What the numbers say
Michigan's median for Software Developers came in at $107,820 in 2024, about 22% below the US median of $138,520. That gap is real, but it does not tell the whole story.
Michigan's cost of living sits roughly 7% below the national average. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the effective gap narrows to something closer to 16%. A developer earning $107,820 in Michigan and one earning $124,000 in a state priced at the national average are living on roughly comparable purchasing power. The headline number undersells the in-state position.
The spread between earners is wide. The 10th percentile lands at $74,200, the 90th at $161,850. Top earners here make about 2.2 times what the lowest-paid developers make. That range reflects how much experience and specialization matter in this occupation. An early-career developer and a senior engineer writing the same job title can sit $87,000 apart.
Michigan employs 41,490 Software Developers, a large base for a state outside the primary coastal tech clusters. BLS projects the occupation to grow 15.8% nationally between 2024 and 2034, a much faster rate than average. The state-level projection follows the same federal series, so the structural tailwind applies here too.
Salary distribution
Where Michigan software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $85,690 and $133,940, with a median of $107,820.
Software Developers in Michigan: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 1,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $121,207. 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 | 35 | $85,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 157 | $104,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 91 | $125,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 128 | $144,946 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Michigan. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors | Senior Software Engineer | 81 | $149,922 |
| FORD MOTOR COMPANY | Software Engineer | 68 | $129,000 |
| United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | Senior Software Developer | 31 | $115,000 |
| Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership | Senior Software Engineer | 24 | $137,536 |
| Harman Becker Automotive Systems, Inc. | Principal Engineer, SW | 13 | $135,200 |
| Capgemini America Inc | Applications Consultant 3 | 13 | $126,297 |
| FCA US LLC | Software Application Engineer (Lead) | 13 | $138,486 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 12 | $138,486 |
| KPIT Technologies, Inc. | Senior Technical Lead | 12 | $123,500 |
| ROBERT BOSCH LLC | Sr. Software Engineer | 11 | $142,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Architect at Valeo North America, Inc.$138,486TroyDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501243
- Software Engineer at Optimal, inc.$102,190WarrenDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503965
- CAE Analysis Engineer - Engine Performance & Calib at General Motors$120,000PontiacDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503629
- Sr. Software Engineer at BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc.$138,486Auburn HillsDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502072
- SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER at HUGENTIC, INC.$123,600CANTONDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502796
- Software Developer at Zealous Solutions$103,000Farmington HillsDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503284
- ERP PROJECT MANAGER at ROBOTICS STAFFING LLC$84,053AUBURN HILLSDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503502
- SENIOR JAVA DEVELOPER at VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGIES LLC$70,803LANSINGDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501134
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 Michigan
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 Michigan
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 535 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Software Engineer at a median of $125,151.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Software Engineer | General Motors | 252 | $125,151 |
| Software Developer | United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | 159 | $104,000 |
| Embedded Software Engineer | General Motors | 20 | $122,388 |
| Principal Engineer | Harman Becker Automotive Systems, Inc. | 19 | $137,700 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 16 | $122,675 |
| Data Engineer | CLOUD ANALYTICS TECHNOLOGIES LLC | 14 | $109,139 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 12 | $146,650 |
| Java Developer | Emergtech Business Solutions, Inc | 10 | $103,595 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 10 | $146,743 |
| DevOps Engineer | Lucid USA, Inc. | 8 | $127,067 |
| Application Developer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | 8 | $105,601 |
| Software Architect | SmartWorks, LLC | 7 | $138,486 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Michigan, by industry
Median offered wage across 993 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $105,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Capgemini America Inc | 479 | $105,000 |
| Manufacturing | General Motors | 296 | $138,486 |
| Finance and insurance | United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | 94 | $129,000 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 65 | $125,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership | 41 | $137,582 |
| Energy and utilities | Indiana Michigan Power Company | 5 | $123,727 |
| Education | University of Detroit Mercy | 5 | $116,722 |
| Healthcare | Integra Partners, LLC | 4 | $144,762 |
| Government and public sector | The City of Detroit | 3 | $127,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Geotab USA, Inc. | 1 | $148,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Michigan 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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Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Michigan metropolitan areas.
- Detroit$124,780
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Michigan?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Michigan is $107,820.
- How does Michigan compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Michigan median is -22.2% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Michigan?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $74,200 and the 90th-percentile at $161,850, 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.