hHow much do software developers earn in 2025……Okay, so the other day I’m sitting in this tiny coffee shop in Jackson Heights — the one wedged between the bodega and the place that sells alarmingly good samosas — and my friend asks me, “Dude… how much do software developers earn in 2025? Like really earn? Not the LinkedIn fairy-tale version.”
And I swear, I choked on my iced mocha like it was my first time encountering liquid.
Because if you’ve ever hung out around tech people (or you are one), you know asking about money is basically like asking someone if they floss regularly — everyone lies a little.
But since you’re here and I’m apparently incapable of keeping quiet, let’s talk about it. And I’ll keep it real… messy… honest. Like I always do. You know me.
Also, yes — I’ll use the keyword early because SEO gods demand sacrifices, but I promise it won’t feel like a textbook wrote it.
So… how much do software developers earn in 2025?
Honestly? A lot. A little. Too much. Not enough. All at the same time. Welcome to tech.
My Accidental Salary Reality Check
Some context: I live in Queens. Born? No. But lived long enough to get irrationally angry when people pronounce “Roosevelt Ave” wrong.
Anyway — rewind to last year. I’m on the Q32 bus, half-awake, scrolling through job listings because that’s what we do when we’re trying to convince ourselves we’re “keeping our options open” but also terrified of change.
I see a job posting:
“Junior Developer — $108,000 starting salary.”
I blinked. Twice.
I literally said out loud: “Since WHEN?”
The lady next to me looked up from her sudoku and gave me this “keep it down” look.
Thing is, salaries in software jumped again in 2025… but also kinda didn’t? Depends where you work and who you know and whether your company is one of those “we’re tightening our belts” organizations that somehow still finds money for a neon-lit golf simulator in the CEO’s office.
The Numbers (But Told Like a Human Being)
Let’s talk real ballpark numbers.
Not the “I saw this once on Reddit” kind.
H3: Entry-Level Developers (0–2 years)
Most folks I know — or stalk on Glassdoor when I’m bored — land somewhere around:
$80,000 to $120,000
Low end if you’re in a cheaper state.
High end if you’re in NYC, Seattle, Austin, San Jose, or whatever new tech city is trying very hard to brand itself as the next Silicon Valley (looking at you, Miami).
One guy I met at a meetup said he got $150K as a fresh grad. But he also ordered plain avocado toast with no toppings so… maybe he’s not real.
H3: Mid-Level Developers (3–6 years)
These folks usually end up at:
$120,000 to $170,000
And honestly, they do like 90% of the company’s heavy lifting. They fix the bugs. They write the documentation nobody wants to write. They get the Slack messages that start with “quick question” (which is never quick).
I swear, mid-levels should unionize.
H3: Senior Developers (7+ years)
This is when companies pretend you’re some kind of code wizard who can do miracles.
Salaries jump to:
$160,000 to $220,000+
And that’s before equity, bonuses, random “recognition awards” in the form of $75 Amazon gift cards (gee thanks, Karen).
I know a guy in Long Island City pulling around $250K and still complains about grocery prices like he’s living on ramen. Honestly? Respect.
H3: FAANG-ish Companies (yes, they’re still a thing)
If you get into Google, Meta, Netflix, Apple, etc. in 2025?
You’re looking at:
$200,000 to $350,000 total compensation
(Even higher for senior+ roles)
Which is great…
…until rent eats half and taxes eat the rest and suddenly you’re like, “Ah yes, the $20 iced latte was a mistake.”
“But My Cousin Makes $400K” — The Tech Salary Myth
There’s always That One Guy™.
You know who I mean.
The one who says:
“My cousin’s coworker’s roommate works remote for a crypto-AI-fintech-robotics startup and makes $400K as a junior engineer.”
Sure he does. And I’m Beyoncé.
People exaggerate.
Sometimes a lot.
Sometimes because they straight-up don’t include that the number is pre-stock crash.
But yes — some developers really do hit $300K+. I’ve met them.
They often look dead inside.
The Totally Unsurprising Secret About Tech Salaries
Ready?
Location still matters.
Even though everyone pretended remote work killed geography, salaries in 2025 still follow the old rule:
- NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston = payday
- Midwest, South, rural areas = still good, but… not “new Tesla” money
One of my cousins in North Carolina makes like $95K and lives in a three-bedroom house with a yard.
Meanwhile in Queens, I’m calculating whether I can afford another croissant or if it’ll ruin my week
The Weirdest Thing I’ve Noticed About Salaries
This might get me cancelled by tech Twitter but…
here we go:
Some developers earn less because they just don’t negotiate.
Seriously.
I know brilliant people — like “build-their-own-operating-system-for-fun” brilliant — who just accept the first offer because confrontation makes them want to evaporate into a fine mist.
Meanwhile, someone else who barely knew Git last year negotiates like they were trained by the FBI hostage team and walks away with $25K more.
Life is unfair.
Especially in tech.
The Wild Card — Freelancers and Contract Developers
Ah yes. The chaos crew.
I tried freelancing once.
I undercharged so badly that my client paid me extra out of pity.
She literally said:
“Sweetie, no… charge more. Please.”
Anyway — freelancers in 2025 usually land somewhere around:
$50/hr to $180/hr
depending on skill, niche, and whether they sound confident enough on Zoom calls.
High-end specialists (machine learning, cloud architecture, security, weird legacy code nobody wants to touch) can hit:
$200–$300/hr
At that rate, you’re basically printing money but also probably sleeping 4 hours a night.
So… How Do You Actually Know What You Should Earn?
Honestly? Three places:
- Glassdoor and Levels.fyi
- Talking to other developers (the ones who won’t lie to impress you)
- Asking HR… and bracing for vague answers like “We evaluate pay on multiple dynamic factors” (translation: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
If I could tattoo this on my forehead without my wife judging me forever:
“Don’t accept a salary you’re not comfortable telling your future self about.”
Because future you will judge past you. Trust me.
The Queens Moment That Made Me Reevaluate Everything
This part is embarrassing, but okay:
Last month I’m sitting on my fire escape — don’t tell my landlord — eating the world’s saddest microwaved pizza roll, thinking about life choices.
I’d just learned a friend of mine (we’ll call him Raj) got a major raise: like $35K more, just because he asked.
He literally said, “Hey, I’ve been doing more work than my job description.”
And they said, “Oh yeah, that’s true.”
Poof. More money.
Meanwhile, I’m out here calculating what percentage of my paycheck is going to cold brew.
So yeah, salary matters.
But asking about salary?
Mattering even more
The Honest, Slightly Chaotic Takeaway about How much do software developers earn in 2025
People think salary numbers define everything.
But here’s the real truth:
Tech salaries in 2025 are high enough to attract everyone, inconsistent enough to confuse everyone, and competitive enough to stress the rest of us out.
And still…
Software development is one of the few careers where:
- You can earn six figures without a degree
- You can switch specializations like you’re choosing toppings at Chipotle
- You can go from broke to comfortable in a couple of years
- You can work from your couch in pajama pants (don’t pretend you haven’t)
Plus, tech people have this weird aura of “I can fix anything” even though half of us scream internally when a printer jams.
So if you’re thinking about getting into development, or you’re already in and comparing salaries like it’s Pokémon stats:
Just remember —
your journey isn’t supposed to look like anyone else’s.
Especially not the guy who claims he coded an app in 3 hours and sold it for $4 million. Sure, Brad.
Two Fun Outbound Links (as requested)
- A hilarious personal blog by a burned-out developer: https://thecodercaffeine.com
- A pop culture breakdown of tech salaries vs movie hacker clichés: https://nerdnonsense.net/hacker-myths
