Best cities for a software engineer/technical lead
The best cities for software engineers/technical lead are San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, and Sacramento, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for software engineers/technical lead vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for software engineers/technical lead in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a software engineer/technical lead or considering a move, this list of the best cities for software engineers/technical lead to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for software engineers/technical lead. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a software engineer/technical lead. While the absolute best city for software engineers/technical lead is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for software engineers/technical lead in 2024.
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10 best cities for software engineers/technical lead in 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 59 Average annual salary: $160,964 Lowest 10 percent warn: $117,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $221,000 Location quotient: 16.43 2. San Jose, CA
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 94 Average annual salary: $159,489 Lowest 10 percent warn: $116,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $219,000 Location quotient: 36.95 3. Sacramento, CA
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $159,612 Lowest 10 percent warn: $115,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $220,000 Location quotient: 9.35 4. Reno, NV
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $138,905 Lowest 10 percent warn: $100,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000 Location quotient: 7.40 5. Pittsburgh, PA
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $121,890 Lowest 10 percent warn: $91,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location quotient: 10.13 6. Raleigh, NC
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $122,058 Lowest 10 percent warn: $92,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location quotient: 10.69 7. Oakland, CA
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $160,629 Lowest 10 percent warn: $116,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $221,000 Location quotient: 5.83 8. Austin, TX
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $115,337 Lowest 10 percent warn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location quotient: 8.75 9. Tulsa, OK
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $112,805 Lowest 10 percent warn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 5.81 10. Oklahoma City, OK
Total software engineer/technical lead jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $114,291 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000 Location quotient: 8.17
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Best cities for software engineers/technical lead
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Reno, NV
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Raleigh, NC
- Oakland, CA
- Austin, TX
- Tulsa, OK
- Oklahoma City, OK
- (59 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (94 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (7 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (2 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (11 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (10 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (2 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (21 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (2 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
- (6 software engineer/technical lead jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a software engineer/technical lead
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $160,964 | $117,000 | 870,887 | 59 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $159,489 | $116,000 | 1,025,350 | 94 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $159,612 | $115,000 | 495,234 | 7 |
| 4 | Reno, NV | $138,905 | $100,000 | 245,255 | 2 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | $121,890 | $91,000 | 303,625 | 11 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $122,058 | $92,000 | 458,880 | 10 |
| 7 | Oakland, CA | $160,629 | $116,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $115,337 | $85,000 | 947,890 | 21 |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK | $112,805 | $85,000 | 403,090 | 2 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $114,291 | $86,000 | 638,367 | 6 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $145,541 | $107,000 | 3,976,322 | 27 |
| 12 | Dallas, TX | $113,602 | $85,000 | 1,317,929 | 19 |
| 13 | Seattle, WA | $133,032 | $94,000 | 704,352 | 18 |
| 14 | Fremont, CA | $159,970 | $116,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 15 | Chandler, AZ | $115,430 | $85,000 | 247,477 | 3 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $129,701 | $94,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | $119,627 | $90,000 | 842,051 | 11 |
| 18 | North Las Vegas, NV | $129,524 | $94,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 19 | Durham, NC | $121,963 | $92,000 | 263,016 | 2 |
| 20 | Henderson, NV | $128,840 | $94,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $124,439 | $93,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 22 | Plano, TX | $113,290 | $85,000 | 286,057 | 5 |
| 23 | Fort Worth, TX | $113,741 | $85,000 | 854,113 | 2 |
| 24 | Stockton, CA | $159,377 | $115,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 25 | Houston, TX | $115,188 | $85,000 | 2,303,482 | 11 |
| 26 | Phoenix, AZ | $115,795 | $85,000 | 1,615,017 | 8 |
| 27 | Fresno, CA | $155,584 | $113,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 28 | Greensboro, NC | $121,168 | $91,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 29 | Portland, OR | $134,251 | $95,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 30 | Winston-Salem, NC | $120,713 | $91,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 31 | Lexington, KY | $116,043 | $88,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 32 | Louisville, KY | $115,316 | $87,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 33 | Bakersfield, CA | $150,606 | $110,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 34 | Lubbock, TX | $114,417 | $85,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 35 | Cincinnati, OH | $100,099 | $75,000 | 298,800 | 18 |
| 36 | Long Beach, CA | $144,777 | $106,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 37 | Arlington, TX | $113,724 | $85,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 38 | Anaheim, CA | $144,573 | $106,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 39 | Santa Ana, CA | $144,375 | $106,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 40 | Irving, TX | $113,568 | $85,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 41 | Irvine, CA | $144,164 | $106,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 42 | Garland, TX | $113,406 | $85,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 43 | Riverside, CA | $144,127 | $106,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 44 | San Diego, CA | $142,313 | $105,000 | 1,406,630 | 6 |
| 45 | El Paso, TX | $116,676 | $86,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 46 | Glendale, AZ | $115,861 | $85,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 47 | San Antonio, TX | $115,708 | $86,000 | 1,492,510 | 2 |
| 48 | Laredo, TX | $115,991 | $86,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 49 | Corpus Christi, TX | $115,756 | $86,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 50 | Scottsdale, AZ | $115,652 | $85,000 | 246,645 | - |
Highest paying cities for software engineers/technical lead
| Rank | City | Avg. software engineer/technical lead salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $160,964 |
| 2 | Hillsboro, OR | $134,611 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $133,756 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $133,032 |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | $125,659 |
| 6 | Sterling, VA | $125,384 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $124,439 |
| 8 | Wilmington, DE | $122,895 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $122,058 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $121,706 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $115,337 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $113,552 |
| 13 | Las Cruces, NM | $109,330 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $107,169 |
| 15 | Boulder, CO | $105,658 |
| 16 | Dublin, OH | $102,109 |
| 17 | Olathe, KS | $100,776 |
| 18 | OFallon, MO | $100,165 |
| 19 | Alpharetta, GA | $99,862 |
| 20 | Eden Prairie, MN | $98,589 |
Software engineer/technical lead best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025