A CTO’s Guide to Actionable Software Development Statistics

Dynamic. This word is enough to describe the IT field. If you’re a business or professional seeking to thrive, the latest software development statistics can serve as your go-to resource.

Here’s one to begin – By 2034, the global software market can reach the staggering USD 2248 billion mark. So, you can understand that growth is equivalent to numbers.

Now, without any ado and filler words, we want to put forth statistics that will augment your interest further.

Scroll below and get all the vital numbers to plan an effective development strategy.

Software Development Statistics Covering the Core Field

Let’s begin by understanding some base stats. Here’s a quick look at the market size and projections (source: Precedence Research):

• In 2025, the global software market projection stands at USD 824 billion.
• North America contributes to most of the revenue, with a share of 44%.
• From 2024 to 2034, the projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 11.8%.
• According to Statista, the global spending on enterprise software is USD 1 trillion.

Here’s a simple graph for more clarity.

Software Development Statistics for the US Market

As the United States of America holds a significant revenue share in this domain, you can benefit by understanding the associated numbers.

• At this time, the US software market valuation is around USD 379 billion.
• The median annual salary of US-based software developers is over USD 130,000.
• Interestingly, the 10-year estimated job growth stands at 25.7%.

Here’s a quick look at the market size graph.

Interesting Custom Software Development Statistics

These days, custom software development has become crucial for many businesses. In fact, we get several emails requesting a custom website, portal, or software development.

The software development statistics revolving around this tactic are intriguing. But, first, understand why many companies are going custom:

• Your software can perfectly match your workflows
• The software can integrate smoothly with your existing systems
• This tactic leads to a future-proof solution
• You save licensing fees and maintenance costs

Now, let’s learn some exciting numbers.

• The CAGR of custom software development stands at 22.5% (2024 – 2030).
• Low-code platforms are growing in their utility. They reduce application development time by 90%.
• The global custom software market share is more than USD 35 billion.
• Some key companies in this sub-domain are TCS, Tietoevry, and Capgemini.

All in all, you can invest in this growing tactic and boost your digital presence at a rapid pace.

Technology Statistics in Software Development

The general facts and figures can prove useful for your strategy. However, you should also be aware of the trending tools and tech stack. This section focuses on the same.

• JavaScript is the #1 programming language with 62% preference.
• Python and SQL stand their ground with 51% popularity.
• The most popular database amongst developers is PostgreSQL (49% popularity).
• Regarding cloud platforms, 52% of professional developers prefer Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• React and Node.js are the top web frameworks with over 40% share in the Stack Overflow survey.
• Jira is the most popular collaborative work management tool, with a share of over 50% of professional users.
• In terms of communication, MS Teams leads the chart, with over 52% of respondents preferring the same.

The above statistics can help you choose the best technology and invest in hiring dedicated developers who are proficient in these tools.

Software Development Statistics Related to Work

Hiring professional developers or acquiring offshore development services are important decisions. For this purpose, you should be aware of the workplace trends in software development.

In this section, we put forth some interesting numbers.

• Around 81% of developers are employed full-time.
• Only 18% of software developers freelance or work as independent contractors.
• 38% of developers work remotely, and 42% work in a hybrid model.
• Build-and-buy is the trending choice, with nearly 60% of developers preferring this option.
• Since 2010, there has been a 280% increase in open-source contributions.
• The CAGR of offshore software development stands at 10.13% (2024 – 2031).

These software development statistics pave the way for planning various hiring and sourcing initiatives. Now, let’s move to our next section on artificial intelligence (AI).

Artificial Intelligence Statistics to Explore

Right now, AI is all the buzz. AI software development is the best way to prepare for the future and leverage various smart algorithms. Below, you’ll find some interesting software development statistics associated with this fascinating technology:

• The global AI market valuation is USD 244 billion.
• United States is the world’s most significant machine learning (ML) market.
• 63% of professional developers use artificial intelligence tools in their development process.
• Only 3% of developers are unsure about the favorability of AI.
• An increase in productivity is the biggest impact of artificial intelligence. In a recent Stack Overflow survey, 81% of respondents agreed with this sentiment.
• Most professional developers feel that AI is bad at handling complex tasks. Only 3% of programmers feel AI tools handle such tasks well.
• 82% of software developers use artificial intelligence tools to write code. Only 4.5% use them for deployment and monitoring.
• Nearly 70% of professional developers feel AI isn’t a job threat.
• The average spend per employee in terms of AI development tools can reach USD 2.7 in 2025.

As you can observe, AI’s popularity is evident from the impressive numbers. These software development statistics prove why several businesses are looking to invest in this futuristic technology.

Final Thoughts

We believe that our compilation of the top software development statistics can save you time and effort significantly. To help expedite your planning and strategies, we covered the global market scene and the US region (as it’s the biggest contributor).

Since custom software development is popular, the statistics can help you decide the next step for your business. Including tech stack and work preference, numbers can help simplify decision-making due to increased awareness.

Finally, the facts and figures on artificial intelligence depict the promising role of this technology for everyone. Getting all the relevant numbers in a single blog can reduce your efforts in searching for vital stats.