Computer and Mathematical · Holland code ICR
Software Developers
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Also called: Developer, Software Architect, Software Developer, Software Engineer, Application Developer, Application Integration Engineer, DevOps Engineer (Development Operations Engineer), Infrastructure Engineer.
O*NET 15-1252.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $135,980
- Middle half earn $105,210 to $171,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree
- 85% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Considerable preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Monitor functioning of equipment to ensure system operates in conformance with specifications.
- Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
- Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- Coordinate installation of software system.
- Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
- Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.
- Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.9 / 5
- Reading Comprehension3.5 / 5
- Active Learning3.5 / 5
- Active Listening3.4 / 5
- Writing3.3 / 5
- Speaking3.1 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.8 / 5
- Mathematics3.6 / 5
- Customer and Personal Service3.6 / 5
- English Language3.3 / 5
- Education and Training2.8 / 5
- Engineering and Technology2.8 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic44
- Investigative84
- Artistic23
- Social14
- Enterprising15
- Conventional77
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- ICT system developer · DE IT-Systementwickler/IT-Systementwicklerin · FR développeur de systèmes informatiques/développeuse de systèmes informatiques
- software analyst · DE Softwareanalytiker/Softwareanalytikerin · FR analyste logiciel
- software architect · DE Softwarearchitekt/Softwarearchitektin · FR concepteur de logiciels/conceptrice de logiciels
- software developer · DE Softwareentwickler/Softwareentwicklerin · FR développeur de logiciels/développeuse de logiciels
- user interface developer · DE Entwickler von Benutzeroberflächen/Entwicklerin von Benutzeroberflächen · FR développeur d’interface utilisateur/développeuse d’interface utilisatrice
- digital games developer · DE Game-Programmierer/Game-Programmiererin · FR développeur de jeux numériques/développeuse de jeux numériques
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Programmers and software development professionals (2134)543,400 employed
- IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (2133)212,200 employed
- Actuaries, economists and statisticians (2433)85,900 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Japan
Japan classifies jobs in its own way. The closest category that names the same work is “ソフトウェア作成者”, which may be narrower or broader than this occupation.
- Median monthly pay
- ¥329,500
- Middle half earn ¥273,700 to ¥403,400 a month.
- Workers in the category
- 817,860
- Regular employees in firms of ten or more.
Scheduled monthly pay before tax, excluding overtime and bonuses, so it is not comparable to the annual figures above. Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025, via e-Stat, under the Japanese Government Standard Terms of Use. The category match was made by hand.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €61,714 |
| Germany | €59,529 |
| Ireland | €56,877 |
| Austria | €55,374 |
| Netherlands | €53,595 |
| Sweden | €43,567 |
| France | €41,515 |
| Spain | €35,735 |
| Italy | €33,649 |
| Portugal | €26,072 |
| Poland | €14,380 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
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