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Job outlook for senior software managers in the United States
Senior software manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior software manager job growth rate is 16% from 2018-2028.
About 82,400 new jobs for senior software managers are projected over the next decade.
Senior software manager salaries have increased 11% for senior software managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,854 senior software managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 139,282 active senior software manager job openings in the US.
The average senior software manager salary is $145,610.
Are senior software manager jobs in demand?
Senior software manager job and salary trends over time
Senior software manager jobs over time
Senior software manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,854 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,079 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,793 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 5,397 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 5,074 | 0.00% |
Average senior software manager salary over time
Senior software manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $145,610 | $70.00 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $140,996 | $67.79 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $137,306 | $66.01 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $134,117 | $64.48 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $130,823 | $62.90 | +3.2% |
Senior software manager jobs by state
Most common states for senior software managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 403 | 58% |
| 2 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 2,502 | 34% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,582 | 23% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,855 | 22% |
| 5 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 649 | 22% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 236 | 22% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 646 | 21% |
| 8 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 440 | 21% |
| 9 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 830 | 20% |
| 10 | Vermont | 623,657 | 126 | 20% |
| 11 | Delaware | 961,939 | 185 | 19% |
| 12 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,072 | 18% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,022 | 18% |
| 14 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 553 | 18% |
| 15 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,746 | 17% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 877 | 16% |
| 17 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 873 | 16% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 218 | 16% |
| 19 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 165 | 16% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,366 | 15% |
Most common cities for senior software managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 2 | 7% | $110,976 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 2 | 5% | $109,863 |
| 3 | Dover | 1 | 3% | $125,022 |
| 4 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $147,135 |
| 5 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $140,703 |
| 6 | Springfield | 2 | 2% | $111,164 |
| 7 | Topeka | 2 | 2% | $116,046 |
| 8 | Cupertino | 1 | 2% | $189,024 |
| 9 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $116,439 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $114,130 |
| 11 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $120,608 |
| 12 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $174,972 |
| 13 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $123,039 |
| 14 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $137,261 |
| 15 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $106,096 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 1 | 0% | $105,828 |
Senior Software Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior software manager experts
University of Minnesota - Crookston
The University of Arizona
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Eastern Washington University
Landmark College
Christine Bakke
LecturerUniversity of Minnesota - Crookston
Math, Science & Technology Department
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Software Managers?
Christine Bakke: MIS is a technical business degree which is offered with slightly different emphasis depending on the school's home department. For example, if a business department houses the degree it is often referred to as MIS; however, when Information Technology or Computer Science departments house this degree, the program would be called Information Technology Management (ITM) or Computer Information Systems (CIS). Each university has the autonomy to offer variations based on their specializations. Even though the programs can differ slightly, in general students receiving any of these three degrees receive an education in three areas: technical, management/business, and soft skills. Note that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics directs queries for all three fields (ITM, MIS and CIS) to the same data page (see answer to question 3).
How have salaries changed over time for Senior Software Managers?
Christine Bakke: In previous questions, I have used my own wording; however, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is the most accurate source for an answer to this question:
The median pay for ITM, MIS, & CIS (all listed together at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics):
$146,360 per year
$70.37 per hour
"Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. These occupations are projected to add about 531,200 new jobs. Demand for these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and information security. "
Tyler Conklin
LecturerThe University of Arizona
Computer science Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Software Manager job market given the pandemic?
Tyler Conklin: The impact of the pandemic on the job market is limited in computer science. We are lucky to be in a field where remote work was routine long before the pandemic. This isn't true of all software engineering jobs, but many can be done with only a computer and internet access. The biggest changes come in the interviewing process and how the actual work will occur. It may be a long time before new hires ever meet their coworkers face to face.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Software Managers?
J.P. Mellor: I'm sure the pandemic will have an enduring impact on all of us. Our students are certainly experiencing new challenges as they strive to learn during the pandemic. They are aquiring skills and competencies associated with working remotely and engaging while doing so. These are skills that students in past years did not attain.
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Software Manager?
J.P. Mellor: I'm not sure that what our graduates do has changed at all. How they do it has changed somewhat. All of us are learning to connect and engage remotely. Whether they're a recent grad or a not so recent grad they all are learning new skills as a result of the impact of the pandemic.
What will help Senior Software Managers increase their earning potential?
J.P. Mellor: Our graduates are particularly good at making positive progress even when the way forward is not clear, they don't know how to do what needs to be accomplished, and/or they've never done it before. This is a skill set requires a solid technical foundation and makes our graduates especially valuable.that is part
Janos Fustos Ph.D.
ProfessorMetropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Software Managers?
Janos Fustos Ph.D.: I think the impact will not be that much on the graduates but on the environment where they start their professional career and how they have completed their studies.
This pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives - among others how we work (or stat to work) and how we learn. Being in higher education I can definitely see both. The home office became the standard working environment with all the advantages and several disadvantages. You do not have to go/travel to your corporate office, you may be available even at odd hours to work, some find the home environment more relaxing, there are less formalities, some might communicate easier in writing or from behind a turned-off camera, they could take advantage of personal schedule and individual peek times, more control over their schedules etc.
But even as you work at home you may experience more disruption, you are more available for personal/family affairs, you may not have that much opportunity to interact with colleagues and miss opportunities for meaningful discussions for extending your knowledge base, networking, you have to deal with technical issues on your own or less support etc.
Some similar issues can be mentioned when it comes to changes in the way we participate in education. Most of the class meetings are online with limited individual interaction and/or access to teachers, less direct interaction with classmates, technical challenges, home office setup challenges etc. All these together impact students/graduates differently: some take these as an advantage while some others are impacted more by the disadvantages. But whichever we look at that I think there is a definite impact of the pandemic on all of us and while we have already spent about 10-12 month in this "splendid isolation" and survived more or less so far, we do not know if it may have more enduring or serious impact on our lives - that needs to be seen from a much longer perspective.
Christian Hansen Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairEastern Washington University
Department of Mathematics
What soft skills should all Senior Software Managers possess?
Christian Hansen Ph.D.: The soft skills that all graduates should possess include strong communication and teamwork skills regardless of the discipline. Analytical skills will be in high demand, as well as the ability to adapt and learn new technology. Data will continue to play a bigger role in almost any type of business; therefore, the ability to analyze and interpret data for decision making will be increasingly critical. Many jobs in the future are jobs that do not yet exist and as a result, new graduates must have the ability to adapt.
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Software Manager?
Christian Hansen Ph.D.: In the post-pandemic era, a typical workday for a recent graduate will likely involve some form of remote work. I predict that many businesses will benefit from the reduced cost of remote infrastructure compared to the cost of maintaining brick and mortar office space. Many new graduates will continue to spend their day on a computer while collaborating in teams via Zoom and other teleconference tools. People working in disciplines that have traditionally been "on the ground" will move towards more hybrid modes of work, reducing the need for travel and participating in face-to-face meetings and training.
John Russo
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Computer ScienceLandmark College
STEM Department
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Software Manager?
John Russo: Many companies will continue to have employees work remotely. This means that one has to be a self-starter, able to focus and stay on task. Some jobs, such as a network administrator, might not look much different than pre-pandemic. Others, such as software engineer, will be different. Much of the collaboration will take place virtually. One piece that will be missing from the workday for recent graduates is socializing and building a team outside of the boundaries of work.