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 $98,470 and $144,860, with a median of $124,540.
Software Developers in Minnesota: 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: $123,162. 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 | 91 | $86,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 281 | $106,579 |
| Level III — experienced | 154 | $126,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 141 | $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 | 83 | $141,898 |
| Optum Services, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 56 | $125,798 |
| BEST BUY CO., INC. | Software Engineer II | 42 | $141,674 |
| Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 37 | $129,100 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | Senior Software Engineer | 29 | $131,969 |
| U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | Software Engineer | 17 | $115,339 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 14 | $109,650 |
| Medtronic, Inc. | Sr. Software Engineer | 14 | $125,798 |
| UCare Minnesota | Software Engineer Sr. - ETL | 10 | $115,784 |
| AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL, INC. | SYSTEMS ENGINEER | 8 | $125,600 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Development Engineer II at Amazon Data Services, Inc$152,058MinneapolisDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-500982
- Software Development Engineer at Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.$121,888EaganDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501975
- Sr Engineering Manager at Target Enterprise, Inc.$145,018Brooklyn ParkDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502122
- Software Engineer at BEST BUY CO., INC.$144,200RichfieldDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498032
- Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) at Prophecy Consulting Inc$107,000HopkinsDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25354-499927
- Software Developer at COGNIER INC$111,072Eden PrairieDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498225
- Senior Full Stack Engineer at BEST BUY CO., INC.$189,243RichfieldDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497136
- Lead Engineer at Target Enterprise, Inc.$145,018MinneapolisDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-497080
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 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 645 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $124,923.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Optum Services, Inc. | 292 | $124,923 |
| Software Developer | COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | 141 | $106,579 |
| Lead Engineer | Target Enterprise, Inc. | 105 | $141,898 |
| Systems Engineer | Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | 23 | $129,100 |
| Software Development Engineer | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 19 | $145,000 |
| Data Engineer | WAYNSYS INC. | 12 | $106,579 |
| JAVA DEVELOPER | ECCLESIASTES, INC. | 11 | $103,605 |
| Applications Consultant | CAPGEMINI AMERICA INC | 10 | $133,175 |
| DevOps Engineer | Genisys Technologies, Inc. | 10 | $106,579 |
| Senior Manager, Software Engineering | Optum Services, Inc. | 8 | $150,033 |
| Full Stack Developer | Diya Consulting Services Inc | 7 | $106,579 |
| Associate Developer | ACCELERIZE 360, INC. | 7 | $113,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Minnesota, by industry
Median offered wage across 999 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $107,484.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Optum Services, Inc. | 540 | $107,484 |
| Retail and wholesale | Target Enterprise, Inc. | 163 | $141,898 |
| Finance and insurance | Ameriprise Financial, Inc. | 149 | $125,798 |
| Manufacturing | Medtronic, Inc. | 70 | $125,798 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 51 | $133,200 |
| Transportation and logistics | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | 6 | $145,884 |
| Healthcare | National Marrow Donor Program | 5 | $123,204 |
| Education | University of Minnesota | 5 | $105,269 |
| Energy and utilities | Ecolab USA Inc. | 4 | $119,500 |
| Media and entertainment | Life Time, Inc. | 3 | $118,769 |
| Real estate | Agiliti Health, Inc. | 2 | $135,000 |
| Government and public sector | Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges | 1 | $107,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Minnesota 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 Minnesota metropolitan areas.
- Minneapolis$129,430
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
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 $124,540.
- How does Minnesota compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Minnesota median is -10.1% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Minnesota?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $75,340 and the 90th-percentile at $166,910, 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.