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Best states for a Staff Software Engineer
Quoted Expert
Dr. Ted Junseok Song
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for staff software engineers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for staff software engineer jobs.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of staff software engineers in America is $186,000.
In order to get you the best states for staff software engineers, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the Midwest is best for staff software engineers, and the West is the worst. San Francisco, CA is the best city in the country for staff software engineer jobs, where as Washington is the best state in the country.
10 best states for staff software engineers in 2025
1. Washington
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 7,187 Average Annual Salary: $151,999 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $109,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $211,000 Location Quotient: 2.322. California
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 19,554 Average Annual Salary: $147,108 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $106,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $202,000 Location Quotient: 1.583. Oregon
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 2,458 Average Annual Salary: $138,161 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $98,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $193,000 Location Quotient: 1.44. Idaho
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 654 Average Annual Salary: $132,830 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $95,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $185,000 Location Quotient: 0.945. Rhode Island
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 621 Average Annual Salary: $123,551 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $93,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $163,000 Location Quotient: 1.216. Delaware
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 667 Average Annual Salary: $126,241 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $94,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $168,000 Location Quotient: 1.257. Alaska
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 236 Average Annual Salary: $178,128 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $134,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $235,000 Location Quotient: 0.678. Nevada
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 706 Average Annual Salary: $127,089 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $91,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $175,000 Location Quotient: 0.89. Arizona
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 2,372 Average Annual Salary: $122,135 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $89,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $166,000 Location Quotient: 0.9610. New York
Total Staff Software Engineer Jobs: 5,464 Average Annual Salary: $127,701 Lowest 10 Percent Earn: $96,000 Highest 10 Percent Earn: $169,000 Location Quotient: 1
Staff Software Engineer JobsNear Ashburn, VA
How Zippia determines the best states to be a staff software engineer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a staff software engineer
| Rank | State | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $151,999 | $109,000 | 7,405,743 | 7,187 |
| 2 | California | $147,108 | $106,000 | 39,536,653 | 19,554 |
| 3 | Oregon | $138,161 | $98,000 | 4,142,776 | 2,458 |
| 4 | Idaho | $132,830 | $95,000 | 1,716,943 | 654 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $123,551 | $93,000 | 1,059,639 | 621 |
| 6 | Delaware | $126,241 | $94,000 | 961,939 | 667 |
| 7 | Alaska | $178,128 | $134,000 | 739,795 | 236 |
| 8 | Nevada | $127,089 | $91,000 | 2,998,039 | 706 |
| 9 | Arizona | $122,135 | $89,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,372 |
| 10 | New York | $127,701 | $96,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,464 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $124,948 | $93,000 | 693,972 | 1,229 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $121,728 | $91,000 | 1,815,857 | 350 |
| 13 | Montana | $114,630 | $84,000 | 1,050,493 | 492 |
| 14 | Indiana | $114,104 | $86,000 | 6,666,818 | 2,174 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $136,975 | $106,000 | 1,427,538 | 282 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $121,104 | $92,000 | 869,666 | 238 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $117,965 | $87,000 | 2,088,070 | 597 |
| 18 | Utah | $112,598 | $82,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,792 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $111,471 | $83,000 | 579,315 | 249 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $116,724 | $87,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,426 |
| 21 | Maryland | $114,093 | $85,000 | 6,052,177 | 4,027 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $112,923 | $85,000 | 6,859,819 | 5,598 |
| 23 | Texas | $112,616 | $83,000 | 28,304,596 | 7,739 |
| 24 | Virginia | $112,580 | $84,000 | 8,470,020 | 5,591 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $111,685 | $84,000 | 1,342,795 | 708 |
| 26 | Vermont | $111,164 | $84,000 | 623,657 | 412 |
| 27 | Michigan | $110,558 | $83,000 | 9,962,311 | 2,502 |
| 28 | Ohio | $111,489 | $83,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,578 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $113,192 | $85,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,265 |
| 30 | Maine | $110,816 | $84,000 | 1,335,907 | 483 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $110,077 | $82,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,714 |
| 32 | Georgia | $109,841 | $83,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,602 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $111,089 | $84,000 | 5,024,369 | 764 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $108,246 | $83,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,711 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $108,019 | $83,000 | 755,393 | 277 |
| 36 | Missouri | $110,508 | $83,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,741 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $107,626 | $81,000 | 10,273,419 | 3,544 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $109,752 | $82,000 | 4,684,333 | 782 |
| 39 | Florida | $109,663 | $82,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,921 |
| 40 | Alabama | $106,516 | $80,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,451 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $108,459 | $82,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,487 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $107,470 | $81,000 | 4,454,189 | 888 |
| 43 | Illinois | $107,662 | $81,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,821 |
| 44 | Colorado | $104,990 | $78,000 | 5,607,154 | 3,184 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $104,598 | $79,000 | 3,004,279 | 799 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $104,713 | $79,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,172 |
| 47 | Iowa | $105,689 | $80,000 | 3,145,711 | 987 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $103,835 | $78,000 | 1,920,076 | 735 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $105,221 | $79,000 | 2,984,100 | 379 |
| 50 | Kansas | $94,330 | $71,000 | 2,913,123 | 934 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $103,135 | $77,000 | 3,930,864 | 551 |
Highest paying states for staff software engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. Staff Software Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $151,999 |
| 2 | California | $147,108 |
| 3 | Oregon | $138,161 |
| 4 | Idaho | $132,830 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $123,551 |
| 6 | Delaware | $126,241 |
| 7 | Alaska | $178,128 |
| 8 | Nevada | $127,089 |
| 9 | Arizona | $122,135 |
| 10 | New York | $127,701 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $124,948 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $121,728 |
| 13 | Montana | $114,630 |
| 14 | Indiana | $114,104 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $136,975 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $121,104 |
| 17 | New Mexico | $117,965 |
| 18 | Utah | $112,598 |
| 19 | Wyoming | $111,471 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $116,724 |
| 21 | Maryland | $114,093 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $112,923 |
| 23 | Texas | $112,616 |
| 24 | Virginia | $112,580 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $111,685 |
| 26 | Vermont | $111,164 |
| 27 | Michigan | $110,558 |
| 28 | Ohio | $111,489 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $113,192 |
| 30 | Maine | $110,816 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $110,077 |
| 32 | Georgia | $109,841 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $111,089 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $108,246 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $108,019 |
| 36 | Missouri | $110,508 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $107,626 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $109,752 |
| 39 | Florida | $109,663 |
| 40 | Alabama | $106,516 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $108,459 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $107,470 |
| 43 | Illinois | $107,662 |
| 44 | Colorado | $104,990 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $104,598 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $104,713 |
| 47 | Iowa | $105,689 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $103,835 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $105,221 |
| 50 | Kansas | $94,330 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $103,135 |
Expert opinions on the best states for staff software engineers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Staff Software Engineers 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.
Staff Software Engineer best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025