2026-11-09
Software developers are 7.1× more concentrated in San Jose than nationally
New York has the most software developer jobs, but San Jose is where the work most defines the local economy.
In 30 seconds
- FactIn the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara metro area, software developers have a location quotient of 7.1: their share of local jobs is 7.1 times their share nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
- FactNew York has the most software developer jobs of any metro area: 121,000 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
- Analysis"Where the most jobs are" and "where the work defines the city" are different questions, and they point to different places.
What happened
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey counts jobs by occupation in every U.S. metro area. In the May 2025 data, New York has more software developer jobs than any other metro area, 121,000.
A location quotient compares an occupation's share of local jobs with its share nationally. For software developers in San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara it is 7.1, meaning the work is 7.1 times as common there as in the U.S. overall.
Why it matters
A big job count usually reflects a big city. A high location quotient tells you something different: that an occupation shapes the local economy, its employers, its networks and its training pipelines.
For a student weighing where to study or start a career, both numbers are useful, but they answer different questions.
What this does not mean
It does not mean San Jose has the most software developer jobs. New York has more.
It does not mean a software developer will earn more or live better in San Jose. Location quotient measures concentration, not pay or cost of living.
It does not describe any single employer or forecast future hiring. It is a snapshot from May 2025.
The evidence
Every figure above comes from the page below, with its source one tap away.
Questions to ask
- Do I want to work where my field is the biggest in absolute numbers, or where it defines the local economy?
- What does pay look like in each place after cost of living?
- Which nearby schools and programs feed that local industry?
What would change our view
The next OEWS release will show whether these concentrations are holding steady.
History
2026-10-25 · Draft generated from content/leads.md (lead found 2026-10-23); figures copied from the lead and checked against data/build/pay/15-1252.json.
2026-11-09 · Figures re-checked against data/build (BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2025–35); approved and published.
Sources
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (metropolitan areas), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-11-11.