Web Developers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Web Developers in the United States earn a median salary of $92,650 per year — about $45 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 215K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +7%.
AI & Automation Risk
This occupation is entirely digital, with core tasks like writing code (HTML, JavaScript), designing layouts, and creating prototypes being areas where AI has demonstrated high proficiency. AI tools can now generate functional code from natural language and create sophisticated visual mockups, significantly increasing individual productivity and potentially reducing the number of developers needed for standard projects.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $166,670 | Above avg (110.4) | $150,938 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $152,450 | Above avg (115.6) | $131,862 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $134,350 | Above avg (108.9) | $123,388 |
| Richmond, VA | $117,090 | Average (97.9) | $119,653 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $130,440 | Above avg (111.1) | $117,373 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $106,360 | Below avg (95.1) | $111,854 |
| Evansville, IN | $99,720 | Below avg (91.5) | $108,950 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $100,240 | Below avg (92.0) | $108,906 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $108,550 | Average (100.3) | $108,227 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $111,560 | Above avg (103.7) | $107,611 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $102,380 | Below avg (96.5) | $106,148 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $103,970 | Average (98.2) | $105,841 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $103,440 | Average (97.9) | $105,615 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $101,980 | Average (97.3) | $104,758 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $95,700 | Below avg (91.9) | $104,132 |