Software Developers in Colorado. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
Colorado's median Software Developer wage was $134,540 in 2024, about 3% below the national median of $138,520. That gap is smaller than it looks. Colorado's cost of living sits only marginally above the national baseline, so the nominal difference translates to near-parity in what the money actually buys.
The spread between earners is wide. The bottom tenth of Software Developers in the state earned around $93,070, while the top tenth reached $210,760. Top earners make roughly 2.3 times what entry-level peers take home. That range reflects how much role, seniority, and company type vary within a single occupation title.
The mean wage of $147,750 runs about $13,000 above the median. A smaller group of senior or specialized developers pulls the average up, which means the median is the more useful figure for most people comparing offers.
BLS projects employment for Software Developers to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. Colorado had roughly 48,980 Software Developers employed in 2024, one of the larger state concentrations in the country.
Salary distribution
Where Colorado software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $122,470 and $173,000, with a median of $138,390.
Software Developers in Colorado: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $135,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 219 | $98,738 |
| Level II — qualified | 782 | $120,536 |
| Level III — experienced | 348 | $144,734 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 313 | $164,112 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Colorado. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Communications Inc. | Principal Engineer I | 88 | $136,815 |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | Systems Engineer IV | 81 | $135,905 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Software Development Engineer II | 45 | $157,100 |
| Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | Engineer 3, Software Development & Engineering | 40 | $126,103 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 38 | $150,550 |
| Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. | Sr. Manager, Software Development & Engineering Sr. | 37 | $167,790 |
| Western Union, LLC | Staff Software Engineer | 36 | $153,592 |
| DISH Network LLC | Staff Engineer - Software | 35 | $139,443 |
| Arrow Electronics, Inc. | Applications Engineer | 34 | $143,944 |
| Google LLC | Software Engineer | 31 | $158,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Engineer II at Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO)$121,105BroomfieldWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728087
- Senior Product Solutions Architect at Datadog, Inc.$245,000DenverWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729898
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPER at COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC$145,600GREENWOOD VILLAGEWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730494
- Staff Applications Engineer at Robinhood Markets, Inc.$165,000DenverWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-730564
- Architect at Zynga, Inc.$185,869SuperiorWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729915
- SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER at Western Union, LLC$132,638DenverDecided —I-200-26084-728592
- Software Engineer at Google LLC$145,000BoulderDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26084-727304
- Software Engineer at Galaxy I Technologies Inc$120,536EnglewoodWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-726827
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Software Developers pay by experience level in Colorado
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Developers specialties in Colorado
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,182 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $130,318.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Charter Communications, Inc. | 468 | $130,318 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 177 | $117,100 |
| Principal Engineer | Comcast Cable Communications, LLC | 132 | $142,248 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 99 | $148,900 |
| Manager | Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. | 60 | $167,355 |
| Staff Engineer - Software | DISH Network LLC | 58 | $137,155 |
| Systems Engineer | Charter Communications, Inc. | 48 | $117,021 |
| DevOps Engineer | Charter Communications Inc. | 46 | $120,536 |
| Architect | Western Union, LLC | 25 | $161,886 |
| Staff SW Engineer | Visa U.S.A. Inc. | 25 | $124,300 |
| Data Engineer | Niteosoft Inc | 22 | $124,463 |
| Software Developers - KBGFJG108855-11 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 22 | $178,678 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Colorado, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,987 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $125,699.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Charter Communications Inc. | 1,179 | $125,699 |
| Finance and insurance | Charles Schwab & Company, Inc. | 229 | $142,314 |
| Manufacturing | Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | 211 | $139,443 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 172 | $141,144 |
| Retail and wholesale | Amazon.com Services LLC | 128 | $149,450 |
| Healthcare | DaVita, Inc. | 20 | $133,348 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 20 | $132,995 |
| Real estate | The Hertz Corporation | 11 | $133,000 |
| Education | WGU Corporation | 8 | $132,530 |
| Energy and utilities | Constellation Energy Generation, LLC | 5 | $125,000 |
| Media and entertainment | DK Crown Holdings Inc. | 4 | $139,443 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Colorado over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+15.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Colorado metropolitan areas.
- Denver$137,610
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Colorado?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Colorado is $138,390.
- How does Colorado compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Colorado median is -3.2% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Colorado?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $96,480 and the 90th-percentile at $213,010, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Developers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 15.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Developers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.