How Many Software Engineers Are There In The US? (2024 Statistics)

With the increased demand for innovation, software engineering has become one of the most lucrative careers in the US. Unsurprisingly, the total population of software engineers is projected to increase by 28.7 million in 2024.

1,365,500 software developer jobs were available for the taking in 2022, working on projects dealing with:

• Maintaining and designing software systems
• Testing and evaluating new software programs
• Working to optimize the speed and scalability of software
• Writing and evaluating codes

On top of that, software engineers can also do consulting work with clients, engineers, security specialists, and others involved in the wide world of tech.

In this article, we will look into details on how many engineers are in the United States and the current status of the country’s software engineering sector and employment.

Editor’s Choice

• 4.4 Million Software Developers dominate in the United States as of 2023.
• Demand for blockchain engineers has been expanding at 517% annually.
• India is anticipated to surpass the United States regarding software engineers by 2023.
• With an average of 5 job opportunities for every software engineer, the area of this profession is in high demand.
• 29.12% of software engineers are freelancers.
• 8.8% of freelance software engineers prefer working from coffee shops.

How Many Software Engineers in the US

By 2030, an estimated 500 billion devices will be internet-connected. With those numbers comes the demand for software engineers.

Software Engineers Demographic Statistics

Due to their near-unlimited access to resources and thriving startup ecosystems, the United States has been at the forefront of the software development sector.

Moreover, while other leading tech countries like Australia and Canada prioritize software engineers, India is anticipated to surpass the United States’ number of software engineers by the end of 2023.

Now, let’s look at the data list based on demographics.

1. 4.4 million software developers are dominating the United States as of 2023.

(Goremotely)

Programmers form the backbone of the country’s technology industry, which is responsible for many of the most innovative software applications in the world.

The number of software developers in the United States is substantial, demonstrating the importance of the technology industry to the country’s economy. However, that doesn’t mean the US hasn’t faced challenges in the tech industry. 173,880 tech employees were laid off in the first quarter of 2023

Internet publishing (think Facebook, Twitter) is only 0.3% of the US workforce, but it carries outsized importance—layoffs and the declining value of stock options will provide a big tailwind to aggregate compensation growth. pic.twitter.com/B0UASPRzjR

— Joey Politano 🏳️‍🌈 (@JosephPolitano) November 19, 2022

2. The most dominant group in the software development industry is Caucasian (48.5%).

The US population primarily comprises 58% non-Hispanic White, as reflected in the software engineering field. Almost half of all software engineers are white, followed closely by the following:

• Asian (34.0%)
• Hispanic or Latino (8.1%)
• Others (4.8%)

White and Asian demographics are some of the most well-represented ethnicities in the tech industry.

However, in recent years, the tech world has been under intense scrutiny due to issues regarding sexism and barriers to entry for non-White and non-Asians in tech. There’s also a big difference in gender equality in the tech industry, with only one woman in every five men.

Others attribute the wide gap to disparities in access to resources and schooling, which lead to jobs in tech fields.

Software Engineers Employment and Salary Statistics

The shortage of software developers is well-known. However, we can use statistical data on the scarcity of software developers and general information about the developers’ talent pool to determine the magnitude of this scarcity. 

Here are some statistics regarding employment rates and salaries of software engineers:

3. Demand for blockchain engineers expands at 517% yearly.  

(Goremotely)

Every software engineer has an average of 5 job opportunities, making it a high-demand and high-opportunity profession. However, there is a need for more skilled workers to meet this increased demand. 

The entire blockchain industry will be worth $163.83 billion by 2029. Due to this, the demand for qualified blockchain engineers has risen dramatically as blockchain tech becomes more widely used across businesses. Blockchain engineers are proficient in creating, evaluating, and putting blockchain networks, smart contracts, and consensus algorithms into practice.

Software professionals continue to thrive, and developers earn significant wages, with the median annual salary at $105,590.

4. On average, software engineers earn $139,658 per year

(Glassdoor)

Due to the thriving tech industry in the US, software engineering is one of the most lucrative careers. On average, they earn $139,658 per year.  This number becomes significantly higher depending on a person’s experience and skills.

Glassdoor ranks Google as one of the most popular companies for software engineers, averaging $236,146 per year based on Glassdoor stats. Other tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, and Oracle trail them closely.

5. In California, Software engineers can earn around $163,516 annually. 

(Glassdoor)

Being home to Silicon Valley has many financial perks. In California, a software engineer takes home $163,516 annually with bonuses. Their average salary is $125,196 per year.

The tech world constantly competes for top talent, increasing their salary. Aside from that, California is also the most expensive state to live in. The added expense of keeping talent in the area also drives higher employee compensation.

Global Software Engineers Statistics

While the US is still the world’s tech hub, attracting talents from all continents. Likely due to the rise of startups, countries are increasingly hiring software countries, especially in:

• Canada
• Germany
• Australia
• The UK
• The Netherlands

Furthermore, the industry is also becoming more diverse, with more women and people from underrepresented groups entering the field. Software engineers from other countries also get their spot in the limelight by entering top companies.

Keep reading to have more information and see the growth of software engineers in different years.

6. Over 26.9 million people worldwide worked as software developers in 2021.

(Gitnux, BusinessWire)

The increasing number of software developers outside the US is likely due to more companies outsourcing their talent to save on company expenses. Software development outsourcing projects a 70% by 2023, with companies projected to outsource at least 36% of their software developers.

The popularity of software engineers is likely due to the massive scale of software development and its importance to the economy. It also serves as a timely reminder of the necessity of investing in the software development business.

7. It is predicted that by 2030, there will be 45.2% more software engineers than in 2010.

(Gitnux, Indeed)

It is apparent that software development is becoming an increasingly important element of the global economy, with the number of software developers predicted to reach 45.2% by 2030. 

This number should strongly incentivize enterprises and individuals to consider software development a viable career.

Software engineering also has a lower barrier to entry than other jobs. For one, it’s possible to become a software engineer even with a non-related bachelor’s degree.

Many software engineers don’t even have a college degree. It is also possible to be one by:

• learning in-demand programming languages
• getting certifications
• earning experience by getting entry-level IT jobs
• creating an impressive portfolio of IT projects

8. In 2021, 64.96 percent of the code written by software developers was in JavaScript.

(Gitnux)

This number demonstrates how effective JavaScript can be as a programming language. Furthermore, this indicates that JavaScript has become the standard programming language for building software applications.

Despite countless competitors, JavaScript remains the king of programming languages because it can practically run everywhere. It also runs on all leading browsers, such as Google Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox.

9. In 2021, 13.45% of developers will use C++, making it the eighth most popular programming language overall.

(Gitnux)

In the context of Software Developer Statistics, this number is noteworthy because it shows developers widely use C++. C++ is an essential part of the software development environment utilized by 13.45% of developers in 2021.

While there are other more popular programming languages, C++ remains in demand due to its reliable performance while being a high-level object-oriented language. It’s also one of the foundational languages to learn for beginners.

10. 20% of programmers have worked as professionals for over twenty years.

(Gitnux)

This figure demonstrates that software development will continue to exist for a long time. It’s a monument to the perseverance, commitment, and experience of programmers who have been at it for two decades.

It serves as a timely reminder that individuals who fully dedicate themselves to software development might experience enormous long-term rewards. This figure is important because it illustrates the longevity of the software development sector and the dedication of its workforce.

Bottom Line

With an expected 4.4 million software developers by 2023, software engineering has become an essential and lucrative career choice in the US. As a result, the demand for competent software engineers continues to rise, with some specialized sectors, such as blockchain engineering, experiencing a skills scarcity. 

Although top engineers are in high demand, the global number of software developers is growing and is expected to continue its upward trend

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By Raj Vardhman

Raj Vardhman is a tech expert and the Chief Tech Strategist at TechJury.net, where he leads the research-driven analysis and testing of various technology products and services. Raj has extensive tech industry experience and contributed to various software, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence publications. With his insights and expertise in emerging technologies, Raj aims to help businesses and individuals make informed decisions regarding utilizing technology. When he's not working, he enjoys reading about the latest tech advancements and spending time with his family.