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System software developer salary
Average system software developer salary
$108,328
Understanding System Software Developer Salaries
The role of a System Software Developer is crucial in the tech industry, focusing on developing and maintaining the software that underpins computer systems. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $108,328 annually, which translates to about $52 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include experience level, geographic location, and the specific industry.
Salary by State
Salary variations can be significant across different states. For instance, developers in states like California and New York typically see higher earnings compared to those in less populated regions. Understanding these disparities can help developers make informed career decisions.
Job Opportunities
In addition to salary, job opportunities in this field are steadily increasing. Companies are constantly seeking skilled developers to enhance their software capabilities. By exploring job listings, candidates can find positions that not only meet their salary expectations but also align with their career goals.
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Where can a System Software Developer earn more?
Average system software developer salary by state
The highest-paying states for system software developers are California, Washington, and Vermont. The lowest average system software developer salary states are Tennessee, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for system software developers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $129,618 | $62.32 |
| 2 | Washington | $117,548 | $56.51 |
| 3 | Vermont | $115,017 | $55.30 |
| 4 | Oregon | $109,203 | $52.50 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $102,966 | $49.50 |
| 6 | Delaware | $101,691 | $48.89 |
| 7 | Idaho | $99,257 | $47.72 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $98,722 | $47.46 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $106,211 | $51.06 |
| 10 | Montana | $99,259 | $47.72 |
| 11 | Utah | $95,521 | $45.92 |
| 12 | Nevada | $103,416 | $49.72 |
| 13 | New York | $103,841 | $49.92 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $103,098 | $49.57 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $93,470 | $44.94 |
| 16 | Arizona | $95,448 | $45.89 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $100,335 | $48.24 |
| 18 | Maine | $96,329 | $46.31 |
| 19 | Virginia | $94,337 | $45.35 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $94,172 | $45.27 |
| 21 | Alaska | $100,569 | $48.35 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $93,182 | $44.80 |
| 23 | Maryland | $92,208 | $44.33 |
| 24 | Michigan | $90,112 | $43.32 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $91,564 | $44.02 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $90,246 | $43.39 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $94,705 | $45.53 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $90,711 | $43.61 |
| 29 | Texas | $88,435 | $42.52 |
| 30 | Colorado | $89,551 | $43.05 |
| 31 | Illinois | $87,525 | $42.08 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $87,045 | $41.85 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $89,664 | $43.11 |
| 34 | Iowa | $86,589 | $41.63 |
| 35 | Georgia | $84,624 | $40.68 |
| 36 | Ohio | $85,048 | $40.89 |
| 37 | North Dakota | $84,921 | $40.83 |
| 38 | Indiana | $79,797 | $38.36 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $82,284 | $39.56 |
| 40 | Alabama | $80,230 | $38.57 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $83,567 | $40.18 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $80,921 | $38.90 |
| 43 | Missouri | $81,733 | $39.29 |
| 44 | Kansas | $78,104 | $37.55 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $79,581 | $38.26 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $78,648 | $37.81 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $76,564 | $36.81 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $75,146 | $36.13 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $78,894 | $37.93 |
| 50 | Florida | $76,493 | $36.78 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $76,804 | $36.92 |
Highest paying cities for system software developers
The highest-paying cities for system software developers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Hillsboro, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $137,643 | $66.17 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $118,055 | $56.76 |
| 3 | Hillsboro, OR | $109,877 | $52.83 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $104,028 | $50.01 |
| 5 | Hoboken, NJ | $103,417 | $49.72 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $103,086 | $49.56 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $95,843 | $46.08 |
| 8 | Bloomington, MN | $94,125 | $45.25 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $91,023 | $43.76 |
| 10 | Troy, MI | $90,463 | $43.49 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $89,589 | $43.07 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $89,559 | $43.06 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $87,744 | $42.18 |
| 14 | Alpharetta, GA | $84,916 | $40.83 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $84,539 | $40.64 |
| 16 | Milwaukee, WI | $82,247 | $39.54 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $82,174 | $39.51 |
| 18 | Kokomo, IN | $80,102 | $38.51 |
| 19 | West Palm Beach, FL | $75,436 | $36.27 |
System software developer salary details
A system software developer's salary ranges from $81,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $144,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a system software developer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $144,000 | $12,000 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $125,000 | $10,417 | $60 |
| Average | $108,328 | $9,027 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
Highest paying system software developer jobs
The highest paying types of system software developers are staff software engineer, lead developer, and lead software developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Analyst | $78,400 | $6,533 | $37.69 | 274,053 |
| Software Systems Engineer | $107,102 | $8,925 | $51.49 | 370,518 |
| Android Developer | $98,495 | $8,208 | $47.35 | 237,147 |
| NET Developer | $88,984 | $7,415 | $42.78 | 236,690 |
| Developer | $100,076 | $8,340 | $48.11 | 262,570 |
| Java/J2ee Developer | $90,995 | $7,583 | $43.75 | 237,912 |
Top companies hiring system software developers now:
Which companies pay system software developers the most?
System software developer salaries at The Citadel and Roku are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average system software developer salary at companies like Airbnb and Twitter are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $167,955 | $80.75 |
| 2 | Roku | $157,929 | $75.93 |
| 3 | Airbnb | $156,060 | $75.03 |
| 4 | $155,257 | $74.64 | |
| 5 | Meta | $154,691 | $74.37 |
| 6 | Cloudflare | $151,427 | $72.80 |
| 7 | Yelp | $150,406 | $72.31 |
| 8 | Apple | $148,454 | $71.37 |
| 9 | Lyft | $147,789 | $71.05 |
| 10 | $147,489 | $70.91 | |
| 11 | Evernote | $147,479 | $70.90 |
| 12 | eBay | $147,251 | $70.79 |
| 13 | Pure Storage | $146,730 | $70.54 |
| 14 | Infoblox | $146,516 | $70.44 |
| 15 | $145,401 | $69.90 | |
| 16 | Platfora | $144,887 | $69.66 |
| 17 | DoorDash | $144,711 | $69.57 |
| 18 | F5 | $144,107 | $69.28 |
| 19 | Dropbox | $143,734 | $69.10 |
| 20 | Palo Alto Networks | $143,707 | $69.09 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
System software developer salary trends
The average system software developer salary has risen by $20,110 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average system software developer earned $88,218 annually, but today, they earn $108,328 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for system software developers over the last decade.
Compare system software developer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average system software developer salary over time
Compare system software developer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
System software developer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $108,000 | $52.08 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $105,000 | $50.36 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $102,000 | $49.22 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $101,000 | $48.36 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $98,900 | $47.54 | +1.8% |
Recently added system software developer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Software DEV Engiii-Amz9082634 | Seattle, WA | 06/27/2025 | $168,100 |
| SOC Support Services | Satellite Ground Systems Software Developer-Aurora, Co-Ts/Sci | Aurora, CO | 06/27/2025 | $124,177 |
| Envisioneering | Software Developer, Naval Combat System Modeling & Simulation | Ione, WA | 06/27/2025 | $120,000 |
| Oracle | Software Developer 4-C/C++, Distributed System | Redwood City, CA | 06/10/2025 | $96,800 |
| Brandes Associates, Inc. | Software Developer Systems | Ione, CA | 06/10/2025 | $100,000 |
| Perspecta | Industrial Control System Cybersecurity Researcher and Software Developer | Downe, NJ | 05/28/2025 | $135,000 |
| Jeppesen | Mission Systems Software Developer (Experienced & Senior) | Daytona Beach, FL | 05/27/2025 | $119,000 |
| Boeing | Mission Systems Software Developer (Experienced & Senior) | Daytona Beach, FL | 05/25/2025 | $119,000 |
| Peraton | Industrial Control System Cybersecurity Researcher and Software Developer | Downe, NJ | 05/23/2025 | $135,000 |
| Charter Spectrum | Systems Engineer IV/Software Developer | Greenwood Village, CO | 05/23/2025 | $88,200 |
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