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Profession JRI–80 / Technology

Will AI replace software engineers?

This is one of the healthier outlooks in our index despite heavy task exposure. The labor projection is 15.8% growth by 2034 for 1,687,890 engineers, who earn a median $135,980.

The risk spectrum — where Software Engineer sits
Software Engineer vs the 83 other jobs
Risk rank80 / 84
Automation timeline5-10 years
Median salary$135,980
Projected growth+15.8% (2024–34)
01 / Your plan

The skills that keep you relevant.

Picked to match what this role actually asks for — refreshed weekly, never by what a platform pays.

What you'll learn
PythonJavaREST APIs
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Updated Sep 21, 2026

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02 / Job market

Official outlook: still growing.

Within the 84 professions
Salary$135,980
$31k$171k
Growth+15.8% (2024–34)
-25.9%33.5%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a +15.8% change in employment for this occupation between 2024 and 2034, from a current base of 1,687,890 people employed earning a median of $135,980 a year.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–34 & OEWS May 2025.

AI adoption in postings →

03 / Real salaries

Software Engineer salaries by city

Median pay from real records (H-1B filings and tech job postings), across the cities with most observations.

Seattle$161,000New York$164,858Sunnyvale$181,000Redmond$165,342Austin$132,267Irving$105,997

Range shows p25–p75; the dot is the median. Sources carry a documented bias — see the full salary page.

See real salaries →

04 / How to enter

How to become a software engineer.

Typical preparation

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

Job training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Getting in is one thing — the day-to-day runs on a specific set of tools and skills:

Foundations
Core skills
Tools

Full skill path with courses →

06 / FAQ

What people ask.

01Will AI replace software engineers?
Automation already handles about 61% of observed use as tools generate, complete, and refactor code on request. The index projects 15.8% growth by 2034 for 1,687,890 engineers, so the role is not disappearing; the scarce skill is deciding what to build and designing how pieces fit, not writing code.
02How soon could AI replace Software Engineers?
A 5-10 year window is the estimated timeframe for automation effects on Software Engineers. Observational data shows about 61% of use tilts toward automation, with tools generating, completing, and refactoring code on request, so gradual change is expected.
03What skills keep Software Engineers relevant?
System design and architecture and AI and machine-learning engineering are listed as high-demand skills for Software Engineers. Technical leadership carries medium demand. The evidence also notes that writing code is not the scarce skill; deciding what to build and owning trade-offs matters more.
04How does someone become a Software Engineer?
Preparation commonly begins with a four-year bachelor's degree, though that requirement is not universal. High-demand skills for entering include programming, critical thinking, and judgment and decision making. The evidence also shows tools like C#, NoSQL, and AWS software as familiar parts of the work.
05Is Software Engineer a good career to start in 2026?
Starting a Software Engineer career in 2026 appears reasonable. Projected growth is 15.8% by 2034, with 1,687,890 engineers currently employed. Median earnings in this field are $135,980, and the risk level is medium, tempered by about 61% of observed use tilting toward automation.
06What do Software Engineers do on a daily basis?
Software Engineers analyze information to determine and plan system installations, and they analyze user needs and software requirements to assess design feasibility within time and cost constraints. They also confer with project managers and systems analysts to define project limitations, and tools like Apache Kafka, NoSQL, and AWS are common in the work.