Software Developers in Michigan. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
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 $97,300 and $140,100, with a median of $125,570.
Software Developers in Michigan: 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: $120,500. 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 | 149 | $84,100 |
| Level II — qualified | 713 | $103,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 481 | $121,388 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 601 | $142,857 |
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 | 165 | $150,000 |
| FORD MOTOR COMPANY | Software Engineer | 150 | $132,513 |
| Rocket Limited Partnership | Senior Software Engineer | 74 | $120,500 |
| United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | Software Developer | 55 | $115,000 |
| Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership | Senior Software Engineer | 37 | $138,000 |
| FCA US LLC | Basic Software Architecture Engineer | 23 | $138,486 |
| ROBERT BOSCH LLC | Sr Software Engineer | 23 | $142,989 |
| HTC GLOBAL SERVICES INC. | Software Developer | 22 | $120,349 |
| Systems Technology Group Inc | Software Developer | 21 | $132,350 |
| Capgemini America Inc | Applications Consultant 3 | 20 | $126,562 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Associate Technical Architect at Clarivate Analytics US, LLC$145,912Ann ArborWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728442
- Software Developer at Galax-Esystems Corporation$93,600DewittWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729381
- Power BI Developer at NetStrive Consulting, LLC$101,109East LansingWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-727721
- Software Devloper at FORD MOTOR COMPANY$120,349DearbornWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729229
- Software Developer at Systems Technology Group Inc$138,486DearbornWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728355
- Senior System Test Engineer - Battery Systems at General Motors$155,000MilfordWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728314
- Senior Software Engineer at General Motors$151,460WarrenWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728394
- Senior Software Engineer at General Motors$150,000WarrenWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729413
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 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 1,108 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $123,600.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | General Motors | 557 | $123,600 |
| Software Developer | United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | 310 | $104,000 |
| Embedded Software Engineer | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 32 | $122,533 |
| Principal Engineer | Comerica Management Company | 32 | $138,093 |
| Senior Systems Engineer | General Motors | 28 | $138,486 |
| Data Engineer | 4i Apps Solutions LLC | 27 | $106,000 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 26 | $135,693 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 25 | $127,188 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 23 | $155,000 |
| Java Developer | CODE TECH INC | 19 | $102,190 |
| Software Architect | Rocket Limited Partnership | 15 | $140,000 |
| Application Developer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | 14 | $110,968 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Michigan, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,990 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $106,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | HTC GLOBAL SERVICES INC. | 914 | $106,000 |
| Manufacturing | General Motors | 591 | $138,486 |
| Professional services | Rocket Limited Partnership | 208 | $120,500 |
| Finance and insurance | United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC | 172 | $126,200 |
| Retail and wholesale | Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership | 70 | $138,688 |
| Education | MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | 12 | $96,928 |
| Healthcare | Capital Vision Services LLC | 8 | $129,418 |
| Energy and utilities | American Electric Power | 6 | $125,191 |
| Media and entertainment | SIRIUS XM RADIO LLC | 3 | $140,000 |
| Government and public sector | The City of Detroit | 3 | $127,000 |
| Real estate | Alta Enterprises, LLC | 2 | $125,345 |
| 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 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 Michigan metropolitan areas.
- Detroit$130,760
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
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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 $125,570.
- How does Michigan compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Michigan median is -12.2% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Michigan?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $78,930 and the 90th-percentile at $166,510, 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.