Best cities for a software engineering specialist
The best cities for software engineering specialists are Oakland, CA, Fremont, CA, and San Francisco, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for software engineering specialists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for software engineering specialists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a software engineering specialist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for software engineering specialists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for software engineering specialists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a software engineering specialist. While the absolute best city for software engineering specialists is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for software engineering specialists in 2024.
If you're looking for a software engineering specialist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for software engineering specialists in 2025
1. Oakland, CA
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $140,981 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 8.85 2. Fremont, CA
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $140,877 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 4.21 3. San Francisco, CA
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $141,170 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 3.17 4. San Jose, CA
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $140,891 Lowest 10 percent warn: $104,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 2.98 5. Columbus, OH
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $99,027 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $127,000 Location quotient: 4.27 6. Anaheim, CA
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $129,347 Lowest 10 percent warn: $96,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $174,000 Location quotient: 8.35 7. Detroit, MI
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $106,115 Lowest 10 percent warn: $82,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $136,000 Location quotient: 4.00 8. Fort Wayne, IN
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $105,178 Lowest 10 percent warn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location quotient: 3.63 9. Nashville, TN
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $100,294 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $130,000 Location quotient: 4.03 10. Durham, NC
Total software engineering specialist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $99,964 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 13.00
Best cities for software engineering specialists
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Columbus, OH
- Anaheim, CA
- Detroit, MI
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Nashville, TN
- Durham, NC
- (4 software engineering specialist jobs)
- (4 software engineering specialist jobs)
- (15 software engineering specialist jobs)
- (10 software engineering specialist jobs)
- (9 software engineering specialist jobs)
- (2 software engineering specialist jobs)
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- (1 software engineering specialist jobs)
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- (10 software engineering specialist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a software engineering specialist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $140,981 | $104,000 | 420,005 | 4 |
| 2 | Fremont, CA | $140,877 | $104,000 | 233,136 | 4 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $141,170 | $104,000 | 870,887 | 15 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $140,891 | $104,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $99,027 | $76,000 | 860,090 | 9 |
| 6 | Anaheim, CA | $129,347 | $96,000 | 351,043 | 2 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $106,115 | $82,000 | 672,795 | 4 |
| 8 | Fort Wayne, IN | $105,178 | $81,000 | 264,488 | 1 |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $100,294 | $77,000 | 660,388 | 5 |
| 10 | Durham, NC | $99,964 | $77,000 | 263,016 | 10 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $98,996 | $76,000 | 303,625 | 10 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $97,592 | $75,000 | 298,800 | 5 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $98,616 | $76,000 | 595,047 | 7 |
| 14 | Irving, TX | $99,059 | $74,000 | 238,289 | 75 |
| 15 | Las Vegas, NV | $119,626 | $88,000 | 632,912 | 2 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $106,718 | $82,000 | 472,522 | 18 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $122,293 | $90,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 18 | North Las Vegas, NV | $119,465 | $87,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $103,603 | $80,000 | 855,164 | 4 |
| 20 | Henderson, NV | $119,043 | $87,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 21 | Scottsdale, AZ | $99,314 | $74,000 | 246,645 | 5 |
| 22 | Los Angeles, CA | $131,029 | $97,000 | 3,976,322 | 10 |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $123,704 | $92,000 | 1,406,630 | 18 |
| 24 | Seattle, WA | $120,748 | $91,000 | 704,352 | 8 |
| 25 | Stockton, CA | $139,972 | $103,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 26 | Sacramento, CA | $139,512 | $102,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 27 | Memphis, TN | $100,704 | $77,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 28 | Fresno, CA | $138,966 | $102,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 29 | Plano, TX | $98,850 | $74,000 | 286,057 | 9 |
| 30 | Madison, WI | $98,135 | $76,000 | 252,551 | 2 |
| 31 | Bakersfield, CA | $136,420 | $100,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 32 | Toledo, OH | $99,808 | $77,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 33 | Cleveland, OH | $100,369 | $78,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 34 | Houston, TX | $99,544 | $75,000 | 2,303,482 | 13 |
| 35 | Long Beach, CA | $129,496 | $96,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 36 | Raleigh, NC | $100,007 | $77,000 | 458,880 | 2 |
| 37 | Norfolk, VA | $105,202 | $81,000 | 245,115 | 3 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,840 | $78,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 39 | Charlotte, NC | $99,020 | $76,000 | 842,051 | 5 |
| 40 | Riverside, CA | $128,990 | $95,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 41 | El Paso, TX | $102,220 | $77,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 42 | Dallas, TX | $99,066 | $74,000 | 1,317,929 | 6 |
| 43 | Santa Ana, CA | $128,843 | $95,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 44 | Irvine, CA | $128,385 | $95,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 45 | Greensboro, NC | $99,581 | $76,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 46 | Chicago, IL | $103,948 | $80,000 | 2,704,958 | 16 |
| 47 | Winston-Salem, NC | $99,377 | $76,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 48 | Austin, TX | $100,045 | $75,000 | 947,890 | 4 |
| 49 | Lubbock, TX | $100,355 | $75,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 50 | San Antonio, TX | $100,160 | $75,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
Highest paying cities for software engineering specialists
| Rank | City | Avg. software engineering specialist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $141,170 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $120,748 |
| 3 | Columbus, GA | $107,309 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $107,244 |
| 5 | Sterling Heights, MI | $106,178 |
| 6 | Reston, VA | $105,789 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $103,948 |
| 8 | Harrisburg, PA | $100,258 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $100,045 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $99,985 |
| 11 | Durham, NC | $99,964 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $99,314 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $99,027 |
| 14 | Brookfield, WI | $98,562 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $95,720 |
| 16 | Hartford, CT | $95,479 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $93,488 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $86,174 |
| 19 | Colorado Springs, CO | $85,183 |
Software engineering specialist best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025