Software engineering is one of the fastest growing and most in-demand careers in the world today. As technology continues to evolve and integrate into virtually every industry, the need for qualified software engineers grows exponentially each year. But just how many software engineers are there globally? What countries employ the most software engineers? And which companies have the greatest number of software engineering positions?
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll examine the latest software engineer statistics and break down the numbers in detail. Whether you‘re an aspiring software engineer looking to gauge the job competition or simply curious about the size and scope of this massive global workforce, read on for some insightful data.
Key Software Engineering Statistics
- There are over 26.9 million software engineers worldwide as of 2022
- The United States employs the most software engineers globally with over 687,276
- India comes second with around 5.8 million software engineering professionals
- There are approximately 1.95 million software engineers across Europe
- The highest paying companies for software engineers include Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft and more
- The most commonly used programming languages among engineers are JavaScript, Python, and Java
Total Number of Software Engineers Worldwide
According to data from Statista, there were approximately 23 million software developers and engineers worldwide in 2018. By 2020, that number grew to over 24.5 million. As of 2022, there are now more than 26.9 million people employed globally in the field of software engineering.
Further projections estimate the total will surpass 27.7 million by 2023 and reach around 28.7 million by 2024. The continuous growth can be attributed to the steady expansion of the IT industry as well as increasing demand for software across all sectors.
In the United States alone, there are over 687,276 professionals identified as computer software engineers according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This makes the US the global leader in total software engineers employed.
Behind the US, India possesses the second highest number of software engineering professionals globally with an estimated 5.8 million. Countries like China, Russia, Japan, Canada, Germany, Brazil and Mexico also have significant numbers ranging from hundreds of thousands to over a million.
When it comes to the highest concentration of tech hubs and cities, California’s Silicon Valley reigns supreme. The San Francisco Bay Area employs the greatest density of software engineers from giants like Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Uber and thousands of startups.
Other major hubs include Seattle, Austin, Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, London, Berlin, Toronto, Tel Aviv, Bangalore and Shanghai. These innovation epicenters attract top talent from around the world.
Software Engineers in the United States
With over 687,276 professionals, the United States employs the largest population of software engineers worldwide. Specific data on software engineering positions across key US states and cities reveals where the hottest job markets exist.
Washington tops the list of best states for software engineers with the cities of Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond forming a bustling tech hub. Strong demand stems from tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon and a thriving startup scene. Salaries range from $108k to $147k on average.
The state of California comes a close second, lead by Silicon Valley and major companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, Netflix, Uber and more. The city of San Francisco pays software engineers the highest salaries from $126k to $171k. Other California cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Monica and Irvine also present great opportunities.
Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston and Irving have experienced a tech sector boom in recent years with thousands of software engineering jobs available. Average Texas salaries range from $75k to $120k. Major employers include IBM, Oracle, Dell, Indeed, Apple and TikTok.
Other top paying states include Massachusetts, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Georgia which are home to cities like Boston, Arlington, Denver, Chicago, NYC, Princeton and Atlanta. All offer strong tech scenes with plentiful software engineering roles.
When examining compensation in the US, the national average entry level software engineer salary is $95,000. Mid-level engineers make $113,000 on average while senior engineers earn around $132,000. However, at top tech firms, total compensation packages can exceed $200k to $300k when including salary, stock options, bonuses and benefits.
Software Engineers in Europe
After the United States, Europe possesses the next highest population of software engineering professionals with over 1.95 million reported in 2021.
Germany leads with around 901,000 software developers and engineers employed primarily in cities like Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne. Multinationals like SAP, Siemens, Bosch and BMW operate major R&D hubs alongside thousands of IT startups. Average German tech salaries range from $55k to $85k.
The United Kingdom comes second in Europe with approximately 408,000 software engineers. London stands as the dominant tech hub. Major employers include Deloitte, Accenture, Sky, the BBC, Barclays, BT Group, BAE Systems and more. Average UK developer salaries span from $55k to $105k.
Poland ranks third in Europe with about 250,000 software engineering professionals. International IT services companies have established development centers in cities like Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, Gdansk and Katowice. Polish software engineers earn $40k to $67k on average.
While Sweden and Ukraine have smaller numbers at 180,000 and 212,500 respectively, they have nurtured thriving tech ecosystems. Sweden is home to engineering hubs in Stockholm and Gothenburg. Ukraine has become an offshore software outsourcing hotspot for US and European firms.
Other leading European countries for software engineers include France, Russia, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Top employers are a mix of multinational corporates, IT consulting firms, R&D centers, and product startups across industries.
Software Engineers in Asia
With an estimated over 6.54 million IT professionals, Asia contains a significant software engineering workforce. However, salaries still lag considerably behind the US and EMEA regions. This wage gap has fueled a boom in offshore development outsourcing.
India possesses the largest tech labor pool in Asia with around 5.8 million software developers and engineers. Bangalore, Delhi NCR and Hyderabad are the top tech hubs. Accenture, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant and IBM run massive delivery centers catering predominantly to Western clients. Average salaries range from $6k to $20k.
China has around 3.65 million software engineers concentrated in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hangzhou. Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and Huawei are major employers along with Foxconn, Xiaomi, JD.com and Didi. Chinese tech salaries range from $18k to $48k on average.
Countries like Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea have hundreds of thousands of IT professionals.Singapore and Korea pay the highest salaries ranging from $40k to $80k. However, competition is intense for major companies like Samsung, LG, Lazada, Grab and Sea Group.
Several multinationals have their largest engineering centers in Asian countries due to the talent availability and cost savings. For example, Google‘s biggest R&D office is in Bangalore while Amazon‘s is in Hyderabad. Startups are also abundant across the region.
Software Engineers at Major Tech Companies
When it comes to major tech corporations and software engineering jobs, certain brands stand out for their sheer hiring volume, compensation, perks, benefits, prestige and opportunities.
Google employs approximately 27,169 software engineers across the globe as of 2021. Headquarters are in Mountain View, California along with offices in cities like NYC, Seattle, London, Tokyo, Singapore, Sao Paolo, Zurich and more. Lured by salaries from $350k to $1.2 million total comp, Google receives millions of applications every year for a few thousand open roles.
Facebook has around 8,850 software engineers working across its various products and technologies. Based in Menlo Park, California, Facebook‘s engineering team builds and maintains the biggest social network worldwide plus apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Oculus and more. Reported salaries range from $ 161k to $435k at entry level.
Apple is home to around 12,000 software engineers across hardware, OS, apps, AI/ML, cloud, security and more. Focus areas include iOS, MacOS, watchOS, audio, health technologies and self-driving cars. Apple engineers earn between $175k and $600k based on experience. The company is revered for its design culture and premium brand reputation.
E-commerce giant Amazon currently employs approximately 36,000 software development engineers or SDEs. Teams build platforms like AWS, Alexa, Prime Video, Amazon Music and Kindle alongside the massive online retail operation. Compensation averages around $150k to $185k for SDE roles.
At Microsoft, there are around 100,000 software engineering professionals working on Windows, Office, Azure, Dynamics, Xbox, Skype and more. Average reported salary is approximately $130k with stock bonuses around $25k. However, total comp varies widely from $80k to $300k depending on seniority.
Other top tech companies like Intel, Oracle, Salesforce, Adobe, SAP, Cisco, VMware, PayPal, Uber, Airbnb, Netflix, Twitter, eBay, Shopify, ServiceNow and hundreds of high growth startups also recruit software developers across every technology discipline.
With around 28.7 million software engineers working worldwide across practically every industry, company and technology domain, it‘s clearly one of the most dynamic career paths today. Whether analyzing global totals or statistics by region, the demand for skilled software continues to accelerate rapidly.
Most Used Programming Languages
When it comes to the most popular programming languages used among software engineers globally, JavaScript, Python and Java dominate as the top three according to the PYPL Index.
JavaScript stands as the most widely adopted language with close to 64.96% of developers using it. Tech giants like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and thousands of startups rely on JavaScript for building web apps, sites, mobile apps and games.
Python comes second with a 48.24% share given its versatile capabilities for automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, web backends and more. Engineers love Python for its simplicity, vast libraries and fast prototyping abilities.
Java takes third position with 40.36% usage across software applications, big data, backends, Android apps and much more. The enterprise world runs on Java.
Other mainstream languages like C/C++, C#, PHP, TypeScript, Go, Ruby, Swift and Kotlin also have solid traction globally. Niche and legacy languages like R, Perl, Visual Basic etc. retain smaller segments.
As new technologies emerge, programming languages rise and fall in popularity. But software engineers able to master the top languages and adapt to shifts in the landscape will always be in demand.
Conclusion
The software engineering field has exploded into one of the largest, most lucrative and in-demand professions worldwide. Over 26.9 million developers and engineers code the software, apps, websites, platforms and AI underpinning the global digital economy.
With no signs of slowing down, current projections estimate the total number of software engineering jobs could exceed 28.7 million by 2024. This presents incredible career opportunities but also intense competition. Those who gain relevant education, experience, skills and expertise in top programming languages can take advantage of the accelerating demand across virtually every industry.