1099 Software Developer Jobs in Washington
What independent software developers earn in Washington, where the work is, and what to charge.
- Software Developers employed
- 91,470
- Median annual pay
- $166,910
- 1099 equivalent
- $222,633
- Suggested hourly
- $133.79
- State income tax
- None
BLS OEWS, May 2024
all employment types
1.33× — estimate
at 80% utilisation
one of nine states
Washington has 91,470 software developers and a median wage of $166,910. This page works through what that means for an independent contractor: the pay spread, the rate you need to quote to come out ahead of payroll, and the tax and classification rules that apply in Washington.
Every figure is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics programme (May 2024) or the Census Bureau's 2024 population estimates. Where BLS suppressed a number for this market, the sentence that would have used it is simply absent — nothing here is filled in with an estimate unless it is labelled as one.
What Washington looks like for software developers
Washington employs 91,470 software developers. That figure counts every employment arrangement, W-2 and 1099 alike — BLS does not split the two. Applying 1099WORK's estimate that roughly 30% of software developers work on a 1099 basis puts the independent share near 27,441 people. Treat that as an order of magnitude, not a census.
Concentration is the more interesting number. The location quotient is 2.41, meaning software developers make up a share of local employment 141% larger than they do nationally. Demand here is structural, not incidental.
Specialised markets are harder to enter and more durable once you are in: the buyers know what they are looking at, and price on capability rather than on rate alone. The pay premium over the national figure also gives a contractor room to price above a national rate card. Washington's lack of a state income tax is worth several points of net income at these levels, and it does not appear anywhere in the BLS figures.
What the work pays
The local median comes in at $166,910 a year. That works out to $80.24 an hour at a standard 2,080-hour year. That is 25.4% above the national median of $133,080.
These are W-2 and 1099 earnings combined, before any contractor adjusts for self-employment tax and unfunded benefits — which is what the next section is for.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $102,630 | $49.34 |
| Median | $166,910 | $80.24 |
| Mean | $175,600 | $84.42 |
Local, state and national side by side
Against the national median of $133,080 it sits 25.4% above. The location quotient column is the one worth reading twice: it measures how concentrated the occupation is relative to the national average, and it moves independently of pay.
| Area | Employed | Median annual | 90th percentile | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 91,470 | $166,910 | — | 2.41 |
| United States | 1,654,440 | $133,080 | $211,450 | — |
What to charge as a 1099 software developer
A 1099 contract that pays the same headline number as a W-2 job is a pay cut. You pick up the employer's half of payroll tax, you stop being paid for holidays and time off, and health cover and retirement come out of your own revenue. Matching a $166,910 salary in Washington therefore takes about $222,633 in contractor gross — a multiplier of 1.33×.
Spread across a full 2,080-hour year that is $107.03 an hour. Nobody bills 2,080 hours: at a more realistic 80% utilisation, with the rest going to admin, invoicing and finding the next contract, the number you should quote is closer to $133.79.
The 1.33× multiplier assumes:
- 7.07% for the employer half of FICA, which self-employment tax shifts onto you
- 20 unpaid days a year — roughly ten holidays plus two weeks off
- 15% for health coverage and retirement you now fund yourself
- excludes business insurance, mileage, accounting fees and unbilled time
Where the software developers are in Washington
Statewide totals hide how concentrated the work is. These 8 metros account for the bulk of Washington's software developer employment:
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 72,730 | $169,340 | 4.1 million |
| Portland | 16,620 | $149,010 | 2.5 million |
| Spokane | 1,760 | $121,530 | 605,000 |
| Kennewick | 610 | $132,160 | 319,000 |
| Olympia | 1,970 | $122,460 | 303,000 |
| Bremerton | 620 | $139,060 | 281,000 |
| Yakima | 220 | $111,320 | 259,000 |
| Bellingham | 630 | $130,600 | 235,000 |
Tax treatment in Washington
Nothing is withheld from a 1099 payment. You pay self-employment tax at 15.3% on 92.35% of net profit, plus income tax, in four estimated payments a year. At the Washington median that is roughly $5,896 a quarter in self-employment tax alone, before income tax. Washington levies no state income tax, so the federal bill is close to the whole picture.
Is this really 1099 work?
Labelling an engagement 1099 does not make it 1099 — the IRS weighs who controls the work, who supplies the tools and who carries the risk. For software developers the usual flashpoints are set schedules, employer-supplied equipment and exclusivity clauses. Washington also applies its own test, which can reach a different answer than the IRS does on identical facts.
Getting in front of the buyers
1099WORK is a marketplace built for 1099 engagements specifically: companies post a defined scope, software developers keep one verified profile, and agreements, onboarding and payment happen in the same place. It launched as 1099REPS for independent medical sales reps and now covers the wider 1099 economy, Washington included.
Frequently asked questions
How many software developers work in Washington?
BLS counts 91,470 software developers in Washington. 1099WORK estimates roughly 27,441 of them work on a 1099 basis, though BLS does not publish that split.
How often do 1099 contractors pay taxes in Washington?
Quarterly. The IRS expects estimated payments in mid-April, mid-June, mid-September and mid-January, and charges an underpayment penalty for missing them even if you pay in full at filing. Washington has no state income tax, so the federal schedule is the whole calendar for most contractors there.
How much does a 1099 software developer make in Washington?
The median software developer in Washington earns $166,910 a year according to BLS OEWS data for May 2024, covering W-2 and 1099 workers together. Working 1099, you would need roughly $222,633 in gross billings to match that median after self-employment tax and unfunded benefits.
What hourly rate should a 1099 software developer charge in Washington?
About $133.79 an hour at 80% utilisation, derived from the $166,910 local median. That builds in the employer half of payroll tax, twenty unpaid days a year and a 15% allowance for self-funded health cover and retirement. It excludes business insurance, mileage and unbilled sales time.
Do I need an LLC to work 1099 in Washington?
No. A sole proprietor can accept 1099 work under their own name and Social Security number, and many contractors start that way. An LLC adds liability separation and lets you elect S-corp taxation once profit is high enough for the payroll-tax saving to beat the extra filing cost. Washington sets its own formation fee and annual report requirements.
Is 1099 work better than a W-2 job in Washington?
It depends entirely on rate and stability. 1099 wins on control, deductibility and upside; W-2 wins on predictability, benefits and unemployment cover. As a rule of thumb, a 1099 engagement needs to pay about 1.33× the equivalent salary before it is genuinely better money.