The Top 50 Best-Paying Cities for Software Engineers on the U.S. East Coast
You don’t have to move to Silicon Valley to be a software engineer or programmer.
The U.S. East Coast is home to some of the largest tech industry hubs in the world, including sunny Florida, brainy Massachusetts, Silicon Alley in New York City and the powerhouse of Virginia, and the pay packages are close to those on the U.S. West Coast.
The average total compensation for software engineers on the U.S. East Coast ranges from more than $110,000 to more than $223,000, according to the professional social network Blind.
These are the top 50 best-paying cities for software engineers on the U.S. East Coast, as reported by the more than 5 million verified professionals on Blind. Blind analyzed thousands of total compensation packages, including the annual salary and any stock-based compensation or bonuses a company might offer.
1. New York
- Average total compensation: $223,715
- Median total compensation: $194,050
- Average salary: $156,656
- Median base salary: $155,000
2. Greenwich, Conn.
- Average total compensation: $217,562
- Median total compensation: $174,500
- Average salary: $155,250
- Median base salary: $145,000
3. Dulles, Va.
- Average total compensation: $215,958
- Median total compensation: $188,375
- Average salary: $161,166
- Median base salary: $150,000
4. Hoboken, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $212,100
- Median total compensation: $224,000
- Average salary: $158,043
- Median base salary: $161,000
5. Manassas, Va.
- Average total compensation: $209,283
- Median total compensation: $222,250
- Average salary: $155,033
- Median base salary: $168,000
6. Cambridge, Mass.
- Average total compensation: $208,279
- Median total compensation: $185,000
- Average salary: $134,114
- Median base salary: $130,000
7. Pittsburgh
- Average total compensation: $199,480
- Median total compensation: $164,000
- Average salary: $134,519
- Median base salary: $135,000
8. Princeton, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $194,653
- Median total compensation: $200,000
- Average salary: $167,312
- Median base salary: $162,500
9. Herndon, Va.
- Average total compensation: $177,288
- Median total compensation: $157,000
- Average salary: $132,818
- Median base salary: $137,000
10. Boston
- Average total compensation: $173,659
- Median total compensation: $155,000
- Average salary: $133,189
- Median base salary: $130,000
11. Washington, D.C.
- Average total compensation: $168,767
- Median total compensation: $150,082
- Average salary: $133,192
- Median base salary: $130,000
12. Elkridge, Md.
- Average total compensation: $164,333
- Median total compensation: $163,000
- Average salary: $120,666
- Median base salary: $124,000
13. Alexandria, Va.
- Average total compensation: $164,318
- Median total compensation: $120,735
- Average salary: $140,630
- Median base salary: $116,000
14. Nashville, Tenn.
- Average total compensation: $158,024
- Median total compensation: $140,000
- Average salary: $124,996
- Median base salary: $118,500
15. Miami
- Average total compensation: $157,855
- Median total compensation: $133,325
- Average salary: $126,879
- Median base salary: $124,500
16. Arlington, Va.
- Average total compensation: $156,087
- Median total compensation: $141,000
- Average salary: $126,994
- Median base salary: $125,500
17. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Average total compensation: $153,308
- Median total compensation: $135,208
- Average salary: $118,037
- Median base salary: $113,500
18. Atlanta
- Average total compensation: $152,875
- Median total compensation: $138,250
- Average salary: $119,843
- Median base salary: $120,000
19. Waltham, Mass.
- Average total compensation: $152,859
- Median total compensation: $146,500
- Average salary: $133,354
- Median base salary: $133,000
20. Richmond, Va.
- Average total compensation: $150,660
- Median total compensation: $123,000
- Average salary: $130,416
- Median base salary: $110,000
21. Charlotte, N.C.
- Average total compensation: $150,540
- Median total compensation: $133,825
- Average salary: $123,945
- Median base salary: $121,500
22. Newark, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $148,786
- Median total compensation: $138,000
- Average salary: $121,288
- Median base salary: $125,000
23. Jersey City, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $147,087
- Median total compensation: $140,000
- Average salary: $124,919
- Median base salary: $120,000
24. Raleigh, N.C.
- Average total compensation: $146,260
- Median total compensation: $125,000
- Average salary: $119,428
- Median base salary: $111,000
25. Reston, Va.
- Average total compensation: $145,851
- Median total compensation: $134,500
- Average salary: $113,537
- Median base salary: $110,000
26. Norfolk, Va.
- Average total compensation: $141,285
- Median total compensation: $80,000
- Average salary: $111,857
- Median base salary: $72,000
27. Nashua, N.H.
- Average total compensation: $141,162
- Median total compensation: $137,500
- Average salary: $120,188
- Median base salary: $120,000
28. Buffalo, N.Y.
- Average total compensation: $140,093
- Median total compensation: $140,000
- Average salary: $124,843
- Median base salary: $126,000
29. Burlington, Vt.
- Average total compensation: $138,915
- Median total compensation: $120,000
- Average salary: $117,372
- Median base salary: $115,000
30. Durham, N.C.
- Average total compensation: $138,835
- Median total compensation: $124,500
- Average salary: $113,794
- Median base salary: $114,000
31. Natick, Mass.
- Average total compensation: $137,279
- Median total compensation: $132,000
- Average salary: $122,911
- Median base salary: $120,000
32. Fairfax, Va.
- Average total compensation: $135,623
- Median total compensation: $124,500
- Average salary: $116,761
- Median base salary: $120,000
33. Whippany, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $135,300
- Median total compensation: $130,000
- Average salary: $128,244
- Median base salary: $130,000
34. Philadelphia
- Average total compensation: $135,087
- Median total compensation: $120,125
- Average salary: $114,599
- Median base salary: $109,500
35. McLean, Va.
- Average total compensation: $134,238
- Median total compensation: $130,000
- Average salary: $122,914
- Median base salary: $120,000
36. Tysons, Va.
- Average total compensation: $132,981
- Median total compensation: $121,450
- Average salary: $120,024
- Median base salary: $111,000
37. Baltimore
- Average total compensation: $131,742
- Median total compensation: $116,500
- Average salary: $107,187
- Median base salary: $99,500
38. Louisville, Ky.
- Average total compensation: $129,362
- Median total compensation: $113,740
- Average salary: $109,067
- Median base salary: $106,500
39. Norwalk, Conn.
- Average total compensation: $129,314
- Median total compensation: $118,000
- Average salary: $119,648
- Median base salary: $117,500
40. Tampa, Fla.
- Average total compensation: $127,986
- Median total compensation: $105,800
- Average salary: $111,626
- Median base salary: $100,000
41. Cary, N.C
- Average total compensation: $126,512
- Median total compensation: $122,500
- Average salary: $115,955
- Median base salary: $120,000
42. Charleston, S.C.
- Average total compensation: $124,189
- Median total compensation: $120,000
- Average salary: $111,266
- Median base salary: $110,000
43. Gaithersburg, Md.
- Average total compensation: $123,275
- Median total compensation: $120,000
- Average salary: $115,441
- Median base salary: $113,000
44. Stamford, Conn.
- Average total compensation: $119,486
- Median total compensation: $105,000
- Average salary: $100,666
- Median base salary: $98,000
45. Wilmington, Del.
- Average total compensation: $119,191
- Median total compensation: $111,000
- Average salary: $107,793
- Median base salary: $106,000
46. Holmdel, N.J.
- Average total compensation: $119,083
- Median total compensation: $120,500
- Average salary: $110,416
- Median base salary: $115,500
47. Columbia, S.C.
- Average total compensation: $116,427
- Median total compensation: $93,250
- Average salary: $108,958
- Median base salary: $85,000
48. Orlando, Fla.
- Average total compensation: $113,248
- Median total compensation: $103,000
- Average salary: $101,144
- Median base salary: $96,900
49. White Plains, N.Y.
- Average total compensation: $111,500
- Median total compensation: $110,500
- Average salary: $101,928
- Median base salary: $99,000
50. New London, Conn.
- Average total compensation: $110,759
- Median total compensation: $87,250
- Average salary: $96,432
- Median base salary: $73,500
Methodology
Blind analyzed the base salaries and total compensation of software engineers in the United States on its platform. Cities were ranked by the average total compensation, including salary and, if applicable, stock-based compensation and annual cash bonuses. All data is self-reported by verified professionals on the professional social network Blind.