The demand for software developers is at an all-time high.
New technologies like cloud computing, AI, and blockchain are creating a huge need for skilled developers. As these technologies grow, businesses need more experts to keep up and stay competitive.
In this article, we’ll explore how many software developers there are in the world and what this means for companies planning for the future.
Top 6 Software Developer Statistics (Editor’s Picks)
We’ve handpicked 35+ of the latest software developer statistics, facts, and trends. Here are 6 that we believe will blow you away.
| 1 | There are 28.7 million software developers worldwide |
| 2 | The number of software developers will grow to 45 million by 2030 |
| 3 | Europe has about 6.1 million software developers |
| 4 | Asia has over 6.5 million software developers |
| 5 | California has the highest number of software developers in the US |
| 6 | Around 60,000 software developers work for Google |
How Many Software Developers Are There?
There are 28.7 million software developers worldwide (Springsapps)
The global number of software developers has reached 28.7 million. This number is expected to grow to 45 million by 2030, with some regions seeing the biggest increases in new developers.
The number of software developers will grow to 45 million by 2030 (Springsapps)
By 2030, the number of software developers worldwide is expected to reach 45 million. This shows significant growth in the tech industry over the coming years.
Let’s take a look at the growth of software developers over the years:
The US and India have the largest software developer populations (Stackoverflow)
The US makes up 18.33% of the global software developer population, followed by India at 12.61%. Germany (6.72%) and the UK (5.37%) also have significant developer communities.
The Asia-Pacific region has the fastest-growing software developer population (Evans Data)
Led by India, the Asia-Pacific region is seeing a 17% growth in its software developer population. Latin America follows closely with a 14% growth rate.
Asia has the highest number of application developers (Truelist)
Asia leads the world in the number of application developers, making up 32.9% of the global developer population. With its strong focus on mobile technology, the region has the highest demand for professionals who create software for mobile operating systems.
How Many Software Developers Are There in the US
The United States has over 4.4 million software developers (GoRemotely)
The U.S. is home to more than 4.4 million software developers. Of this group, around 680,000 have specialized skills in designing, developing, testing, and maintaining software solutions. In 2023, 1.42 million people held software engineer positions, according to Data USA.
California has the highest number of software developers in the US (DQYDJ)
California leads all U.S. states with 628,414 software developers. It not only has the most developers but also the highest average skill levels among them.
Here are the top 15 US states with the highest number of software developers:
| State | Number of workers |
| California | 628,414 |
| Texas | 324,717 |
| New York | 218,041 |
| Virginia | 204,699 |
| Illinois | 186,426 |
| Florida | 181,314 |
| New Jersey | 162,977 |
| Pennsylvania | 152,900 |
| Maryland | 147,430 |
| Washington | 143,971 |
| Massachusetts | 141,755 |
| Ohio | 136,615 |
| Georgia | 129,145 |
| North Carolina | 125,937 |
| Michigan | 115,359 |
Washington, DC has the highest percentage of software developers in the US (Forbes)
Washington, DC, leads the country with 6.46% of its workforce employed in tech. Software developers in DC also have some of the highest earnings, with an average annual salary of $119,610.
Here are the top 15 US states with the largest percentage of software developers:
| State | Percentage |
| Washington DC | 6.46% |
| Virginia | 4.43% |
| Maryland | 4.41% |
| Washington | 3.75% |
| Massachusetts | 3.64% |
| Colorado | 3.48% |
| New Jersey | 3.40% |
| New Hampshire | 3.35% |
| Delaware | 3.16% |
| California | 3.15% |
| Minnesota | 2.93% |
| Utah | 2.80% |
| Illinois | 2.74% |
| Connecticut | 2.69% |
| Georgia | 2.51% |
Around 60,000 software developers work for Google (DistantJob)
Google employs over 100,000 people in the US, with an estimated 60,000 working as software developers. While the exact number isn’t confirmed, developers make up a significant portion of Google’s workforce.
How Many Developers Are There In Europe
Europe has about 6.1 million software developers (Stackoverflow)
Europe has around 6.1 million software developers, more than the U.S. This number has grown from 4.7 million in 2016 and 5.5 million in 2018, with Germany, France, and the UK leading in Western Europe.
Germany has the highest number of software developers in Europe (Statista)
Germany has more software developers than any other country in Europe. It is also home to many tech companies and has one of the largest ICT markets in the world.
Here are the top 15 countries with the highest number of software developers:
| Country | Number of developers |
| Germany | 1,000,000 |
| France | 533,000 |
| The United Kingdom | 465,000 |
| Spain | 323,000 |
| The Netherlands | 321,000 |
| Italy | 314,000 |
| Sweden | 179,000 |
| Swtizerland | 155,000 |
| Austria | 109,000 |
| Belgium | 109,000 |
The EU market faces a shortage of 500,000 developers (ManpowerGroup)
The EU has a shortage of 500,000 developers, despite the growing number of software professionals. Many companies struggle to find local talent due to the high demand for IT experts across the region.
How Many Developers Are There In Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe has more than 1.3 million software developers (Emerging Europe)
Eastern Europe is home to over 1.3 million software developers with a wide range of skills and tech stacks. Poland leads with 525,000 professionals, followed by Ukraine with 363,000. The Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria also have significant numbers of IT specialists.
Poland has the highest number of software developers in Eastern Europe (Statista)
Poland leads Eastern Europe with over 400,000 software developers. Ukraine follows with 200,000, and Romania ranks third in the region.
Here’s the breakdown of the number of software developers in Eastern Europe:
| Country | Number of developers |
| Poland | 295,000 |
| Ukraine | 200,000 |
| Romania | 105,000 |
| The Czech Republic | 96,000 |
| Bulgaria | 66,000 |
How Many Developers Are There In Asia
Asia has over 6.5 million software developers (Statista)
Asia has a strong pool of over 6.5 million software developers, with numbers expected to grow by 6-8% annually. The region’s expanding outsourcing market is a key factor attracting more individuals to the field, with China and other Asian countries leading in developer populations.
Here’s a list of countries in Asia and their number of developers based on available data:
| Country | Number of developers |
| China | 7 million |
| India | 5.8 million |
| Japan | 1.2 million |
| Thailand | 550,000 |
| Vietnam | 530,000 |
| Philippines | 200,000 |
| Singapore | 200,000 |
| South Korea | 150,122 |
| Malaysia | 143,000 |
India has the fastest-growing IT industry in Asia (BairesDev)
India’s IT industry is growing at over 7.5%, with tech talent rising by 120% since 2019. Around 2 million graduates enter fields like IT services, software development, and data science each year, fueling this growth.
How Many Developers Are There In LATAM
Latin America has around 2 million software developers (BairesDev)
Latin America has approximately 2 million software developers, and this number is growing as countries invest in tech skills and education. Argentina’s government, for example, launched a free coding program in 2022 to boost tech careers. In 2021, the region saw $19.5 billion in venture capital and tech investments.
Here’s a breakdown of the estimated number of software developers in LATAM countries based on available data:
| Country | Number of developers |
| Brazil | 759,278 |
| Mexico | 563,075 |
| Argentina | 167,414 |
| Colombia | 85,721 |
| Chile | 59,111 |
| Peru | 32,347 |
| Ecuador | 28,201 |
| Costa Rica | 16,215 |
| Uruguay | 16,003 |
How Many Developers Are There In Africa
Africa has 716,000 software developers (Google)
Africa is home to 716,000 software developers, with South Africa accounting for 121,000 of them. There is strong demand for developers across the continent, especially for mobile app developers, with around 50% of African developers skilled in building Android apps.
Here’s a breakdown of the estimated number of software developers in African countries based on available data:
| Country | Number of developers |
| South Africa | 121,000 |
| Nigeria | 89,000 |
| Egypt | 89,000 |
| Kenya | 55,000 |
| Morocco | 50,000 |
| Ghana | 30,000 |
| Tunisia | 30,000 |
| Tanzania | 25,000 |
| Uganda | 20,000 |
| Ethiopia | 15,000 |
Africa’s application development software market will reach $3.34 billion by 2029 (Statista)
Africa’s application development software market is expected to grow by 8.22%, reaching $3.34 billion by 2029. This growth comes from the increasing demand for digital solutions and a growing tech ecosystem across the continent.
Number of Software Developers by Programming Language
JavaScript has the largest number of developers with 13.8 million (Springapps)
JavaScript is the most widely used programming language, with 13.8 million developers. It is used by 63.61% of developers, followed by HTML/CSS at 52.97% and Python at 49.28%. In 2024, over 14 million companies adopted JavaScript tools.
Here’s a breakdown of the number of software developers by Programming Language:
| Programming language | Number of developers |
| JavaScript | 16.5 million |
| HTML/CSS | 14 million |
| Python | 11.3 million |
| Java | 9 million |
| C# | 6.8 million |
| PHP | 7.3 million |
| C++ | 5 million |
| Swift | 1.5 million |
Rust is the highest-earning programming language, with salaries up to $150,000 per year (Pesto)
Rust developers can earn up to $150,000 annually, making it the highest-paying programming language. Python follows closely in terms of salary, showing its high demand in tech. Developer pay depends on experience, location, and industry.
Here’s a breakdown of the highest-paid software developers by programming language:
| Programming language | Avg. Yearly Salary (USD) |
| Rust | $140,000 |
| Python | $129,588 |
| Go (Golang) | $105,000 |
| Scala | $120,000 |
| Java | $115,000 |
| C++ | $108,000 |
| JavaScript | $100,000 |
| Swift | $98,000 |
| TypeScript | $96,000 |
| Kotlin | $94,000 |
| Ruby | $92,000 |
Software Developer Demographic Statistics
Software engineers in Washington State earn an average of $105,406 per year (Radix)
Software engineers in Washington State have the highest salaries in the U.S., with an average annual income of $105,406. The state also has the highest percentage of engineers, making up 6.42% of its workforce.
54.2% of software developers in the United States are White (Techreport)
In the U.S., 54.2% of software developers are white. Among them, 14.1% are women and 85.9% are men. Asian developers make up 33.7%, while 5.64% identify as Two or More Races.
The average age of IT developers in the United States is 39.8 years (Techreport)
In the U.S., IT developers are, on average, 39.8 years old. Globally, most developers are younger, with 39.52% of them between the ages of 25 and 34.
29% of software developers have five to nine years of coding experience (Statista)
A recent survey shows that 29% of software developers have been coding for five to nine years. Another 20% have 10 to 14 years of experience in the field.
Conclusion
The number of software developers is growing fast, and this trend will continue.
There are 28.7 million developers today, and by 2030, that number will rise to 45 million. The U.S. has 4.4 million developers, while Asia has over 6.5 million. As fields like AI and cloud computing grow, the demand for these experts will rise.
Businesses that focus on hiring developers now will stay prepared for the future. The tech industry will need more skilled developers to keep up with these changes, making it important for companies to plan ahead.
FAQ
How many software developers are there in the world?
There are 28.7 million software developers globally.
Which country has the most software developers?
The U.S. leads with 4.4 million developers, followed by India.
Which region has the fastest-growing software developer population?
The Asia-Pacific region, led by India, is growing the fastest.
How many software developers work for Google?
Google employs around 60,000 software developers.
Which programming language has the most developers?
JavaScript leads with 13.8 million developers worldwide.
