 17 | Plano, TX | $72,097 | $41,000 | 286,057 | 7 |
| 18 | Los Angeles, CA | $101,731 | $61,000 | 3,976,322 | 2 |
| 19 | North Las Vegas, NV | $92,838 | $55,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 20 | San Antonio, TX | $75,828 | $44,000 | 1,492,510 | 2 |
| 21 | Fresno, CA | $114,436 | $69,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 22 | Henderson, NV | $91,838 | $54,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 23 | Bakersfield, CA | $108,789 | $65,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 24 | El Paso, TX | $81,147 | $48,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 25 | Santa Ana, CA | $99,924 | $60,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 26 | Riverside, CA | $99,903 | $60,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 27 | Glendale, AZ | $80,993 | $48,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 28 | Irving, TX | $72,762 | $42,000 | 238,289 | 3 |
| 29 | Dallas, TX | $72,695 | $42,000 | 1,317,929 | 5 |
| 30 | Philadelphia, PA | $76,036 | $45,000 | 1,567,872 | 1 |
| 31 | Chandler, AZ | $80,424 | $48,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 32 | San Diego, CA | $96,904 | $58,000 | 1,406,630 | 2 |
| 33 | Mesa, AZ | $80,368 | $47,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 34 | Gilbert, AZ | $80,324 | $47,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 35 | Lubbock, TX | $76,954 | $44,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 36 | Laredo, TX | $76,704 | $44,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 37 | Houston, TX | $73,836 | $42,000 | 2,303,482 | 5 |
| 38 | Pittsburgh, PA | $71,892 | $41,000 | 303,625 | 1 |
| 39 | Cleveland, OH | $71,285 | $41,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 40 | Tucson, AZ | $78,543 | $47,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 41 | Chicago, IL | $73,053 | $42,000 | 2,704,958 | 13 |
| 42 | Chula Vista, CA | $96,552 | $58,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 43 | Austin, TX | $75,131 | $43,000 | 947,890 | 2 |
| 44 | Corpus Christi, TX | $75,290 | $43,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 45 | New Orleans, LA | $67,152 | $38,000 | 391,495 | 1 |
| 46 | Fort Worth, TX | $73,326 | $42,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 47 | Arlington, TX | $73,126 | $42,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 48 | Columbus, OH | $69,634 | $40,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 49 | Denver, CO | $78,738 | $46,000 | 693,060 | 4 |
| 50 | Boston, MA | $72,799 | $43,000 | 673,184 | 9 |
Highest paying cities for program developers
| Rank | City | Avg. program developer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $118,847 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $108,914 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $80,918 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $79,187 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $74,788 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $74,032 |
| 7 | Fort Worth, TX | $73,326 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $73,053 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $72,799 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $69,634 |
| 11 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $68,167 |
| 12 | Racine, WI | $67,247 |
| 13 | East Lansing, MI | $65,153 |
| 14 | Grand Island, NE | $62,442 |
| 15 | Lawrenceville, GA | $57,467 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $55,765 |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $54,650 |
Program developer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for program developer jobs
Updated January 8, 2025