Top Software Development Companies in Seattle in 2024

One of the most promising software development hubs in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is a well-known city among developers around the world. You’ll find top software development companies in Seattle and the U.S., such as Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Google, Accenture, Expedia, and many more. In addition to excellent employment opportunities in the tech sector, the city is also a great place to live.

Unlike other tech hubs in the United States, Seattle comes out on top when it comes to livable and affordable tech cities. It also has a booming startup culture that promotes growth for developers and companies. A high concentration of tech companies ensures the region has investment coming in, along with a strong demand for developers. Whether you’re looking for a career in IT or a place to build a tech startup, the top software development companies in Seattle and the city’s livability make it a popular place to settle down.

Seattle boasts an educated population that fuels digitization. And the only way to meet the demands of the digital world is through software solutions. Hence, tech innovations have become the backbone of top software development companies in Seattle. 

In this guide, we examine Seattle’s software development industry from various angles while gauging its strengths as one of the USA’s tech hubs. Keep reading to see how Seattle’s software industry fares against major tech cities and what changes to expect in the future.

Major Tech Companies in Seattle

Other than its tech scene, Seattle is also known for its natural beauty and high quality of life which attracts workers from around the world.

The concentration of top software development companies in Seattle ensures that entry-level and senior-level software developers can thrive here. However, it also means fierce competition for investors and job seekers. Then again, competition also brings higher salaries and better opportunities for career growth and development.

These factors make Seattle one of the most popular tech cities and software development hubs in the U.S. Let’s look at the top tech companies in Seattle that are driving the demand for software developer jobs in the city.

Microsoft

Software development giant, Microsoft, is a major tech company that’s leading the tech scene in Seattle. Located in Seattle’s Redmond suburbs, the company boasts a global workforce of 221,000. Roughly 57,000 of these employees are located in Seattle.

Amazon

Located in northern Seattle, Amazon is another tech giant with a large footprint in the area. The company specializes in e-commerce and hires roughly 65,000 employees in Seattle.

Tableau Software

An interactive data visualization software company, Tableau Software, is located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. According to Indeed, Tableau Software has more than 220 job openings for developers in the city.

F5 Networks

F5 Networks is a tech company that specializes in application development and security solutions. The company is headquartered in downtown Seattle and curently has around 155 job openings.

Market Overview: Software Development in Seattle

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Seattle is one of the top 3 metropolitan areas with the highest number of jobs for software developers. Around 160,660 residents have tech jobs. Despite the figure, there is still a high demand for developers in the city. According to Indeed, Seattle is among the top 9 cities in the U.S. where the highest number of software engineering jobs can be found.

However, the gap is nothing to worry about as demand and supply are evenly matched. The city also enjoys its fair share of industry-wide growth.

Employment of software developers in the U.S. is expected to grow by 25% between 2022 and 2032. It is predicted to be the fastest growing occupation in the country with around 153,900 openings for software developer jobs per year.

Current and Upcoming Trends in Software Development

Thanks to the presence of numerous top software development companies in Seattle, the city has been able to keep up with global tech trends. In fact, many top software development companies in Seattle have been the trendsetters behind these changes. 

Here are a few of the top software development trends in Seattle and the companies behind them:

• Aftermath Finance is growing the various applications of blockchain solutions by developing decentralized exchange solutions.
• Matillion’s develops cloud-native tools for business as the demand for them accelerates.
• We’re seeing the increased adoption of cost-saving progressive web applications (PWAs), apps that rely on web platform technologies. Bilberry is fueling this trend by offering a full range of web app development services.
• Security is being integrated throughout the IT lifescycle with DevSecOps. This is one of the projects that Amazon Web Services (AWS) is working on.
• The industry-wide adoption of 5G connectivity continues. T-Mobile is capitalizing on this trend by coming up with a 5G slicing beta for developers.
• Outsourcing remains a trend for tech companies that want to cut costs and are experiencing skill shortages. Slashdev connects freelance developers with fast-growing companies around the world.
• Cyber-attacks are fueling the demand for advanced cybersecurity solutions. Auth0 has an authentication and authorization platform.
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence-as-a-service is emerging. Meanwhile, Aigen produces AI-driven robotics for agriculture.

Technical Expertise of Seattle-Based Developers

The technical expertise of any developer can only be gauged by the programming technologies they know and their experience. When it comes to developer experience, the more the better. And when it comes to technologies, more versatile applications have the upper hand.

Here are some of the most popular technologies and frameworks used by top software development companies in Seattle and across the world.

JavaScript

JavaScriptJavaScript is one of the easiest coding languages to learn. It is used in developing webpages, games, mobile apps, web servers, and more.

Java

Java is another in-demand coding language among top software development companies in Seattle. It is used for developing web apps, server apps, Android apps, embedded space, back-end solutions, big data tech, IoT solutions, games, and more. 

Python

Python is one of the most versatile coding languages and is highly sought after in the software market. The programming language is very easy for beginners to learn. Python is used for app development, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, code testing, video games, etc. 

Swift

Swift is a common coding language among top software development companies in Seattle. It is also the language of choice for developing iOS-based applications. Swift is easy to use and requires fewer coding skills.

C#

C# is another popular programming language used for desktop/web/mobile app development along with gaming and virtual reality (VR) solutions.

While popular and in-demand, 3 to 4 coding languages do not make a career in software development. Here are some commonly used programming technologies and frameworks that are commonly-required in Seattle developer jobs.

• Rust
• Ruby
• Scala
• Kotlin
• PHP
• SQL

Case Studies Showcasing Successful Software Projects in Seattle

A talented software developer pool along with top software development companies in Seattle ensures a variety of software projects with applications across major sectors like healthcare, tourism, aerospace, and more.

Here are some case studies of successful software development projects from Seattle:

Microsoft

• Year founded: 1975
• Founder(s): Bill Gates, Paul Allen
• Annual revenue: $198.27 billion (2022)

Description: We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Microsoft in our list of successful software development projects. Microsoft is responsible for Windows operating systems (its bestselling products), office applications, and more. 

Microsoft is today’s top software vendor in the world. The company also sells computing devices as well as cloud services and systems. Recently, its cloud operations have been its fastest growing and most profitable segment. 

Microsoft’s headquarters is in Redmond, Washington, part of Seattle’s metropolitan area. The company moved there in 1986 before it went public. Occupying over 8 million square feet, the Microsoft campus employs over 50,000 people.

GOFUNDME.ORG 

• Year founded: 2010
• Founder(s): Brad Damphousse, Andrew Ballester
• Annual revenue: $113.9 million

Established in 2017, GoFundMe.org is a nonprofit that raises funds through its online community. Unlinke other fundraising platforms, GoFundMe enables users to raise awareness and collect funds for personal life events and even relatively minor causes like medical expenses, tuition, funerals, and even their pets.

The company needed a feature-rich and credible platform to represent it. Seattle-based company, Bilberrry, helped GoFundMe.org revamp its online presence by working on its website design, custom WordPress development, branding, and content strategy.

Founded in 2009, Bilberrry is known for developing and designing custom applications and digital experiences for Fortune 500 companies. Its founders are Adam Brazg and Ross Dzikovsky. The company regularly raises amounts of $4 million for different causes.

Qualtrics

Launched in 1937, automotive company Volkswagen was looking to increase customer loyalty across its Australian dealerships. They also wanted to incorporate a solution that would help them boost employee engagement.

Volkswagen partnered with Seattle-based Qualtrics to build a platform that would help them turn data into insights faster while sharing relevant information with their dealerships. They successfully managed to increase employee engagement and the customer experience after implementation.

Qualtrics specializes in experience management solutions. They generated $1.4 million in revenue in 2022. It was founded in 2002 by Scott M. Smith, Ryan Smith, Jared Smith, and Stuart Orgill.

Storytellers for Change

Storytellers has been helping people and businesses tell their stories since 2010. Over time, they realized that they needed to streamline their operations and reduce time-consuming processes.

Lunarbyte helped them do both by creating a custom software solution and by helping them migrate their data to the cloud. The project also involved integrating multiple APIs into those solutions to help their team automate their processes.

Founded by Benjamin Daschel, Eetu Vartia, and Francisco Navarro, Lunarbyte is a team of developers that help businesses bring their software solutions to life. The company generated a revenue of $126,000 in 2021.

Software Development in Seattle: Education and Talent Pool

The top software development companies in Seattle and the local municipality are firmly committed to investing in the growth of their communities and employees. This is one of the reasons why Seattle has plenty of skilled software developers.

The breadth of its talent pool is further cultivated by companies like Amazon and its upskilling program. The full-time program created by expert Amazon software engineers helps aspiring employees become software engineers in 9 months. And that’s regardless of their technical skill or background.

Despite the downtrend in the industry’s hiring, Seattle has maintained its position as a strong tech hub for those who are after career advancement The city supports around 112 active startups and spin-offs while fueling the growth of the industry through tech events like Techstars Startup Week and resources like Startup Seattle and the Washington Technology Industry Association. There are also venture capital firms such as Essence VC that support early-stage tech startups.

According to a poll, Seattle was the most popular city in America among post-graduates. However, the city also offers a healthy selection of software development training programs. Here is a list of universities in Seattle and Washington state that offer certificate courses in software development.

• University of Washington
• Seattle University
• City University of Seattle
• Northeastern University (Seattle)
• Seattle Pacific University
• Washington State University
• Western Washington University
• Central Washington University
• Eastern Washington University
• Gonzaga University

Software developers in Seattle who are looking to upgrade their skills can also consider enrolling in one of the region’s many coding boot camps. Here are our top picks:

• Nucamp
• CodingU
• Epicodus
• Code Fellows
• DigitalCrafts
• Data Science Dojo
• Flatiron School
• Hack Reactor
• General Assembly
• The University of Washington Bootcamps

Coding boot camps in Seattle offer the flexibility of virtual and in-person learning which is useful for working professionals, students, and individuals with busy schedules.

Software Development in Seattle: Salaries and Compensation

Software developers working for top software development companies in Seattle can earn an average base salary of $135,660 per year. However, the compensation for developers typically varies based on factors such as coding skills, experience, expertise, company, job roles and responsibilities, etc.

Here are some of the popular software development-related job titles and their average annual salaries in Seattle.

• Full-stack developers: $140,601 per year
• Back-end developers: $158,367 per year
• Front-end developers: $135,884 per year
• Machine learning engineers: $171,077 per year
• App developers: $108,629 per year
• Web developers: $134,378 per year
• Software engineering managers: $196,746 per year

When it comes to wages, Seattle ranks 4th on the list of top-paying metropolitan areas in the USA. It shares the spot with Tacoma and Bellevue.

Apart from Seattle, other metropolitan areas with better-paying software developer roles include cities like San Jose, San Francisco, Boulder, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Oakland, and Hayward.

According to Indeed, software engineers are paid the highest salaries in San Francisco, CA. Software developers in San Francisco earn an average base salary of $157,530 annually.

Cost of Living in Seattle

Seattle’s cost of living is higher than 72% of cities in the USA and more expensive than 92% of cities in the world. A family of 4 in Seattle will need to budget up to $6,226 for their monthly expenses. Meanwhile, one person will need to allocate at least $3,776 for their monthly expenses.

Compared with the rest of North American cities, Seattle’s cost of living occupies the 9th spot. Hence, Seattle is one of the most expensive cities in the USA.

Cost of living typically includes housing/rent, clothing, transportation, utilities, food, entertainment, and personal care expenses. And while Seattle’s cost of living is much higher than the national average, it’s still lower than other tech cities. 

Seattle’s cost of living is 23% cheaper than New York's. New York has the highest cost of living in the USA followed by San Francisco, Miami, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and Chicago. Its higher costs are why top software development companies in Seattle pay a much higher salary than other tech hubs.

Impact of Cost of Living on Seattle’s Software Development Project Costs

Cities with higher costs of living report higher salary ranges for software developer roles across the U.S. This also means higher budgets for startups that are looking to hire software developers from Seattle.

On average, the rates for software developers in the United States range from $30 to $80 per hour. Note that the hourly rates in the United States are some of the most expensive globally but the quality of the work is also high.

Compared to the national rates, the hourly pay for developers in Seattle is $42 to $79. Seattle’s software developers are paid some of the highest salaries in the world.

Why Select Seattle for Software Development?

Home to some of the biggest and best software development companies in Seattle and the world, Seattle is an epicenter of technology. It has a strong tech market with a large mix of tech giants along with innovative startups. The trendsetting companies here specialize in a wide array of industries such as cybersecurity, e-commerce, gaming, etc. These factors ensure that there is no shortage of jobs in the tech industry and ample opportunities for career growth.

In addition, the city is home to a large network of incubators, accelerators, and venture capitalists. So, it doesn’t lack funding opportunities either. Then, there are also multiple tech events, gatherings, and networking opportunities happening regularly.

Seattle also has a steady flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) that goes to software and IT services, ensuring that project development continues to thrive.

Conclusion

Seattle’s business and cultural scene attract students, job seekers, and businesses. Although Seattle is one of the most expensive cities in the USA, it is more affordable than other tech hubs.

Though the pandemic delivered a huge blow to most industries across various cities, Seattle’s tech sector has been quick to bounce back. While this is mainly thanks to the top software companies in Seattle, the government initiatives and FDI also help. Overall, there’s a lot going for Seattle and its tech industry in the coming years. Whatever aspect of the industry is considered, Seattle is a prime location for software development at all levels in 2024.