Job outlook & openings: Software Developer
This role maps to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupation Software developers (SOC 15-1252). The numbers below are BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034.
Which occupation level these figures describe
Wage and outlook here come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics at the broader Standard Occupational Classification level - SOC 15-1252, which BLS titles 'Software developers'. This is the official occupation group this role falls under; the more specific day-to-day tasks, tools, and skills for this role come from O*NET's detailed occupation, which may carry a different name. The figures below describe the broader BLS group.
What these numbers mean
These figures are BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034. Projected annual openings is the average yearly number of openings BLS expects from growth plus replacement needs (workers who retire or move on) - it is a multi-year projection, it is not live job postings, it is not current hiring volume, and it is not openings near you right now.
Projected employment and openings
| Measure | BLS Employment Projections value |
|---|---|
| Occupation employment, 2024 | 1,693,800 jobs |
| Projected occupation employment, 2034 | 1,961,400 jobs |
| Projected change, 2024-2034 | 15.8% (projected growth) |
| Projected average annual openings | 115,200 per year |
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
How to read this
BLS projects this occupation to grow 15.8% over 2024-2034, with about 115,200 openings per year on average from growth plus replacement needs. Again, that is a multi-year average projection, it is not live job postings and it is not current hiring volume.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ind-occ-matrix/occupation.xlsx
Citation Ledger
| ID | Supports | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIT-01 | Occupation employment 2024: 1,693,800 jobs | BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (Table 1.2) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2 |
| CIT-02 | Projected occupation employment 2034: 1,961,400 jobs | BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (Table 1.2) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2 |
| CIT-03 | Projected change 15.8% | BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (Table 1.2) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2 |
| CIT-04 | Projected average annual openings: 115,200 per year | BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (Table 1.2) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2 |
| CIT-05 | Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree | BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (Table 1.2) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Projections Occupational Data Table 1.2 |