In the United States, Silicon Valley has long been the hub of technology due to its rapid growth in tech jobs as well as its high venture capital participation. But as businesses from all sectors increasingly become Internet enterprises, demand for software developers has surged across the nation. Actually, according to a recent research, 89% of software developers today live and work outside Silicon Valley.

Software.org: the BSA Foundation, a worldwide organization that advocates on behalf of the software industry, conducted research that found that although software has a significant impact on our lives, the impact on employment is even bigger than anticipated.

A 2017 study by Software.org: the BSA Foundation found that the U.S. software industry directly supported 2.9 million employment, but that number increased to 10.5 million jobs when indirect and induced effects were taken into account. The survey also demonstrates a 14.6% rise in the number of employment created directly by the software industry since 2014.

Data from IMPLAN, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) were compiled by Software.org and The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) using publicly available sources. The EIU assessed the direct contributions and estimated indirect and induced impacts using multiple economic multipliers in order to estimate the total contributions of the software industry to the U.S. economy.

“How wide-ranging the impact is is what I find so fascinating. We anticipated that software would have a large economic impact in places like California and Washington, but even areas like Nebraska, Alabama, and Utah demonstrated this, according to Victoria Espinel, president and chief executive officer of BSA. “This period, we also witnessed amazing growth in areas like Louisiana, Kansas, and Nebraska – growth that occasionally reached 30% or 35%.”

This article explains the top 10 states where software is having the biggest influence on GDP, the number of software jobs produced directly, and the overall number of jobs created in the software, software-related, and software-adjacent sectors.

Which State Employs the Most Software Developers?

Software engineers create products like operating systems and business applications using their expertise in computer science, engineering, and programming languages. They collaborate with software users to ascertain their requirements and develop programs or systems in accordance with their preferences. These goods are also maintained by software developers to guarantee their functionality and to suggest upgrades for already-existing items.

Read Also: Which Software Engineer Make the Most Money?

The average annual wage for software engineers is $108,278. Depending on your level of managerial experience and expertise, this number may change. Software engineers may potentially be eligible for an annual cash incentive of up to $4,000, depending on their job.

According to the average wage for this profession in each state, the location score, and some of the state’s top-rated businesses, the following are the top 10 cities for software engineers:

1. Dallas, Texas

• Average salary: $102,352 per year
• Top-rated companies: Goldman Sachs, BayInfotech, Southwest Airlines

Dallas used to be known for its cultural activities, but it has evolved into a business centre. This contemporary metropolis, with a population of 1.341 million, is the location of several technology companies and corporate headquarters. The recent technology boom in the city is the result of the infusion of software opportunities.

2. Atlanta, Georgia

• Average salary: $106,522 per year
• Top-rated companies: VMware, Turner, Accenture

This southern city is not only home to a number of prestigious educational institutions, but it has also developed into one of the top locations for beginning or advancing your career as a software engineer. This is due to Atlanta’s recent growth in technology firms, which has led to the development of a national cluster for information technology.

3. Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Average salary: $108,253 per year
• Top-rated companies: Boecore, Lockheed Martin, Boeing

Colorado Springs is home to numerous significant corporations, including Oracle and Hewlett Packard, and is only 70.5 miles from Denver. The workforce in the city is highly skilled, and the environment is one of developing technology. Cybersecurity, information technology, and high-tech military installation firms are only a few of its technological contributions.

4. Austin, Texas

• Average salary: $111,045 per year
• Top-rated companies: General Motors, Charles Schwab, Apple

Many technology businesses, including Home Depot and iHeartMedia, are based in this diverse metropolis. As a homage to California’s Silicon Valley, high-tech businesses in the region have even taken on the moniker “Silicon Hills.” There are numerous tech businesses in Austin that deal with biotechnology, video games, startups, and other things.

5. Denver, Colorado

• Average salary: $121,215 per year
• Top-rated companies: FluentStream, Lockheed Martin, Amazon.com

When cost of living is taken into account, the average compensation for a software engineering profession is quite lucrative, even though Denver does not have the highest salary for software engineers in the entire state. Numerous information technology firms are based in Denver, Colorado, and the city itself has affordable costs for a variety of needs like housing, groceries, and transit.

6. Boston, Massachusetts

• Average salary: $126,090 per year
• Top-rated companies: Boston Children’s Hospital, Bose, Fidelity Investments

Boston offers software developers talent, momentum, affordability, and a wealth of options. Because of this, it has become one of the top tech hubs in the United States. Since many of its residents hold college degrees in allied disciplines like science and mathematics, the city has more opportunity to develop top talent for the software engineering industry.

7. Seattle, Washington

• Average salary: $128,889 per year
• Top-rated companies: Starbucks, Nordstrom, The Walt Disney Company

This soggy city has not historically been thought of as a tech hotspot, but it now offers several benefits for software professionals. It not only offers a variety of job chances for this industry, but it also has a reasonable cost of living and a stable, non-startup tech environment. Large tech organizations, retail behemoths, and e-commerce firms are also based there, giving its thriving technology sector a diversified portfolio.

8. New York, New York

• Average salary: $140,085 per year
• Top-rated companies: Capital One, Mastercard, Google

You have many options in New York City to advance in the software industry in a busy setting. Due to its tech firms, startups, and total economic contribution to the country, the Empire State is a leader in the tech sector. Additionally, it promotes diversity and has a large number of institutions that provide a computer science degree, both of which aid in attracting top talent for this industry.

9. San Jose, California

• Average salary: $147,113 per year
• Top-rated companies: Cisco, Qualcomm, Brocade

There are many IT jobs in San Jose, giving you many opportunities to broaden your skill set and accumulate important experience. San Jose has a better location score than the other cities on this list, but it also pays software engineers much more than they would in most other American towns. It’s crucial to remember that San Jose has a high cost of living compared to many other American cities, even with its higher average pay. If that doesn’t put you off, the Bay Area is an excellent place to advance your software engineering career.

10. San Francisco, California

• Average salary: $154,302 per year
• Top-rated companies: Salesforce, Twitter, Twitch

San Francisco, a well-known technology hub in the United States, is close to Silicon Valley. Although you can anticipate a greater wage, the cost of living in the California city is on the higher end. The location of the Golden Gate Bridge is a fantastic spot to advance in your profession as a software engineer if you don’t mind the higher rent and other spending costs.

Which US State has Most Software Companies?

Working in information technology (IT) can be a fulfilling vocation that offers chances for professional advancement and a competitive wage. In contrast to the average industry, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts a 13% increase in computer and information technology jobs by 2030. Learning about states with booming IT sectors may help you choose where you want to work if you’re interested in a career in information technology.

Listed below are details on the top states for IT employment, including significant metropolitan areas, important sectors, and sample positions. These states earned their spot on our list because they feature a lot of urban technology hubs, a burgeoning IT workforce, and competitive salaries for tech jobs. The salary for IT employment in these states may vary based on the location’s cost of living and the position’s level.

1. California

California is one of the greatest states for IT workers because it is home to many IT, technical research, and programming organizations. Silicon Valley may be the most well-known location for IT work, but San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Davis are also significant employment centers.

Read Also: How do I Get a Job as a Software Developer?

You could work in a variety of technology industries in California, such as computer programming, production of technological equipment, telecommunications, professional services, and artificial intelligence research. Information on a few IT positions in California is provided below:

• IT analyst: $77,294 per year
• Database administrator: $94,368 per year
• IT manager: $95,681 per year
• Chief information officer: $113,709 per year
• Software architect: $153,034 per year

2. New York

New York is home to many IT enterprises, and the city’s worldwide trade and research development offer IT experts in the entire state great salary and attractive perks. Although New York City is the biggest city in the state and the largest IT hub, there are also many IT companies in other cities like Rochester, Albany, and Poughkeepsie. This state’s tech businesses assist a variety of industries with technology, including manufacturing, health care, and fintech. You might discover the following IT jobs in New York:

• IT analyst: $68,490 per year
• Network engineer: $84,889 per year
• Cybersecurity specialist: $85,186 per year
• Data engineer: $127,979 per year
• Chief technology officer: $154,012 per year

3. Virginia

The cities of Richmond, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Reston are among Virginia’s tech centres. Northern Virginia is home to defense contractors, security companies, and other businesses that support government agencies’ IT because it borders the nation’s capital. Because of the abundance of technological jobs, competitive compensation, and career options in this area, it is known as the Dulles Technology Corridor. Other important tech industries include health care, professional services, and software development.

The following list of IT occupations in Virginia includes wage data:

• IT support specialist: $55,768 per year
• Network administrator: $76,811 per year
• IT technician: $94,500 per year
• IT project manager: $108,939 per year
• Cybersecurity specialist: $109,899 per year

4. Texas

Numerous significant IT companies have opened branch offices in Texas due to the state’s reduced cost of living. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Austin, and Houston are the top cities in Texas for IT jobs. Some Texas IT companies help the energy sector by offering logistical software and technical support to companies that extract oil and natural gas. Different businesses concentrate on other industries such as marketing services, software development, telecommunications, and health care technology.

The following list of IT jobs in Texas includes salary data:

• IT support specialist: $39,675 per year
• IT technician: $52,393 per year
• IT project manager: $95,737 per year
• IT security specialist: $100,730 per year
• Technology consultant: $104,690 per year

5. Florida

Due to its many connected businesses, several tech hubs, and international firm headquarters, Florida is one of the best states for IT jobs. Florida cities with thriving IT industries include Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa. Tech firms in Florida might provide assistance to a range of sectors, including manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and health care. Additionally, enterprises in the Orlando region could offer tech support to hotels and entertainment businesses.

The following list of IT jobs in Florida includes salary data:

• SEO specialist: $48,060 per year
• Network administrator: $65,443 per year
• IT analyst: $70,028 per year
• IT manager: $75,244 per year
• IT security specialist: $99,106 per year

6. Washington

Technology companies with clientele in a variety of industries, such as electronic retail, professional services, IT consulting, and software development, can be found in the state of Washington. Washington State is a desirable place for IT workers since it boasts the third-highest average income for computer and information researchers in the country, according to the BLS. Although Bellevue and Tacoma also have IT enterprises, Seattle is the state’s main IT hub.

In a business in the state of Washington, you might be hired for one of the following IT positions:

• IT support specialist: $47,656 per year
• Computer systems analyst: $75,415 per year
• IT technician: $81,412 per year
• IT manager: $90,715 per year
• Network architect: $93,616 per year