Ask different sources how many software developers exist and the answers range between 36.5 million and more than 180 million. Software development statistics vary this much because each source counts a different group, and because forecasts get revised.
This article collects current figures on spending, developer headcount, jobs, AI use, and team practices, each with its source and year. It ends with a table that shows which number to use for which decision when you plan custom software development.
We checked every figure in this article against its source on October 21, 2026.
How big is software spending in 2026?
Gartner forecasts worldwide software spending at about $1.47 trillion in 2026, up 15.5% from 2025. That growth is faster than IT services (5.3%) and devices (9.8%), though data center systems grow fastest at 62.5%. By our arithmetic, software is about 23% of Gartner’s $6.37 trillion total and the second-largest of its six segments.
| Segment | 2026 spending | 2026 growth |
| Data center systems | $822 billion | 62.5% |
| Infrastructure as a Service | $287 billion | 29.3% |
| Software | $1,468 billion | 15.5% |
| Devices | $868 billion | 9.8% |
| Services | $1,570 billion | 5.3% |
| Communications services | $1,354 billion | 4.4% |
Source: Gartner IT spending forecast, July 27, 2026.
Gartner has raised its forecast this year. In February 2026 it projected total IT spending of $6.15 trillion and software spending of about $1.43 trillion, up 14.7%.
Any page still quoting the February numbers is out of date, so note the release date next to any forecast you reuse. For what one build costs, see our guide to custom software development costs.
How many software developers are there in the world?
SlashData estimated about 47.2 million developers worldwide in early 2025, while GitHub reports more than 180 million accounts. The gap exists because the two count different things. SlashData counts anyone involved in software development projects in any capacity, and GitHub counts accounts, not people employed as developers.
| Source | Figure | What it counts | Date |
| SlashData, professional developers | 36.5 million | The professional subset of SlashData’s total | Early 2025 |
| SlashData, all developers | 47.2 million | Anyone involved in software development projects in any capacity | Early 2025 |
| SlashData, implied total | About 51 million | Our arithmetic from SlashData’s statement that 19.9 million cloud native developers are about 39% of the population | Q1 2026 |
| GitHub Octoverse | More than 180 million | Accounts on GitHub | 2025 |
Growth is slowing. SlashData reports year-over-year growth of about 21% in 2024 and about 10% in the latest 12 months, and it puts South Asia at 7.5 million developers, up from 4 million in 2022. GitHub says more than 36 million developers joined over the past year, up 23%.
For a hiring or market-sizing decision, the professional developer figure is the closest match. That is our judgment.
How many software developers are in the US?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted about 1.7 million software developers in 2025, plus 187,600 QA analysts and testers, for 1,905,400 jobs in the combined occupation. Median pay for software developers was $135,980 in May 2025.
The BLS count is far below SlashData’s North America figure of about 9.5 million. In our reading, the difference is definition: BLS counts employed workers in a defined occupation, and SlashData counts anyone involved in software projects.
Are software engineers in demand?
Yes over the long run, but the recovery is uneven. BLS projects software developer job growth of 10% between 2025 and 2035, much faster than the average occupation, while Indeed’s US software postings remain about 27.5% below their February 2020 level.
| Signal | Figure | Source and period |
| Employment growth rate, developers, QA analysts and testers | 10%, about 185,400 jobs | BLS, between 2025 and 2035 |
| Openings per year | About 106,100, many to replace workers who leave | BLS, between 2025 and 2035 |
| Software postings since February 2025 | Up almost 15%, while all US postings fell 7% | Indeed Hiring Lab, between February 2025 and June 2026 |
| Software postings against pre-pandemic | About 27.5% below | Indeed Hiring Lab, between February 2020 and June 2026 |
| Share of the posting increase between May 2025 and May 2026 | 71% senior roles, 37% with AI in the job title | Indeed Hiring Lab |
Sources: the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026, and Indeed Hiring Lab.
BLS names growth in software development for artificial intelligence as one driver of the software developer job outlook. Demand for software developers is rising again, and the Indeed data shows the rebound leaning toward senior and AI-related roles, which is our reading. If senior hiring is your bottleneck, our guide explains how to outsource software development successfully.
How are developers using AI?
About 90% of software professionals use AI, according to Google’s DORA 2025 research, and 73% of Stack Overflow 2026 respondents who use AI coding tools use them every day. The four surveys below sample different people, so compare the direction.
| Source | Finding | Sample | Period |
| Google DORA, as reported by TechRepublic | About 90% of software development professionals use AI | More than 5,000 technology professionals | 2025 |
| JetBrains Developer Ecosystem | 85% regularly use AI tools for coding; 62% rely on at least one AI assistant, agent or code editor | 24,534 respondents | between April and June 2025 |
| Stack Overflow Developer Survey | 73% of AI coding tool users use them daily | More than 30,000 respondents, per the survey post | 2026 |
| Digital.ai State of Agile | AI adoption reached 84%, up from 68%; 49% have governance guardrails | About 350, mostly Agile coaches at large enterprises | 2025 |
Governance is the gap to watch. Digital.ai found that fewer than half of organizations have guardrails for AI in delivery, which the report describes as governance lagging adoption.
A leader can act on that by writing down who reviews AI-written code before it ships. For where these tools are heading, see our guide to software development trends.
How do software teams work today?
Only 18% of Stack Overflow 2026 respondents go into an office every day, and 74% of organizations in Digital.ai’s report use hybrid, blended or internally built Agile models. Both figures describe habits, so they say how teams run.
| Practice | Figure | Source and caution |
| In the office every day | 18% | Stack Overflow 2026 survey |
| Organization of one | 10%, up from 4% | Stack Overflow 2026 survey |
| Hybrid, blended or internally built Agile models | 74% | Digital.ai, 2025. Mostly coaches at large enterprises |
| Increased Agile spending in two years | 41% | Digital.ai, 2025. About 350 respondents |
What does poor software quality cost?
The Consortium for Information & Software Quality (CISQ) estimated that poor software quality cost the US about $2.41 trillion in 2022. CISQ also put technical debt at about $1.52 trillion.
This is a 2022 estimate by an industry consortium co-sponsored by Synopsys. Use it to size the risk.
How should you use these numbers?
Use Gartner’s spending figures for budget context and BLS for hiring plans, and treat any developer headcount as a definition. The table matches each decision to its best figure and its main limit.
| Decision | Figure to lean on | Limit |
| Budget context for a software investment | Gartner: software spending $1,468 billion, up 15.5% in 2026 | A forecast, already revised upward twice since February |
| US hiring plan | BLS: 10% growth and about 106,100 openings a year | National averages, not your city or stack |
| Market sizing by developer count | SlashData: 36.5 million professional developers | GitHub counts accounts, not employed people |
| Hiring urgency | Indeed: postings up almost 15% since February 2025, 27.5% below 2020 | Skews toward senior and AI roles |
| AI policy | Digital.ai: 49% have guardrails | About 350 respondents at large enterprises |
When two figures point in different directions, trust the one with the narrower definition and the later date. TekRevol’s custom software development team can turn these figures into a scoped plan. Start with a Free Consultation.
