Software Developer Salary in Denver, CO
Software Developers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $137,610 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $99,976 take-home, or $8,331 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median software developer salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$21,760
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,532
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,995
- Colorado income tax$5,346
- Take-home pay$99,976
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 4.40% state
Software Developer pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $99,700 | $47.93 | $75,291 | $6,274 |
| 25th percentile | $123,640 | $59.44 | $91,042 | $7,587 |
| Median (50th) | $137,610 | $66.16 | $99,976 | $8,331 |
| 75th percentile | $171,350 | $82.38 | $121,553 | $10,129 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $209,300 | $100.63 | $147,276 | $12,273 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $137,610 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median software developer's $99,976 take-home pay has the buying power of $94,511 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Denver, CO has 1.6× the national concentration of software developer jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for software developers, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #101 of 184 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $213,110 | $140,222 | $126,987 |
| 2 | Manchester, NH | $162,090 | $122,055 | $115,520 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $167,280 | $125,602 | $113,019 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $164,560 | $117,211 | $111,415 |
| 5 | El Paso, TX | $127,310 | $98,282 | $109,310 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $166,090 | $116,704 | $107,794 |
| 7 | Ames, IA | $129,440 | $95,471 | $107,476 |
| 8 | Bridgeport, CT | $162,650 | $114,828 | $107,453 |
| 101 | Denver, CO | $137,610 | $99,976 | $94,511 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 184 metros →
Software Developer salaries elsewhere in Colorado
- Boulder, CO — $164,560
- Colorado Springs, CO — $134,280
- Fort Collins, CO — $133,990
- Greeley, CO — $129,480
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software developer make in Denver, CO?
The median software developer salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $137,610 a year, or about $66.16 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $123,640 and $171,350.
What is a software developer’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $137,610 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $99,976 a year ($8,331 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,346 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a software developer?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $135,980. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $94,511 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #101 of 184 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a software developer afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 21% of a median software developer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Database Architect — $162,640
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $160,520
- Computer Network Architect — $139,230
- Information Security Analyst — $136,670
- Computer Systems Analyst — $127,880
- Operations Research Analyst — $127,810
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $123,690
- Database Administrator — $120,120
- Data Scientist — $112,520
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $105,090
- Computer Programmer — $104,610
- Statistician — $104,060