Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a software developer make in Washington-Arlington, DC?

In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, software developers earned a median of $154,930 a year ($74.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 69,060 of these jobs there. That is 118% above the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $96,450 and $213,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and District of Columbia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $106,867 in take-home pay.

Software developer pay in Washington-Arlington, DC at a glance

Median salary

$154,930$74.49 per hour · $12,911 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$96,450$46.37/hr
25th percentile$123,720$59.48/hr
75th percentile$176,230$84.73/hr
90th percentile$213,660$102.72/hr
Jobs in this metro69,060Location quotient 2.03 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here118% aboveAll-jobs median $71,060
Against District of Columbia13% aboveStatewide median $136,880
Against the U.S.14% aboveNational median $135,980

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Software developer salary in Washington-Arlington, DC after taxes

$154,930
$60,000$310,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$154,930
Net 69%
Fed 17%
DC 7%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$106,867After all taxes
Monthly deposit$8,906Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$4,110Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate31%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$25,917 / yr
District of Columbia state income tax$10,294 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$11,852 / yr

Software developers pay range in Washington-Arlington, DC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What software developers earned in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (DC)
10th percentile$46.37/hr$8,038$96,450$71,359
25th percentile$59.48/hr$10,310$123,720$88,187
MedianMedian$74.49/hr$12,911$154,930$106,867
75th percentile$84.73/hr$14,686$176,230$119,615
90th percentile$102.72/hr$17,805$213,660$143,701

Is $154,930 a good salary in Washington-Arlington, DC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for software developers next to both.

Median household income$126,684Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)108.98.9% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household122.3%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Software developer pay in Washington-Arlington, DC: common questions

What is the median salary for software developers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The BLS median annual wage for software developers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was $154,930 in May 2025, about $12,911 a month or $74.49 an hour. Statewide, the District of Columbia median for this job is $136,880, so the metro pays 13% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for software developers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The median hourly wage for software developers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV was $74.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $46.37 an hour and one in ten earned more than $102.72.

How many software developers work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS estimated 69,060 jobs for software developers in the metro in May 2025, or 22.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.03 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for software developers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

BLS wage estimates for software developers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV run from $96,450 at the 10th percentile to $123,720 at the 25th, $176,230 at the 75th, and $213,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do software developers take home after taxes in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On a median gross salary of $154,930, an estimated $106,867 lands in net take-home pay per year ($4,110 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in District of Columbia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $48,063 (an effective rate of 31%).

How much do software developers make per month in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

On the median annual salary of $154,930, gross monthly income is $12,911. After federal, FICA, and District of Columbia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $8,906 per month (or $4,110 every two weeks).

Is $154,930 a good salary in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

At $154,930, the median salary for software developers is 122.3% of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV median household income ($126,684). It is 118% above the $71,060 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 108.9, so prices here run 8.9% above the U.S. average.