Python Developer Salary: Your 2026 Guide

作者：Coursera Staff • 更新于 Feb 21, 2026

Python is a high-level, versatile programming language with various applications for websites, games, mobile apps, and software. Read on to learn the average Python developer salary based on location, education, industry, and more.

[Featured Image] A python developer looks at code on their laptop and desktop computer in their home office.

Key takeaways

Python developers are typically paid well for their skills and are responsible for coding, designing, and deploying projects in Python.

According to Glassdoor, the median total pay for a Python developer is $129,000 [1].

The salary you earn as a Python developer will depend on your education level, years of experience with Python programming, and the company you work for.

You can increase your earning potential as a Python developer by gaining skills, choosing a well-paying location and industry, and earning relevant certifications.

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What is a Python developer?

While there are many roles in tech that use Python, a Python developer will be expected to have a higher understanding and skill level when using Python to accomplish tasks.

A Python developer is a member of a computer programming team that creates and debugs projects using Python. In this role, you might work closely with other data collection and analytics teams to create solutions to questions.

Are Python developers in demand?

Python developers are in demand. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, software developer jobs have a growth outlook of 15 percent from 2024 to 2034 [2]. Although this growth isn’t specific to Python, developers responding to the Stack Overflow Survey of 2025 said 57.9 percent were using Python in their work [3].

Python software developer salary

According to Glassdoor, Python developers make a total salary of $96,000 to $170,000 per year in the US [1]. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. The salary for Python developers, according to four pay aggregate sites, is as follows [1, 4, 5, 6]:

Glassdoor (median total pay)	Payscale (average base pay)	Indeed (average base pay)	US BLS (median pay)
$129,000	$91,180	$125,709	$133,080

Your salary as a Python developer may be influenced by factors such as where you live, who you work for, and your level of expertise.

Factors that affect Python developer salary

Your Python developer salary will likely depend on your:

Education
Certifications
Experience
Skills
Location
Industry
Company you work for

Take a detailed look at these factors and current salary trends.

Education

Completing more education can help you earn more money as a Python developer. According to Zippia, here are the median salary ranges that correspond to education level [7] :

Bachelor’s degree: $98,319
Master’s degree: $106,109
Doctorate: $113,927

Employers will typically require at least a bachelor’s degree to become a Python developer. Here is a breakdown of typical education for Python developers [8] :

High school diploma: 2 percent
Associate degree: 5 percent
Bachelor’s degree: 71 percent
Master’s degree: 19 percent

Linked image with text "See how your Coursera Learning can turn into bachelor's degree credit at University of London"

Certification

Earning certification is a great way to expand your earning potential and verify your skills and knowledge to employers. According to Pearson Vue, 32 percent of IT professionals across all categories see an increase in their salary after gaining certification [9]. The Python Institute Open Education and Development Group (OpenEDG) offers certification tracks for Python professionals, which include:

General-purpose programming

◦ Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer (PCEP)

◦ Certified Associate Python Programmer (PCAP)

◦ Certified Professional Python Programmer Level 1 (PCPP1)

◦ Certified Professional Python Programmer Level 2 (PCPP2) (Work in progress)

Testing

◦ Certified Entry-Level Tester with Python (PCET)

◦ Certified Associate Tester with Python (PCAT)

◦ Certified Professional Tester with Python (PCPT) (Work in progress)

Data Science

◦ Certified Entry-Level Data Analyst with Python (PCED)

◦ Certified Associate Data Analyst with Python (PCAD)

More certifications in security, network programming, and web development from The Python Institute are coming in the future, as well.

Read more: How Do I Get Python Certification?

Experience

Another factor that impacts your salary as a Python developer is your experience level. Here is a median total salary breakdown according to years of experience from Glassdoor [1] :

0–1 year of experience: $96,000
1–3 years of experience: $102,000
4–6 years of experience: $115,000
7–9 years of experience: $125,000
10–14 years of experience: $134,000
15+ years of experience: $146,000

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of February 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Skills

A Python developer’s earnings change based on skill set. Here are three skills and how much they can increase your salary on average, according to Payscale [4]:

SQL: $86,650
Data analysis: $99,990
Django: $90,000

Location

Where you’re located can also influence how much you’re paid. Cities with higher cost of living will usually offer higher wages. The following are the average salaries based on the highest-paying cities and states for Python developers.

Highest-paying cities [5]

Providence, RI: $163,254
New York, NY: $145,251
Jersey City, NJ: $133,661
Houston, TX: $130,888
Plano, TX: $128,551
Charlotte, NC: $127,791
Chicago, IL: $126,695
Fort Worth, TX: $123,351
Austin, TX: $121,094

Highest-paying states [10]

California: $130,878
New York: $129,126
Virginia: $127,741
New Jersey: $127,219
Massachusetts: $126,213
Maryland: $125,761
Connecticut: $122,800
New Mexico: $122,769
Washington: $122,126
Delaware: $121,875

Industry

Python developers are needed to create software solutions in a wide variety of industries, from financial services to manufacturing. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers insight into how different industries can affect a software developer's median salary [6]:

Software publishers: $149,990
Manufacturing: $134,910
Management of companies and enterprises: $133,650
Finance and insurance: $132,880
Computer systems design and related services: $129,890

Zippia provides average software developer salary data for a few additional industries [7]:

Finance: $104,286
Manufacturing: $103,449
Media: $101,235
Technology: $99,091
Telecommunication: $98,470
Professional: $91,748

Company

Even within an industry, the company you work for will also impact your salary. Glassdoor offers a breakdown of median salaries by company [1]:

Google: $170,000
Bank of America: $135,000
CyberCoders: $126,000
Career Soft Solutions: $107,000
Emonics: $102,000

Python developers are similar to other programming and development roles. Here are some related job titles and their median total salaries as reported by Glassdoor:

Android developer: $107,000 [11]
Front-end developer: $101,000 [12]
iOS developer: $132,000 [13]
Java developer: $118,000 [14]
Lead developer: $152,000 [15]
Mainframe developer: $118,000[16]
PHP developer: $108,000 [17]

Explore our free resources for Python

Join Career Chat on LinkedIn to get timely updates on popular skills, tools, and certifications in software development. Build or refresh your Python skills with our other free resources:

Study terms: Python Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions | Coursera

Watch on YouTube: Career Spotlight: Python Developer

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