SOC 15-1252
Software Developers
Risk Score
⚠️34/100
Moderate
US Employment
👥1,654,440
Total workers
Median Wage
💰$133K
$80K – $211K
Projected Growth
📈+15.8%
2023-2033 (BLS)
GenAI Exposure
🤖80/100
High exposure
💡 Software Developers face a risk score of 34/100 — 10 points below the national average of 44. With 80/100 GenAI exposure, this occupation faces significant pressure from AI tools despite strong projected growth. See our methodology →
💡 Workers in this field earn $133K ($87K above the national median). The 3 recommended career transitions all maintain competitive wages while reducing automation exposure. Explore transition paths →
🔍 AI Impact Analysis
With a risk score of 34/100, Software Developers faces moderate automation pressure. While tasks like machine learning model auto-tuning displacing ml engineers are increasingly handled by AI, the role retains significant human elements. The 1,654,440 workers in this occupation should focus on strengthening skills in architecting novel systems requiring creative problem-solving and stakeholder negotiation and requirements elicitation to stay ahead. The role will likely evolve rather than disappear.
Will AI Replace Software Developers?
Read our full analysis with verdict, risk factors, safe tasks, and career transition paths →
⚠️ Top Risk Factors
Machine learning model auto-tuning displacing ML engineers
AI-powered research and literature review tools
AI-generated written content replacing manual drafting
🛡️ Tasks Safe from Automation
Architecting novel systems requiring creative problem-solving
Stakeholder negotiation and requirements elicitation
Mentoring junior developers and team leadership
Crisis debugging of complex production incidents
📊 vs National Average
National avg: $46K
National avg: 44/100
National avg: 38/100
National avg: 3.7%
🔄 Career Transition Paths
| Occupation | Risk | Wage | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers | 16 | $145K | 61% |
| Mathematicians | 24 | $122K | 70% |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | 30 | $141K | 83% |