Washington, California, and Virginia Formed a Weight-Stable State Tier for Software Developers

Washington, California, and Virginia formed the weight-stable state tier for software developers in MyTopMatch's matched 2024 Geographic Opportunity analysis. Their composite scores were 98.36, 97.88, and 90.74, and their RPP-adjusted median wages were approximately $155,972, $154,362, and $133,002.

Each state appeared in the top five in all 500 frozen pillar-weight draws under the primary robust-CDF normalization. New York and North Carolina completed the primary top five, with inclusion rates of 83.0% and 96.8%. A separate percentile-normalization specification placed Virginia sixth, so the headline is explicitly conditional on the primary scoring architecture.

What the score measures

The index combines three equal pillars: employment scale, occupational concentration, and pay. The pay pillar averages the RPP-adjusted software-developer median with the occupation's median-wage premium relative to the all-occupation median in the same state.

Each component is normalized among eligible state and District of Columbia observations for software developers. A score of 98 indicates a high relative position on the defined inputs. It is not a 98% probability of finding a job or a claim that the state is 98% better than another location.

Three states, three different profiles

Washington combined 91,470 software developers, a 2.41 location quotient, and a nominal median wage of $166,910. California had the largest employment base at 292,630 and a nominal median of $170,910. Virginia combined 83,290 jobs and a 1.91 location quotient with a lower pay pillar.

After applying 2024 all-items Regional Price Parities, Washington's adjusted median slightly exceeded California's. The calculation improves broad purchasing-power comparability across states. It does not reproduce a household budget or capture taxes, equity compensation, remote-work salary policies, or within-state housing variation.

Why the analysis uses matched 2024 data

May 2025 is the latest OEWS edition, while 2024 remains the current RPP price-level year as of publication. MyTopMatch keeps a matched 2024 purchasing-power edition separate from a 2025 nominal reference. This avoids combining a current wage observation with an unmatched price year.

How job seekers can use the tier

Use the tier to shortlist states, then move to metro-level estimates, current openings, and actual offers. Compare base pay, bonus, equity, benefits, taxes, housing, childcare, transportation, work arrangements, employer depth, and personal constraints. A robust state-level position can still be a poor individual choice.

Eligibility and sensitivity

Eligible cells require complete employment, employment relative standard error, location quotient, median wage, local all-occupation median wage, and 2024 RPP. Employment RSE must be no more than 20%. Forty-nine of 51 state/DC cells passed; Alaska exceeded the RSE threshold, and Vermont lacked required employment and concentration inputs.

Important limits

• OEWS covers wage-and-salary jobs and excludes self-employed workers.
• State averages hide metro, neighborhood, and employer variation.
• RPP is an all-items regional price index, not a software-developer or household-specific basket.
• The index does not observe vacancies, hiring probability, taxes, equity compensation, or remote-work eligibility.
• Weight stability inside one normalization is not universal rank stability.