Software Developers Salary in Portland, OR (2024)
Software Developers in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn a median of $149,010 per year ($71.64 per hour) based on 16,620 jobs counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. That is +12.0% against the national median of $133,080 for this occupation.
Pay distribution
The median is a single point on a wide curve. The table below shows where software developers actually sit across the pay range in Portland, OR, from the bottom decile to the top.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46.11 | $95,900 | |
| 25th percentile | $58.92 | $122,550 | |
| Median | $71.64 | $149,010 | half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $82.07 | $170,700 | |
| 90th percentile | $101.80 | $211,750 | |
| Average (mean) | $73.62 | $153,120 |
How Portland, OR compares
The local median of $149,010 runs +12.0% above the US median of $133,080 for this occupation; it pays 152.4% more than the metro-wide median across all jobs ($59,040); within the metro it ranks 17th of 664 detailed occupations by median pay.
| Benchmark | Median annual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR — this occupation | $149,010 | — |
| US median, same occupation (all areas) | $133,080 | +12.0% |
| Portland, OR — all occupations | $59,040 | +152.4% |
| Highest metro in the US for this job | $174,910 | -14.8% |
At a location quotient of 1.28, this occupation is over-represented locally: the metro has about 128% of the national share of these workers.
High confidence The relative standard error on this estimate is 1.5%, which is a tight margin — the figure is stable enough to plan around.
Ranked 17th of 664 detailed occupations in the metro by median annual wage.
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, OR
To put $149,010 in context, these are the best-paid detailed occupations in the same metro area. This occupation sits 17th.
| Occupation | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists, General | $184,420 | 760 |
| Pediatricians, General | $181,990 | 600 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $178,210 | — |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $174,100 | 130 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $170,410 | — |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $170,220 | 30 |
| Pharmacists | $169,520 | 2,420 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $169,510 | 650 |
| Marketing Managers | $165,000 | 4,440 |
| Lawyers | $161,420 | 5,600 |
Where software developers earn the most
Across the 25 metro areas with released data for this occupation, medians run from $120,490 to $174,910. These are the top markets.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $174,910 | 76,900 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $169,340 | 72,730 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $161,970 | 119,610 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $159,240 | 21,080 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $155,330 | 54,650 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $154,240 | 48,200 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $150,880 | 68,210 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $149,010 | 16,620 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $137,350 | 16,620 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $136,760 | 4,340 |
See the full national picture on the Software Developers salary by metro page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for software developers in Portland, OR?
The median annual wage is $149,010, or $72 per hour. That means half of the software developers working in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn more than this figure and half earn less. The average is $153,120.
What do the highest and lowest paid software developers in Portland, OR earn?
The bottom 10% earn $95,900 or less, while the top 10% earn $211,750 or more — a spread of $115,850 between the two ends of the distribution. The middle half of workers sit between $122,550 and $170,700.
Is software developers pay in Portland, OR above the local average?
Yes, it is 152.4% above the all-occupation median for the metro, which is $59,040. That comparison is the fairer one for judging local purchasing power, because it holds the metro's overall cost and wage level constant.
How does Portland, OR pay compare with the rest of the US for this job?
At $149,010 the metro median is 12.0% higher than the US median of $133,080 for software developers. Across the 25 metro areas covered here, this occupation ranges from $120,490 to $174,910.
How many software developers work in Portland, OR?
BLS counts about 16,620 people in this occupation in the metro area, or 13.70 jobs per 1,000 total jobs. At a location quotient of 1.28, this occupation is over-represented locally: the metro has about 128% of the national share of these workers.
About these figures
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for 2024 (employment relative standard error 3.9%). OEWS measures what employers pay, not what any individual earns; it excludes self-employed workers, and it does not adjust for local cost of living.
Read the full methodology, or the original data at bls.gov/oes.