What the numbers say
The median wage for Software Developers in Idaho was $107,900 in 2024, roughly 22% below the national median of $138,520. That is a real gap. At the same time, Idaho's cost of living index sits at 95.1, meaning prices run about 5% below the national baseline. After adjusting for that, the effective purchasing-power gap narrows to something closer to 17%. Still a discount, but a smaller one than the headline suggests.
The spread between low and high earners is wide. The bottom 10% earned around $62,750 while the top 10% earned $168,060. That is a difference of more than $105,000 within the same occupation in the same state. Experience, specialization, and the kind of company someone works for all drive that range. Entry-level roles land well below the state median; senior or staff-level positions push well past it.
The mean wage of $125,460 runs about $17,500 above the median. A smaller group of top earners pulls the average up, which is typical for this occupation nationally, but the gap is wider in Idaho than in many states. That pattern often shows up where a few large tech employers or remote-friendly roles coexist with a larger base of developers at more typical salaries.
BLS projects Software Developer employment to grow 15.8% nationally between 2024 and 2034, a "much faster than average" outlook category. Idaho-specific growth figures are not in the data we received, so we are not extrapolating a state-level number from the national projection.
Salary distribution
Where Idaho software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $81,020 and $137,310, with a median of $107,900.
Software Developers in Idaho: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 128 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $112,445. 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 | 28 | $74,500 |
| Level II — qualified | 53 | $100,500 |
| Level III — experienced | 16 | $150,703 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 4 | $165,425 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Idaho. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR INFOTEK SOLUTIONS LLC | SOFTWARE ENGINEER | 21 | $99,736 |
| Micron Technology, Inc. | Software Development Engineer | 19 | $123,781 |
| Clearwater Analytics, LLC | Software Development Engineer | 6 | $112,445 |
| Blue Cross of Idaho Health Services, Inc. | IT Engineer III | 6 | $149,827 |
| The Internet Truckstop LLC | Lead Salesforce Developer | 5 | $151,000 |
| AUTHENTIC DATA SOLUTIONS LLC | Senior Principal Consultant | 5 | $99,736 |
| Stratus Technology Services, LLC. | Senior Guidewire Developer | 3 | $65,208 |
| Equifax Inc. | Software Engineer - Manager | 3 | $146,345 |
| Boise Cascade Company | Commercial Software Developer IV | 2 | $102,180 |
| Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. | Lead Software Engineer | 2 | $120,235 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Lead Salesforce Developer at The Internet Truckstop LLC$156,285BoiseDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497420
- Software Development Engineer at Clearwater Analytics, LLC$115,000BoiseDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498332
- Platform Architect at XFO Financials Inc.$157,651Coeur D'AleneDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25350-484739
- Software Architect at 9to9 Software Solutions LLC$135,000BoiseDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-475140
- SAP Senior Software Engineer at J.R. Simplot Company$156,042BoiseDecided Dec 12, 2025I-200-25339-460521
- Commercial Software Developer IV at Boise Cascade Company$130,707BoiseDecided Dec 11, 2025I-200-25338-457629
- Software Programmer at V-Soft Consulting Group, INC$101,000BoiseDecided Dec 3, 2025I-200-25329-438162
- Software Development Engineer III at Clearwater Analytics, LLC$128,024BoiseDecided Dec 1, 2025I-200-25325-430008
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.
Software Developers pay by experience level in Idaho
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 Idaho
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 87 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $106,473.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | AR INFOTEK SOLUTIONS LLC | 26 | $106,473 |
| Software Developer | Merit American Technologies Inc | 18 | $112,445 |
| Software Development Engineer | Clearwater Analytics, LLC | 12 | $106,893 |
| IT Engineer | Blue Cross of Idaho Health Services, Inc. | 6 | $149,827 |
| IT Software Engineer | Micron Technology, Inc. | 6 | $90,765 |
| Lead Salesforce Developer | The Internet Truckstop LLC | 4 | $112,500 |
| IT Solution Architect - PLM | Micron Technology, Inc. | 3 | $127,963 |
| DEVELOPER | ERICSSON ENTERPRISE WIRELESS SOLUTIONS, INC. | 3 | $138,800 |
| DATA ENGINEER | AR INFOTEK SOLUTIONS LLC | 3 | $99,736 |
| Senior Guidewire Developer | Stratus Technology Services, LLC. | 3 | $65,208 |
| Software Engineer - Manager | Equifax Inc. | 3 | $146,345 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Idaho, by industry
Median offered wage across 126 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $99,736.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | AR INFOTEK SOLUTIONS LLC | 71 | $99,736 |
| Manufacturing | Micron Technology, Inc. | 25 | $120,400 |
| Finance and insurance | Clearwater Analytics, LLC | 15 | $120,000 |
| Professional services | Equifax Inc. | 7 | $146,345 |
| Retail and wholesale | Click Sales Inc. | 4 | $98,314 |
| Healthcare | Leavitt Medical Inc. | 2 | $69,451 |
| Education | Brigham Young University - Idaho | 2 | $71,240 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Idaho over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 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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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Idaho?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Idaho is $107,900.
- How does Idaho compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Idaho median is -22.1% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Idaho?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $62,750 and the 90th-percentile at $168,060, 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.