Software Developers Salary in Colorado
At $138,390 a year, the median for software developers in Colorado is close to the national median of $135,980 (+2%); Colorado ranks 8th of 50 states by median. Software Developers earn 2.3 times the median across all occupations in Colorado ($59,800). Colorado pays more than every neighbouring state: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska range from $110,900 in Nebraska to $129,690 in Arizona. Colorado employs 43,320 software developers, 15.1 per 1,000 jobs, the 15th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.39 means the occupation is more concentrated in Colorado than nationally.
Colorado vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $46.39 | $58.88 | $66.53 | $83.17 | $102.41 | $72.57 | 43,320 | 15.07 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $96,480 | $122,470 | $138,390 | $173,000 | $213,010 | $150,940 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $39.64 | $50.58 | $65.38 | $82.68 | $103.21 | $71.20 | 1,687,890 | – | – |
| Annual | $82,460 | $105,210 | $135,980 | $171,980 | $214,670 | $148,100 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 8th of 50 states
- Rank by employment
- 15th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.39
- Jobs per 1,000
- 15.07
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Colorado's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in Colorado
7 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching Colorado publish a row for software developers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | $79.11 | $164,560 | $102,880 | $235,660 | 7,130 | 37.04 | 3.41 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $66.16 | $137,610 | $99,700 | $209,300 | 27,010 | 16.78 | 1.55 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $64.56 | $134,280 | $86,540 | $207,490 | 4,850 | 15.35 | 1.41 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $64.42 | $133,990 | $79,990 | $221,110 | 1,820 | 10.73 | 0.99 |
| Greeley, CO | $62.25 | $129,480 | $78,830 | $269,830 | 560 | 4.65 | 0.43 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $59.61 | $123,990 | $74,160 | $195,840 | 170 | 2.60 | 0.24 |
| Pueblo, CO | $59.03 | $122,780 | $74,370 | $196,500 | 150 | 2.45 | 0.23 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $65.14 | $135,500 | $85,140 | $209,420 | 290 | 2.18 | 0.20 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $61.32 | $127,550 | $74,470 | $207,610 | 100 | 1.47 | 0.14 |
| Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $60.73 | $126,310 | $59,990 | $207,790 | 280 | 2.61 | 0.24 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $66.53 | $138,390 | 43,320 | 1.39 |
| Arizona | $62.35 | $129,690 | 38,050 | 1.08 |
| Kansas | $54.53 | $113,420 | 13,580 | 0.87 |
| Nebraska | $53.32 | $110,900 | 7,260 | 0.65 |
| New Mexico | $59.86 | $124,520 | 3,960 | 0.42 |
| Oklahoma | $56.78 | $118,100 | 6,880 | 0.37 |
| Utah | $61.93 | $128,810 | 31,940 | 1.70 |
| Wyoming | $55.37 | $115,170 | 1,510 | 0.49 |
See the national page for Software Developers (every state ranked) and the Colorado wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS Colorado estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.