By Callum Salaries of tech workers in the United States are among the highest in the world. IT specialists in this country can expect to earn about $80,000 – $100,000 per year, depending on the location, experience, and specialization.
How much you can earn
Average IT salaries per month in the USA (USD, before taxes, per year / per month):
- Software developer: 76,530 / 6,380
- Back-end developer: 101,620 / 8,470
- Front-end developer: 76,930 / 6,410
- Full-stack developer: 80,530 / 6,710
- DevOps engineer: 99,600 / 8,300
- Database administrator: 78,780 / 6,565
- Web designer: 52,690 / 4,390
- System administrator: 64,890 / 5,410
- Project manager: 66,140 / 5,510
- QA engineer: 70,830 / 5,900
- Technical writer: 57,280 / 4,770
- Security analyst: 76,410 / 6,370
IT salaries in the US, as in all other countries, also depend on the candidate’s experience. Here are a few examples (USD, per year):
Software developer:
- Junior: 99,250
- Middle: 120,750
- Senior: 143,000
Front-end developer:
- Junior: 67,000
- Middle: 81,750
- Senior: 99,000
DevOps engineer:
- Junior: 93,000
- Middle: 115,750
- Senior: 138,750
Database administrator:
- Junior: 79,250
- Middle: 100,250
- Senior: 120,250
Project manager:
- Junior: 94,500
- Middle: 113,000
- Senior: 135,750
QA engineer:
- Junior: 74,250
- Middle: 88,500
- Senior: 105,250
Technical writer:
- Junior: 57,250
- Middle: 68,500
- Senior: 82,750
System analyst:
- Junior: 80,500
- Middle: 95,500
- Senior: 114,250
Security analyst:
- Junior: 108,250
- Middle: 129,000
- Senior: 154,000
IT salaries also depend on the location. For example, tech worker’s remuneration in San Jose and San Francisco can be 20–40% higher than the national average; or it can be 5–10% lower than the national average in smaller cities in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, South Carolina, South Dakota, and some other states.
Cost of living in the USA
Keeping in mind that people usually allocate 50% of their salary to housing, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and transportation, 30% to travel and leisure, and 20% to savings, the median necessary living wage across the US is $67,690 per year, according to a study by GoBankingRates.
This sum can vary from $58,320 in Mississippi to $136,440 in Hawaii. Other expensive states include California ($99,970) and New York ($95,720).
Don’t forget there’s also an income tax. For example, to have a net income of $100,000 in California, your annual salary should be no less than $130,800. Tax rates may be different depending on the state, your marital status, available deductions, and other factors. You can calculate your net salary using a tax calculator.