Quick answer: The Longview metro employs about 150 software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through job postings in your target market for the stack they ask for.
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Software development is not licensed and no certification is required. Employers typically weight a portfolio of working code and the ability to pass technical interviews; vendor certifications are optional signals rather than requirements.
See the Washington licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with job postings in your target market for the stack they ask for.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 111 miles, nearest first in 25-mile
distance bands, then by BOC Score inside each band with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
Centralia College
📍
Centralia, WA
•39.2 miles away•BOC Score
56.5
Tuition$5,266 in-state / $5,651 out-of-state
Contact
600 Centralia College Blvd. Centralia, WA 98531-4099
Software Developers in the Longview area earn a median $130,000 per year, below the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Software Development Pay in Longview, WA
Metric
Longview metro
Washington
National
Median annual wage
$130,000
$166,540
$135,980
10th percentile
$78,060
$96,810
$82,460
25th percentile
$99,340
$132,290
$105,210
75th percentile
$172,490
$211,860
$171,980
90th percentile
$212,110
$255,350
$214,670
Employment
150
107,030
1,687,890
Location quotient
0.33
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Longview-Kelso, WA metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Longview median of $130,000 is below the national median of $135,980, and below the Washington statewide median of $166,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.33 means software developers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Developer employment is broad but uneven - metros with large technology, finance and healthcare employers carry several times the per-capita depth of the national average.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do software developers make in Longview?
The median annual wage for software developers in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area is $130,000, below the national median of $135,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many software developers work in the Longview area?
The Longview-Kelso, WA metro area employs about 150 software developers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do software developers in Longview need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Software development is not licensed and no certification is required. Employers typically weight a portfolio of working code and the ability to pass technical interviews; vendor certifications are optional signals rather than requirements. Confirm current requirements with job postings in your target market for the stack they ask for.
Can I study software development online from Longview?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies job postings in your target market for the stack they ask for.
Is Longview a better market than the rest of Washington?
The Longview metro median is $130,000 against a statewide median of $166,540 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Software Developers (SOC 15-1252), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
