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Best states for a software engineer-team lead
Quoted expert
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
- 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 engineers-team lead? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for software engineer-team lead 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.In fact, our research shows that Washington is the best state for software engineers-team lead in America. The best city in America for software engineers-team lead with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
Washington is the best state for jobs for software engineers-team lead, and Kentucky is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $135,565, while the median pay in Kentucky is $94,183.If you are currently seeking employment as a software engineer-team lead, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for software engineers-team lead in 2026
1. Washington
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 6,145 Average annual salary: $135,565 Lowest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location Quotient: 2.05
2. Delaware
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 646 Average annual salary: $131,702 Lowest 10 percent earn: $99,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
3. California
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 19,754 Average annual salary: $140,295 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000 Location Quotient: 1.65
4. New York
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 5,970 Average annual salary: $136,001 Lowest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
5. Nevada
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 781 Average annual salary: $128,580 Lowest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $176,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
6. Oregon
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 2,576 Average annual salary: $124,803 Lowest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000 Location Quotient: 1.52
7. Massachusetts
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 3,834 Average annual salary: $128,843 Lowest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
8. Montana
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 624 Average annual salary: $119,961 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
9. Rhode Island
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 763 Average annual salary: $117,373 Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location Quotient: 1.53
10. Idaho
Total software engineer-team lead jobs: 703 Average annual salary: $120,285 Lowest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
Software engineer-team lead jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a software engineer-team lead
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a software engineer-team lead
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $135,565 | $97,000 | 7,405,743 | 6,145 |
| 2 | Delaware | $131,702 | $99,000 | 961,939 | 646 |
| 3 | California | $140,295 | $102,000 | 39,536,653 | 19,754 |
| 4 | New York | $136,001 | $102,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,970 |
| 5 | Nevada | $128,580 | $93,000 | 2,998,039 | 781 |
| 6 | Oregon | $124,803 | $89,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,576 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $128,843 | $97,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,834 |
| 8 | Montana | $119,961 | $88,000 | 1,050,493 | 624 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $117,373 | $88,000 | 1,059,639 | 763 |
| 10 | Idaho | $120,285 | $86,000 | 1,716,943 | 703 |
| 11 | Arizona | $126,954 | $94,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,688 |
| 12 | Maine | $122,771 | $93,000 | 1,335,907 | 424 |
| 13 | Utah | $115,419 | $84,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,963 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $117,549 | $89,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,832 |
| 15 | Vermont | $115,700 | $88,000 | 623,657 | 406 |
| 16 | Colorado | $117,690 | $88,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,816 |
| 17 | Virginia | $117,041 | $88,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,707 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $113,995 | $87,000 | 10,273,419 | 4,045 |
| 19 | Ohio | $119,778 | $91,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,160 |
| 20 | Florida | $120,328 | $91,000 | 20,984,400 | 5,092 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $115,928 | $87,000 | 1,342,795 | 679 |
| 22 | Michigan | $114,161 | $86,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,688 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $115,367 | $87,000 | 693,972 | 955 |
| 24 | Texas | $114,993 | $86,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,542 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $112,790 | $85,000 | 1,815,857 | 436 |
| 26 | Alaska | $113,544 | $87,000 | 739,795 | 321 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $116,372 | $87,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,646 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $112,812 | $85,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,113 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $104,291 | $79,000 | 3,004,279 | 1,089 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $108,917 | $81,000 | 2,088,070 | 676 |
| 31 | Maryland | $110,003 | $83,000 | 6,052,177 | 3,487 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $110,608 | $84,000 | 3,930,864 | 948 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $112,098 | $86,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,024 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $116,813 | $92,000 | 1,427,538 | 244 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $107,020 | $80,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,308 |
| 36 | Georgia | $105,457 | $80,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,548 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $104,266 | $80,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,682 |
| 38 | Alabama | $103,546 | $79,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,405 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $103,566 | $77,000 | 579,315 | 197 |
| 40 | Illinois | $103,179 | $78,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,736 |
| 41 | Indiana | $103,575 | $79,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,542 |
| 42 | Missouri | $103,778 | $79,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,792 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $99,713 | $76,000 | 755,393 | 339 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $103,656 | $78,000 | 4,684,333 | 894 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $99,750 | $76,000 | 1,920,076 | 793 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $99,254 | $76,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,730 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $91,160 | $69,000 | 869,666 | 428 |
| 48 | Iowa | $101,374 | $77,000 | 3,145,711 | 971 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $101,825 | $77,000 | 2,984,100 | 276 |
| 50 | Kansas | $94,746 | $72,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,032 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $94,183 | $72,000 | 4,454,189 | 662 |
Highest paying states for software engineers-team lead
| Rank | State | Avg. Software Engineer-Team Lead Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $135,565 |
| 2 | Delaware | $131,702 |
| 3 | California | $140,295 |
| 4 | New York | $136,001 |
| 5 | Nevada | $128,580 |
| 6 | Oregon | $124,803 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $128,843 |
| 8 | Montana | $119,961 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $117,373 |
| 10 | Idaho | $120,285 |
| 11 | Arizona | $126,954 |
| 12 | Maine | $122,771 |
| 13 | Utah | $115,419 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $117,549 |
| 15 | Vermont | $115,700 |
| 16 | Colorado | $117,690 |
| 17 | Virginia | $117,041 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $113,995 |
| 19 | Ohio | $119,778 |
| 20 | Florida | $120,328 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $115,928 |
| 22 | Michigan | $114,161 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $115,367 |
| 24 | Texas | $114,993 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $112,790 |
| 26 | Alaska | $113,544 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $116,372 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $112,812 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $104,291 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $108,917 |
| 31 | Maryland | $110,003 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $110,608 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $112,098 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $116,813 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $107,020 |
| 36 | Georgia | $105,457 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $104,266 |
| 38 | Alabama | $103,546 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $103,566 |
| 40 | Illinois | $103,179 |
| 41 | Indiana | $103,575 |
| 42 | Missouri | $103,778 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $99,713 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $103,656 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $99,750 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $99,254 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $91,160 |
| 48 | Iowa | $101,374 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $101,825 |
| 50 | Kansas | $94,746 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $94,183 |
Expert opinions on the best states for software engineers-team lead
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for software engineer-team leads to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
Associate Professor of Engineering, John Brown University
Due to COVID-19, people have more choices on location as more companies allow their employees to work remotely.
Software engineer-team lead best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025