What the numbers say
About 31,190 Software Developers worked in the Denver metro in 2024, making it one of the larger tech labor pools in the Mountain West. The median annual wage was $134,120, nearly identical to the Colorado statewide median of $134,540. Both figures sit roughly 3% below the national median of $138,520.
The mean wage tells a slightly different story. At $142,530, it runs above the median by about $8,400. A smaller group of high earners pulls that figure up, which is common in metros where a mix of startups and established tech companies compete for senior talent.
The spread within Denver is wide. The bottom 10% of Software Developers here earned around $96,080, while the top 10% reached $208,640. That is a gap of more than $112,000 between the lowest and highest earners in the same occupation and the same city. Experience, job title, and the type of company hiring account for most of that distance. Someone early in their career at a smaller firm and a principal engineer at a larger software company both land inside these numbers, on very different ends.
Denver's near-perfect alignment with the Colorado median is somewhat unusual. In many states the largest metro pulls the statewide figure well above what workers elsewhere in the state earn. Here the gap is less than $500, which suggests Software Developer wages are fairly consistent across Colorado rather than being concentrated in Denver specifically.
Salary distribution
Where Denver software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $123,640 and $171,350, with a median of $137,610.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
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Explore coursesFrequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Denver, Colorado?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in the Denver metropolitan area is $137,610.
- Does Denver pay more than the Colorado state average for Software Developers?
- The Denver metro median is -0.6% versus the Colorado state median of $138,390.
- How does Denver compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Denver metro median is -3.7% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Denver?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $99,700 and the 90th-percentile at $209,300 for the Denver metro area.
- 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. BLS metro estimates reflect the Denver CBSA boundary 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.