Web Developer Salary 2026: $92,650 Median, $43,330 Less Than Software Developers, and 21% Fewer Jobs Than 2022
The median web developer salary in the United States was $92,650 a year ($44.54 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is $43,330 less than software developers earn and $11,350 less than web and digital interface designers. Washington pays the most ($130,440), and web developer jobs fell to 70,190, down 21% from 2022.
We downloaded every BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) national file from May 2012 to May 2025, plus the May 2025 state, metro, industry and ownership files, and pulled every estimate for web developers and the two occupations searchers most often compare them with. We restated older medians in 2025 dollars with CPI-U, adjusted state medians for cost of living with BEA regional price parities, and added the BLS 2025 to 2035 projections. Many pages that rank for this keyword quote May 2024 figures ($90,930 for web developers) or salary-site estimates without a method; every number below comes from a federal file listed in the references.
Web developer salary by state: tile map
Washington has the highest web developer median ($130,440), followed by Virginia ($128,380) and California ($119,570). Arkansas has the lowest published median, $50,550. BLS publishes a median for 43 states and DC; it suppresses the median in 5 (Alabama, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio) and publishes no web developer estimate at all for Alaska or Florida. Our IT salaries by state report covers the other IT occupations state by state.
On a phone, charts scroll sideways. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates, SOC 15-1254. Tiles are arranged to approximate geography; each tile is one state. Hover for jobs and the software developer median.
After dividing each median by its BEA 2024 regional price parity, Virginia ranks first at $126,978. Puerto Rico ($46,020) is shown on the map but left out of rankings because BEA publishes no price parity for it.
Web developer vs software developer pay, state by state
Nationally, the web developer median is 68% of the software developer median, a gap of $43,330. The gap is not uniform. Across the 43 states (plus DC) with both medians, the ratio runs from 45% in Oregon to 94% in Virginia. In the 20 states with the most web developers:
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 state estimates for 15-1254 and 15-1252. Percentages in red mark states where web developers earn less than 70% of the software developer median.
The software developer side of this comparison is mapped metro by metro in our software engineer salary atlas. The difference partly reflects what the codes cover: the 2018 SOC defines web developers as building and optimizing websites, web applications and interfaces, while software developers research, design and develop computer and network software more broadly.
Developers vs designers at every percentile
Web and digital interface designers, a separate code since the 2018 SOC that covers user interface and website design, out-earn web developers at the median ($104,000 vs $92,650) and pull further ahead at the top: $201,550 vs $162,290 at the 90th percentile. At the 10th percentile the two are close ($53,750 vs $48,100). In 21 of the 41 states (counting DC) where both medians are published, designers have the higher median.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 national estimates. The dashed red line in each group marks the software developer wage at the same percentile.
| Occupation | Jobs, May 2025 | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Hourly median | Projected growth 2025 to 35 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web developers 15-1254 | 70,190 | $48,100 | $64,230 | $92,650 | $126,230 | $162,290 | $44.54 | +3.8% | 5,300 |
| Web and digital interface designers 15-1255 | 113,330 | $53,750 | $73,290 | $104,000 | $158,820 | $201,550 | $50.00 | +6.0% | 8,300 |
| Software developers 15-1252 | 1,687,890 | $82,460 | $105,210 | $135,980 | $171,980 | $214,670 | $65.38 | +10.2% | 95,300 |
| Software QA analysts and testers 15-1253 | 186,740 | $61,440 | $80,310 | $104,300 | $133,180 | $167,010 | $50.14 | +5.7% | 10,700 |
| Computer programmers 15-1251 | 92,230 | $57,710 | $75,850 | $100,390 | $130,680 | $160,460 | $48.26 | -7.3% | 4,400 |
| Graphic designers 27-1024 | 197,830 | $39,520 | $49,040 | $62,960 | $81,830 | $104,910 | $30.27 | -1.7% | 16,000 |
| All occupations 00-0000 | 155,495,730 | $31,200 | $37,590 | $50,980 | $80,520 | $128,560 | $24.51 | +3.5% |
Do web developers make good money?
Entry-level web developer salary
OEWS does not record experience. The closest federal proxies for starting pay are the 10th percentile ($48,100, or $23.12 an hour) and the 25th percentile ($64,230). The 10th percentile rose 19% in nominal terms between May 2022 and May 2025. BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education for web developers.
The trend: fewer web developer jobs, pay slightly ahead of inflation
OEWS counted 88,620 web developers in May 2022 and 70,190 in May 2025, a 21% decline (-11.0% in the last year). Over the same span, web and digital interface designer jobs grew from 82,380 (2021) to 113,330. Pay moved the other way from headcount: the web developer median rose +17.9% from May 2022 to May 2025 while CPI-U rose 10.0%, a real gain of 7.2% (software developers -2.8%, all occupations +0.1%). May 2022 is the first year under BLS’s current wage-processing method; measured from May 2021 instead, the real change is only +0.7%. OEWS cannot show which jobs disappeared; if lower-paid positions went first, that alone would lift the median.
Source: BLS OEWS national estimates, May 2021 to May 2025.
Over a longer run, the series has to be stitched across code changes. From 2012 to 2018, BLS counted web developers under 2010 SOC 15-1134, a code the BLS crosswalk splits between today’s web developer and web and digital interface designer codes. Its real median rose 1.5% over those six years. May 2019 and 2020 used a hybrid code (15-1257) for both. From May 2021, developers and designers are separate. In May 2025 dollars, the web developer median is $92,650 against $87,425 for the combined code in 2012.
All values in May 2025 dollars (CPI-U, May). Shaded years use the hybrid code 15-1257. Lines are not strictly comparable across code changes, and BLS discourages OEWS time-series analysis.
| Year | SOC code | Jobs | Median, nominal | Median, May 2025 dollars | Designers 15-1255, nominal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2012 | 15-1134 | 102,940 | $62,500 | $87,425 | n/a |
| May 2013 | 15-1134 | 112,820 | $63,160 | $87,161 | n/a |
| May 2014 | 15-1134 | 121,020 | $63,490 | $85,792 | n/a |
| May 2015 | 15-1134 | 127,070 | $64,970 | $87,827 | n/a |
| May 2016 | 15-1134 | 129,540 | $66,130 | $88,493 | n/a |
| May 2017 | 15-1134 | 125,890 | $67,990 | $89,307 | n/a |
| May 2018 | 15-1134 | 127,300 | $69,430 | $88,714 | n/a |
| May 2019 | 15-1257 | 148,340 | $73,760 | $92,589 | n/a |
| May 2020 | 15-1257 | 156,220 | $77,200 | $96,793 | n/a |
| May 2021 | 15-1254 | 84,820 | $77,030 | $91,987 | $79,890 |
| May 2022 | 15-1254 | 88,620 | $78,580 | $86,422 | $83,240 |
| May 2023 | 15-1254 | 85,350 | $84,960 | $89,803 | $98,540 |
| May 2024 | 15-1254 | 78,860 | $90,930 | $93,071 | $98,090 |
| May 2025 | 15-1254 | 70,190 | $92,650 | $92,650 | $104,000 |
For a view of hiring demand rather than employment, our tracker of tech job postings by role follows Indeed postings since 2020.
Highest-paying metros for web developers
OEWS publishes a web developer median for 163 of 178 metro areas. Among the 25 with at least 500 web developers, San Jose ($166,670), San Francisco ($152,450) and Washington, DC ($134,350) pay the most, and Portland, OR the least ($73,920). Metro leaderboards for security, systems administration, network support and help desk roles are in our report on the highest-paying cities for IT jobs. The 20 metros with the most web developers:
| Metro | Web developer jobs | Location quotient | Median | 90th | Designer median | Software developer median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 4,200 | 0.98 | $104,820 | $180,480 | $119,190 | $166,830 |
| Washington, DC | 3,840 | 2.71 | $134,350 | $184,050 | $97,000 | $154,930 |
| Seattle, WA | 3,470 | 3.69 | $130,440 | $176,750 | $133,760 | $167,280 |
| Chicago, IL | 2,790 | 1.37 | $96,870 | $134,330 | $87,920 | $134,380 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,310 | 0.82 | $107,290 | $166,990 | $106,550 | $160,920 |
| Dallas, TX | 1,660 | 0.91 | $96,740 | $165,430 | $104,150 | $133,290 |
| Boston, MA | 1,450 | 1.19 | $108,520 | $169,520 | $122,270 | $166,090 |
| San Francisco, CA | 1,420 | 1.33 | $152,450 | $216,060 | $163,810 | $186,640 |
| Miami, FL | 1,160 | 0.91 | n/a | n/a | $77,730 | $132,650 |
| San Jose, CA | 1,130 | 2.20 | $166,670 | $233,990 | $201,260 | $213,110 |
| Houston, TX | 1,060 | 0.71 | $89,040 | $143,640 | $96,750 | $129,440 |
| Atlanta, GA | 990 | 0.76 | $93,590 | $146,470 | $118,190 | $132,960 |
| Denver, CO | 900 | 1.23 | $92,060 | $125,800 | $98,330 | $137,610 |
| Detroit, MI | 870 | 1.01 | $108,550 | $167,360 | $99,450 | $130,760 |
| Portland, OR | 850 | 1.57 | $73,920 | $137,740 | $120,640 | $156,000 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 810 | 0.62 | $94,570 | $143,410 | $104,840 | $133,040 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 800 | 0.91 | $106,890 | $159,840 | $81,730 | $130,920 |
| Austin, TX | 800 | 1.37 | $84,960 | $168,710 | $119,950 | $134,120 |
| Nashville, TN | 790 | 1.58 | $78,990 | $154,920 | $63,510 | $126,610 |
| Baltimore, MD | 790 | 1.29 | $107,590 | $159,640 | $96,760 | $138,900 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan estimates. n/a = not published.
Which industries employ and pay web developers
Computer systems design and related services, the industry group that includes most MSPs, employs 18,690 web developers, 27% of the total, at a $88,690 median, below the national figure. Software publishers pay $130,440 and employment services $122,760; advertising and public relations ($79,840) and universities ($83,530) pay less. Private employers pay a $94,790 median against $82,330 in government.
| Industry (4-digit NAICS) | Web developer jobs | Share of all | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services 541500 | 18,690 | 26.6% | $88,690 | $155,450 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 541600 | 5,180 | 7.4% | $86,690 | $154,920 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 611300 | 4,300 | 6.1% | $83,530 | $129,630 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services 541800 | 4,040 | 5.8% | $79,840 | $146,850 |
| Software Publishers 513200 | 3,350 | 4.8% | $130,440 | $194,380 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises 551100 | 2,900 | 4.1% | $108,120 | $165,930 |
| Employment Services 561300 | 2,420 | 3.4% | $122,760 | $166,400 |
| Computing infrastructure, data processing and web hosting 518200 | 2,290 | 3.3% | n/a | n/a |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 513100 | 1,240 | 1.8% | $98,620 | $173,080 |
| Durable goods wholesalers (selected) 4230A1 | 1,150 | 1.6% | $79,760 | $127,850 |
| Web search portals and other information services 519200 | 1,100 | 1.6% | n/a | n/a |
Industries with at least 1,000 web developers. n/a = wage not published.
Job outlook 2025 to 2035
BLS projects web developer employment to rise from 87,400 to 90,600, up 3.8%, close to the 3.5% average for all occupations, with about 5,300 openings a year, most of them replacing people who leave. Web and digital interface designers are projected to grow 6.0% with 8,300 openings a year, and software developers 10.2%. (Projections include the self-employed, 17.5% of web developers, so their 2025 base is higher than the OEWS count.)
What this means for MSPs
MSPs that build and host client websites sit in the industry group paying web developers $88,690 at the median, $3,960 under the national figure and $41,750 under software publishers, which is the pay gap an MSP competes against when it hires. The hourly median of $44.54 is a wage, not a billing rate: benefits, utilization and overhead come on top. Where a client’s work is mostly interface and layout, the designer code is the better benchmark, and it pays more at the median ($104,000). With web developer headcount down 21% since 2022 and only 3.8% growth projected, expect a steady but not expanding hiring pool; BLS projects much faster growth for software developers (10.2%).
Frequently asked questions
How much do web developers make?
The median annual wage for web developers was $92,650 in May 2025 ($44.54 an hour), according to BLS OEWS data for SOC 15-1254. The middle half earned $64,230 to $126,230; the mean was $98,770.
Do web developers make good money?
The $92,650 median is 1.8 times the $50,980 median for all U.S. occupations, but $43,330 below software developers ($135,980) and $11,350 below web and digital interface designers ($104,000).
What is the entry-level web developer salary?
BLS does not publish pay by experience. The 10th percentile was $48,100 and the 25th percentile $64,230 in May 2025, the closest federal proxies for starting pay.
What state pays web developers the most?
Washington ($130,440), then Virginia ($128,380) and California ($119,570). After BEA cost-of-living adjustment, Virginia ranks first. BLS publishes no web developer estimate for Alaska or Florida.
Do software developers make more than web developers?
Yes. Nationally the web developer median is 68% of the software developer median. The ratio ranges from 45% in Oregon to 94% in Virginia.
What is the job outlook for web developers?
BLS projects web developer employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035 (3,300 jobs), with about 5,300 openings a year. Web and digital interface designers are projected to grow 6.0%.
Methodology
Sources. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national, state, metropolitan, 4-digit industry and ownership files, and national files for May 2012 to May 2024 (special-request downloads, retrieved October 2026). BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035 (occupation.xlsx, Table 1.2). CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items, not seasonally adjusted (CUUR0000SA0), May values. BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 by state (all items).
Codes. 2018 SOC 15-1254 Web Developers and 15-1255 Web and Digital Interface Designers (May 2021 onward); OEWS hybrid 15-1257 Web Developers and Digital Interface Designers (May 2019 and 2020); 2010 SOC 15-1134 Web Developers (May 2012 to 2018), which the BLS 2010-to-2018 SOC crosswalk maps to both 15-1254 and 15-1255. Comparisons: 15-1252 Software Developers, 15-1253 Software QA Analysts and Testers, 15-1251 Computer Programmers, 27-1024 Graphic Designers.
Definitions. OEWS wages are straight-time gross pay including base rate, cost-of-living allowances, incentive pay, commissions and production bonuses, and excluding overtime, nonproduction bonuses and employer-paid benefits. Annual wages assume 2,080 hours. The self-employed are excluded, which matters here: BLS projections put 17.5% of web developers in self-employment in 2025, against 5.8% of all workers. Real values = nominal times CPI-U (May 2025) divided by CPI-U (May of that year). Cost-adjusted = median divided by RPP/100.
Limits. BLS does not encourage OEWS time-series use: estimates pool three years of panels, wage processing changed in May 2022 and codes changed in 2019 and 2021. OEWS has no experience field. Medians for small states and metros carry wide sampling error.
Not advice. Published wage statistics, not a salary benchmark for any single role.
Cite as:The Uptime Report. "Web Developer Salary 2026: $92,650 Median, $43,330 Less Than Software Developers, and 21% Fewer Jobs Than 2022." October 2026. https://theuptimereport.com/web-developer-salary-2026/
References
- BLS, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables and downloads, May 2012 to May 2025. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, OEWS May 2025 technical notes. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, OEWS frequently asked questions (time-series comparability, wage definition). Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Web Developers and Digital Designers. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035, occupation.xlsx. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, Consumer Price Index time series (CUUR0000SA0). Accessed October 2026.
- BEA, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, 2010 to 2018 SOC crosswalk. Accessed October 2026.
- BLS, 2018 Standard Occupational Classification definitions. Accessed October 2026.
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