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.
Read more:
→ Guide to IT salaries in Silicon Valley
→ IT jobs market in the United States: mid-2020 data
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.
→ Cost of living in American cities