Software Developers in Minnesota. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median wage for Software Developers in Minnesota was $124,540 in 2024, about 10% below the national median of $138,520. That gap is real, but it narrows considerably once you account for cost of living. Minnesota's price index sits at 96.9, slightly below the national baseline, so the nominal discount translates to a smaller gap in purchasing power than the headline figures suggest.
The spread across earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, Software Developers in Minnesota earned $75,340. At the 90th, they earned $166,910. Top earners made about 2.2 times what the lowest earners did. That kind of range usually reflects differences in seniority, specialization, and the type of employer, ranging from financial services firms to health tech companies that are common in the Twin Cities market.
One notable detail: the mean wage of $121,600 sits below the median of $124,540. That is unusual. In most professional occupations, a smaller group of high earners pulls the average above the midpoint. Here the opposite holds, which suggests the top of the pay scale in Minnesota is less extreme than in states like California or Washington where a concentration of large tech employers pushes senior compensation sharply higher.
BLS projects 15.8% growth for this occupation nationally between 2024 and 2034, a rate BLS classifies as much faster than average. Minnesota's 39,580 employed Software Developers give it a solid base from which to absorb that growth.
Salary distribution
Where Minnesota software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $101,670 and $156,750, with a median of $130,050.
Software Developers in Minnesota: 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: $124,847. 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 | 166 | $87,360 |
| Level II — qualified | 711 | $106,579 |
| Level III — experienced | 421 | $126,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 475 | $145,018 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Minnesota. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Enterprise, Inc. | Lead Engineer | 169 | $141,898 |
| Optum Services, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 107 | $125,798 |
| BEST BUY CO., INC. | Software Engineer II | 94 | $148,307 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | Senior Software Engineer | 75 | $126,628 |
| Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 69 | $129,100 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 32 | $108,539 |
| U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | Senior Software Engineer | 32 | $115,339 |
| Medtronic, Inc. | Principal Software Engineer | 28 | $141,898 |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | Software Development Engineer II | 23 | $152,058 |
| UCare Minnesota | Software Engineer Sr. - ETL | 16 | $108,826 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Salesforce.com Developer at IT HUB INC$106,579Eden PrairieWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-729535
- Senior FullStack Software Engineer at SRK Global Services Inc$145,018LakevilleWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729249
- Principal Architect - Platform & Interoperability at Itiliti Health, Inc.$240,000Eden PrairieWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-730554
- Data Engineer - Experienced at SCH Services, Inc.$145,018MinneapolisWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728128
- Cloud Engineer at Ameriprise Financial, Inc.$125,798MinneapolisWage Level IIIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-724245
- Integration Architect at TELUS International Digital Solutions LLC$165,000EaganWage Level IVDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26084-727311
- Sr. Enterprise Solution Architect at Andersen Corporation$165,941Oak Park HeightsWage Level IIIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-726138
- Power Apps Developer at Experis US, LLC$106,579MinneapolisWage Level IIDecided Mar 31, 2026I-200-26083-725191
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 Minnesota
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 Minnesota
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,246 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $125,798.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | U.S. Bank National Association | 558 | $125,798 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 282 | $106,579 |
| Lead Engineer | Target Enterprise, Inc. | 215 | $141,898 |
| Software Development Engineer | Amazon.com Services LLC | 38 | $143,140 |
| Systems Engineer | Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | 35 | $129,100 |
| Data Engineer | Caremark LLC | 30 | $106,790 |
| JAVA DEVELOPER | ECCLESIASTES, INC. | 16 | $103,605 |
| Senior Manager, Software Engineering | Optum Services, Inc. | 16 | $145,018 |
| Applications Consultant | CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | 16 | $125,149 |
| DevOps Engineer | Genisys Technologies, Inc. | 15 | $106,579 |
| Full Stack Developer | Diya Consulting Services Inc | 13 | $111,000 |
| Senior Developer | ENDAVA INC | 12 | $119,827 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Minnesota, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,998 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $108,039.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Optum Services, Inc. | 1,016 | $108,039 |
| Retail and wholesale | Target Enterprise, Inc. | 359 | $141,898 |
| Finance and insurance | U.S. Bank National Association | 290 | $125,860 |
| Manufacturing | Medtronic, Inc. | 144 | $132,540 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 127 | $127,754 |
| Transportation and logistics | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 17 | $145,000 |
| Education | University of Minnesota | 12 | $105,835 |
| Healthcare | National Marrow Donor Program | 12 | $122,972 |
| Media and entertainment | Life Time, Inc. | 7 | $126,235 |
| Energy and utilities | Ecolab USA Inc. | 7 | $141,412 |
| Real estate | Agiliti Health, Inc. | 4 | $135,000 |
| Government and public sector | Data Recognition Corporation | 3 | $131,952 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Minnesota 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 Minnesota metropolitan areas.
- Minneapolis$130,920
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare Minnesota with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Minnesota?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Minnesota is $130,050.
- How does Minnesota compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Minnesota median is -9.0% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Minnesota?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $79,900 and the 90th-percentile at $169,810, 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.