Pennsylvania · SOC 15-1252
Software Engineer Salary in Pennsylvania
VerifiedPublished wages for software engineers in Pennsylvania, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Software Engineers in Pennsylvania earn a median of $123,740 per year ($122,240 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $94,490–$147,060; the top 10% earn $167,290. That is 7% below the national median of $133,080, ranking Pennsylvania #25 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$123,740
-7% vs national
Top 10% earn
$167,290
90th percentile
Employed in state
47,350
Reliability High (3.2% RSE)
Software Engineer pay distribution — Pennsylvania vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $73,730 | -8% |
| 25th percentile | $94,490 | -8% |
| Median50th percentile | $123,740 | -7% |
| 75th percentile | $147,060 | -13% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $167,290 | -21% |
| Meanaverage | $122,240 | -15% |
Where software engineers earn most in Pennsylvania
Metro areas in Pennsylvania where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 15-1252. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $130,670 | $174,980 | 26,150 |
| PittsburghPittsburgh, PA | $122,350 | $167,120 | 8,820 |
| ReadingReading, PA | $116,990 | $166,620 | 490 |
| AllentownAllentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $112,340 | $170,500 | 1,360 |
| ChambersburgChambersburg, PA | $111,900 | $163,960 | 150 |
| ScrantonScranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $110,860 | $153,620 | 700 |
| LebanonLebanon, PA | $106,940 | $156,230 | 50 |
| HarrisburgHarrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $106,690 | $157,690 | 2,120 |
| GettysburgGettysburg, PA | $105,450 | $169,660 | 30 |
| LancasterLancaster, PA | $103,530 | $159,990 | 660 |
| State CollegeState College, PA | $103,380 | $155,860 | 370 |
| YorkYork-Hanover, PA | $103,310 | $152,290 | 480 |
| ErieErie, PA | $98,480 | $132,060 | 360 |
| JohnstownJohnstown, PA | $97,160 | $153,780 | 110 |
| AltoonaAltoona, PA | $97,120 | $150,000 | 150 |
| WilliamsportWilliamsport, PA | $91,310 | $133,450 | 60 |
Pennsylvania engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.73
Jobs per 1,000
7.87
State rank (pay)
#25 of 51
All engineering roles
$109,667
A location quotient of 0.73 means software engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 15-1252 (Software Developers), Pennsylvania (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →