Best cities for a Senior Software Engineer
The best cities for senior software engineers are San Francisco, CA, Oakland, CA, and Fremont, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for senior software engineers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for senior software engineers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a senior software engineer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for senior software engineers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for senior software engineers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a senior software engineer. While the absolute best city for senior software engineers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for senior software engineers in 2024.
San Francisco, CA
Total Senior Software Engineer Jobs:163
Average Annual Salary:$139,625
Location Quotient:14.78
If you're looking for a Senior Software Engineer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for Senior software engineers In 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in San FranciscoTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 163 Average annual salary: $139,625 Lowest 10 percent warn: $102,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location quotient: 14.78 2. Oakland, CA
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in OaklandTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 166 Average annual salary: $139,341 Lowest 10 percent warn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 8.42 3. Fremont, CA
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in FremontTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 72 Average annual salary: $139,014 Lowest 10 percent warn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 7.98 4. San Jose, CA
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in San JoseTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 158 Average annual salary: $138,885 Lowest 10 percent warn: $101,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 7.56 5. Austin, TX
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in AustinTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $101,591 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location quotient: 7.61 6. Scottsdale, AZ
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in ScottsdaleTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 253 Average annual salary: $103,453 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 8.73 7. Seattle, WA
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in SeattleTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 249 Average annual salary: $130,235 Lowest 10 percent warn: $95,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $176,000 Location quotient: 4.31 8. Durham, NC
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in DurhamTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 165 Average annual salary: $99,825 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 6.81 9. Chandler, AZ
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in ChandlerTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $103,455 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 6.37 10. Raleigh, NC
Senior Software Engineer Jobs in RaleighTotal Senior Software Engineer jobs: 80 Average annual salary: $99,933 Lowest 10 percent warn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 5.03
Choose from 10+ customizable senior software engineer resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use senior software engineer resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your senior software engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for senior software engineers
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Austin, TX
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Seattle, WA
- Durham, NC
- Chandler, AZ
- Raleigh, NC
- (163 senior software engineer jobs)
- (166 senior software engineer jobs)
- (72 senior software engineer jobs)
- (158 senior software engineer jobs)
- (189 senior software engineer jobs)
- (253 senior software engineer jobs)
- (249 senior software engineer jobs)
- (165 senior software engineer jobs)
- (20 senior software engineer jobs)
- (80 senior software engineer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a Senior Software Engineer
Rank  | City | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $139,625 | $102,000 | 870,887 | 163 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $139,341 | $101,000 | 420,005 | 166 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $139,014 | $101,000 | 233,136 | 72 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $138,885 | $101,000 | 1,025,350 | 158 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $101,591 | $77,000 | 947,890 | 189 |
| 6 | Scottsdale, AZ | $103,453 | $77,000 | 246,645 | 253 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $130,235 | $95,000 | 704,352 | 249 |
| 8 | Durham, NC | $99,825 | $77,000 | 263,016 | 165 |
| 9 | Chandler, AZ | $103,455 | $77,000 | 247,477 | 20 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $99,933 | $77,000 | 458,880 | 80 |
| 11 | Pittsburgh, PA | $97,013 | $75,000 | 303,625 | 37 |
| 12 | Sacramento, CA | $137,243 | $100,000 | 495,234 | 119 |
| 13 | Irvine, CA | $126,074 | $93,000 | 266,122 | 214 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,593 | $77,000 | 1,615,017 | 165 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $123,843 | $92,000 | 1,406,630 | 17 |
| 16 | Santa Ana, CA | $126,400 | $93,000 | 334,217 | 166 |
| 17 | San Antonio, TX | $102,150 | $77,000 | 1,492,510 | 42 |
| 18 | Islip, NY | $113,702 | $88,000 | 335,543 | 4 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $99,501 | $77,000 | 1,567,872 | 120 |
| 20 | Charlotte, NC | $98,441 | $76,000 | 842,051 | 125 |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $128,252 | $94,000 | 3,976,322 | 108 |
| 22 | Winston-Salem, NC | $98,998 | $76,000 | 242,203 | 209 |
| 23 | Plano, TX | $96,889 | $74,000 | 286,057 | 128 |
| 24 | Irving, TX | $97,373 | $74,000 | 238,289 | 210 |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV | $108,330 | $79,000 | 632,912 | 243 |
| 26 | Glendale, AZ | $103,650 | $77,000 | 245,895 | 63 |
| 27 | Houston, TX | $101,223 | $77,000 | 2,303,482 | 241 |
| 28 | Reno, NV | $110,643 | $80,000 | 245,255 | 98 |
| 29 | Cleveland, OH | $94,546 | $73,000 | 385,809 | 122 |
| 30 | Columbus, OH | $93,485 | $72,000 | 860,090 | 114 |
| 31 | Portland, OR | $111,885 | $82,000 | 639,863 | 96 |
| 32 | New York, NY | $113,574 | $88,000 | 8,537,673 | 94 |
| 33 | Dallas, TX | $97,448 | $75,000 | 1,317,929 | 7 |
| 34 | Detroit, MI | $94,340 | $73,000 | 672,795 | 180 |
| 35 | Atlanta, GA | $95,350 | $74,000 | 472,522 | 194 |
| 36 | Greensboro, NC | $99,271 | $77,000 | 287,027 | 133 |
| 37 | Norfolk, VA | $100,439 | $77,000 | 245,115 | 182 |
| 38 | Fort Worth, TX | $97,786 | $75,000 | 854,113 | 227 |
| 39 | Mesa, AZ | $103,380 | $77,000 | 484,587 | 65 |
| 40 | Long Beach, CA | $126,956 | $94,000 | 470,130 | 76 |
| 41 | Boston, MA | $104,879 | $81,000 | 673,184 | 199 |
| 42 | Jersey City, NJ | $104,017 | $80,000 | 264,152 | 147 |
| 43 | Gilbert, AZ | $103,401 | $77,000 | 237,133 | 23 |
| 44 | Stockton, CA | $138,019 | $100,000 | 307,072 | 8 |
| 45 | Henderson, NV | $107,738 | $79,000 | 292,969 | 17 |
| 46 | Tucson, AZ | $103,081 | $77,000 | 530,706 | 115 |
| 47 | Chicago, IL | $95,295 | $74,000 | 2,704,958 | 175 |
| 48 | Nashville, TN | $89,955 | $69,000 | 660,388 | 190 |
| 49 | Riverside, CA | $126,331 | $93,000 | 324,722 | 47 |
| 50 | Cincinnati, OH | $92,571 | $72,000 | 298,800 | 199 |
Highest paying cities for senior software engineers
| Rank | City | Avg. Senior Software Engineer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $139,625 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $130,235 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $113,574 |
| 4 | Redmond, OR | $109,461 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $105,920 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $104,879 |
| 7 | Washington, NJ | $104,131 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,593 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $101,591 |
| 10 | McLean, VA | $100,591 |
| 11 | Jacksonville, NC | $100,412 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $99,501 |
| 13 | Alpharetta, GA | $95,420 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $95,295 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $94,769 |
| 16 | Washington, MI | $94,344 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $94,279 |
| 18 | Columbus, OH | $93,485 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $93,035 |
| 20 | Jacksonville, AR | $91,428 |
Senior Software Engineer best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common computer and mathematical questions.
Search for senior software engineer jobs
Loading...
Loading...
Updated January 8, 2025