Software Developers pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $102,880 a year or less, while the top 10% make $235,660 or more. The middle half of software developers in Boulder earn between $129,210 and $206,650.
- $103K10th
- $129K25th
- $165KMedian
- $207K75th
- $236K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $166,480 | $13,873 | $80.04 |
| Median | $164,560 | $13,713 | $79.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $129,210 | $10,768 | $62.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $206,650 | $17,221 | $99.35 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Software Developers salary after taxes in Boulder
On the average salary of $166,480, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $118,438 a year, or $9,870 a month and $4,555 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for software developers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $166,480 buys what about $158,248 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 4.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Software Developers salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 1st of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Boulder$166,480
- Denver$149,400
- Greeley$147,060
- Fort Collins$144,720
- Colorado Springs$144,420
- Grand Junction$132,020
- Pueblo$128,090
Highest-paying cities for software developers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($221,710).
- San Jose, CA$221,710
- San Francisco, CA$193,430
- Seattle, WA$174,920
- Oxnard, CA$174,020
- Boulder, CO$166,480
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Software Developers salary in Boulder: questions
How much do software developers make an hour in Boulder?
$80.04 an hour on average, and $79.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level software developers salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $102,880 a year and the 25th percentile is $129,210, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the software developers take-home pay in Boulder?
About $118,438 a year ($9,870 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $166,480. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do software developers earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($150,439).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 15-1252; area Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.41, this job is 3.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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