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Best states for a software applications engineer
Quoted expert
Jeff Kinne Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for software applications engineers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for software applications engineer jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of software applications engineers in America is $141,000.
The median salary for software applications engineers in Washington is $121,890. Compare that to the median salary in South Carolina of $76,229, which ranked worst for software applications engineers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a software applications engineer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for software applications engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total software applications engineer jobs: 5,990 Average annual salary: $121,890 Lowest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $165,000 Location Quotient: 2.172. California
Total software applications engineer jobs: 17,548 Average annual salary: $123,408 Lowest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location Quotient: 1.593. Oregon
Total software applications engineer jobs: 2,343 Average annual salary: $109,118 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location Quotient: 1.54. Idaho
Total software applications engineer jobs: 599 Average annual salary: $116,777 Lowest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location Quotient: 0.975. Utah
Total software applications engineer jobs: 1,643 Average annual salary: $95,267 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 1.366. Nevada
Total software applications engineer jobs: 639 Average annual salary: $111,362 Lowest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location Quotient: 0.817. Texas
Total software applications engineer jobs: 7,573 Average annual salary: $96,210 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location Quotient: 0.998. Arizona
Total software applications engineer jobs: 2,017 Average annual salary: $97,595 Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location Quotient: 0.919. Wyoming
Total software applications engineer jobs: 241 Average annual salary: $91,435 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 1.0710. Vermont
Total software applications engineer jobs: 379 Average annual salary: $89,669 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $118,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
Software applications engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a software applications engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a software applications engineer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $121,890 | $89,000 | 7,405,743 | 5,990 |
| 2 | California | $123,408 | $89,000 | 39,536,653 | 17,548 |
| 3 | Oregon | $109,118 | $80,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,343 |
| 4 | Idaho | $116,777 | $85,000 | 1,716,943 | 599 |
| 5 | Utah | $95,267 | $69,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,643 |
| 6 | Nevada | $111,362 | $80,000 | 2,998,039 | 639 |
| 7 | Texas | $96,210 | $71,000 | 28,304,596 | 7,573 |
| 8 | Arizona | $97,595 | $71,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,017 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $91,435 | $67,000 | 579,315 | 241 |
| 10 | Vermont | $89,669 | $67,000 | 623,657 | 379 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $92,360 | $67,000 | 2,088,070 | 590 |
| 12 | Montana | $88,146 | $65,000 | 1,050,493 | 462 |
| 13 | New York | $93,952 | $70,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,976 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $94,312 | $70,000 | 2,984,100 | 328 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $89,372 | $67,000 | 6,859,819 | 4,046 |
| 16 | Delaware | $87,083 | $65,000 | 961,939 | 630 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $86,685 | $65,000 | 1,342,795 | 658 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $86,706 | $64,000 | 3,004,279 | 755 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $88,468 | $66,000 | 1,815,857 | 307 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $84,630 | $63,000 | 1,059,639 | 672 |
| 21 | Colorado | $88,264 | $64,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,676 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $87,237 | $66,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,289 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $85,095 | $63,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,486 |
| 24 | Maryland | $86,687 | $64,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,349 |
| 25 | Georgia | $85,959 | $64,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,007 |
| 26 | Alaska | $88,841 | $69,000 | 739,795 | 238 |
| 27 | Virginia | $85,136 | $63,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,448 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $85,281 | $63,000 | 693,972 | 1,061 |
| 29 | Ohio | $84,958 | $63,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,498 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $86,449 | $63,000 | 3,930,864 | 505 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $84,635 | $63,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,092 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $85,071 | $63,000 | 4,684,333 | 617 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $81,978 | $61,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,317 |
| 34 | Iowa | $84,297 | $63,000 | 3,145,711 | 871 |
| 35 | Florida | $84,460 | $63,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,142 |
| 36 | Illinois | $82,300 | $61,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,011 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $84,374 | $64,000 | 1,427,538 | 240 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $79,037 | $59,000 | 869,666 | 279 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $80,214 | $59,000 | 4,454,189 | 801 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $77,397 | $59,000 | 755,393 | 290 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $78,562 | $58,000 | 1,920,076 | 698 |
| 42 | Michigan | $78,532 | $59,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,191 |
| 43 | Connecticut | $80,033 | $59,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,119 |
| 44 | Maine | $78,779 | $59,000 | 1,335,907 | 388 |
| 45 | Missouri | $79,554 | $59,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,458 |
| 46 | Alabama | $76,731 | $57,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,191 |
| 47 | Kansas | $76,885 | $57,000 | 2,913,123 | 832 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $77,361 | $58,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,386 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $76,116 | $56,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,172 |
| 50 | Indiana | $75,801 | $56,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,864 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $76,229 | $57,000 | 5,024,369 | 795 |
Highest paying states for software applications engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Software Applications Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $121,890 |
| 2 | California | $123,408 |
| 3 | Oregon | $109,118 |
| 4 | Idaho | $116,777 |
| 5 | Utah | $95,267 |
| 6 | Nevada | $111,362 |
| 7 | Texas | $96,210 |
| 8 | Arizona | $97,595 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $91,435 |
| 10 | Vermont | $89,669 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $92,360 |
| 12 | Montana | $88,146 |
| 13 | New York | $93,952 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $94,312 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $89,372 |
| 16 | Delaware | $87,083 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $86,685 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $86,706 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $88,468 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $84,630 |
| 21 | Colorado | $88,264 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $87,237 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $85,095 |
| 24 | Maryland | $86,687 |
| 25 | Georgia | $85,959 |
| 26 | Alaska | $88,841 |
| 27 | Virginia | $85,136 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $85,281 |
| 29 | Ohio | $84,958 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $86,449 |
| 31 | New Jersey | $84,635 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $85,071 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $81,978 |
| 34 | Iowa | $84,297 |
| 35 | Florida | $84,460 |
| 36 | Illinois | $82,300 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $84,374 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $79,037 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $80,214 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $77,397 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $78,562 |
| 42 | Michigan | $78,532 |
| 43 | Connecticut | $80,033 |
| 44 | Maine | $78,779 |
| 45 | Missouri | $79,554 |
| 46 | Alabama | $76,731 |
| 47 | Kansas | $76,885 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $77,361 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $76,116 |
| 50 | Indiana | $75,801 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $76,229 |
Expert opinions on the best states for software applications engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for software applications engineers to find work opportunities?
Jeff Kinne Ph.D.
Professor and Associate Chairperson of Computer Science, Indiana State University
ISU graduates have continued to end up getting jobs primarily in the midwest but also throughout the country. I don't see this changing-computer science is an area in demand everywhere, which will continue to be the case.
Software applications engineer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025