Software Developers
Computer and Mathematical
The work starts with user needs and whether a design is feasible given time and cost. Software is then designed, built, and modified, sometimes using mathematical models to predict outcomes, and existing programs are changed to fix errors, adapt to new hardware, or improve interfaces. Testing and validation are developed or directed, and written reports cover specifications and status. Conferring with analysts, engineers, and programmers about limits, performance, and interfaces is routine, as is planning an installation or a change to a system already in use. It suits people who like design trade-offs, coding, and learning new technical material as requirements change.
Typical education: Bachelor’s Degree (4-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$135'980
Median Wage Market Position
$135'980
What you might do
- Weigh user needs against time and cost limits
- Create software systems and measure how designs perform
- Talk with engineers and programmers to plan systems
- Revise existing software to fix errors or improve performance
- Direct testing that checks whether the software works
- Write reports on project plans, progress, and status
Skills that matter
- Judging design feasibility against time and cost
- Building software around user requirements
- Updating software for new hardware or interfaces
- Directing tests, validation, and documentation
- Listening to analysts and engineers
- Modeling how a design will perform
AI & the future of this role
Code generation and routine feature work are likely to face heavy AI assistance, compressing some roles. Product judgment, system design trade-offs, and coordinating messy stakeholder needs still tend to matter, though the mix of skills may keep shifting.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details