Software Developer Salary in St. Louis, MO
Software Developers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $129,030 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $94,331 take-home, or $7,861 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median software developer salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$19,701
- Social Security (6.2%)$8,000
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,871
- Missouri income tax$5,127
- Take-home pay$94,331
Marginal rate: 24% federal + 4.70% state
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Software Developer pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $77,730 | $37.37 | $60,797 | $5,066 |
| 25th percentile | $101,670 | $48.88 | $76,514 | $6,376 |
| Median (50th) | $129,030 | $62.03 | $94,331 | $7,861 |
| 75th percentile | $156,320 | $75.15 | $111,701 | $9,308 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $169,030 | $81.26 | $119,791 | $9,983 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $129,030 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median software developer's $94,331 take-home pay has the buying power of $99,204 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Software Developer jobs are less concentrated in St. Louis, MO than nationally (location quotient 0.67), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for software developers, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #45 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 |
| 45 | St. Louis, MO | $129,030 | $94,331 | $99,204 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $124,990
- Springfield, MO — $102,350
- Columbia, MO — $101,020
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software developer make in St. Louis, MO?
The median software developer salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $129,030 a year, or about $62.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $101,670 and $156,320.
What is a software developer’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $129,030 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $94,331 a year ($7,861 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $5,127 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a software developer?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $135,980. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $99,204 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #45 of 184 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a software developer afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 13% of a median software developer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO
- Database Architect — $122,310
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $108,450
- Information Security Analyst — $106,420
- Web Developer — $106,360
- Database Administrator — $104,650
- Computer Network Architect — $103,370
- Data Scientist — $99,600
- Computer Programmer — $96,920
- Computer Systems Analyst — $96,290
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $94,590
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $88,940
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $75,060