What the numbers say
Ohio's median Software Developer wage was $107,690 in 2024, about 22% below the national median of $138,520. That headline gap is real, but it tells only part of the story.
The spread between top and bottom earners is wide. Developers at the 10th percentile earned $74,780 while those at the 90th earned $165,640. Top earners made roughly 2.2 times what entry-level peers did. That range reflects how much experience, specialization, and the type of employer can shift pay within the same occupation in the same state.
Cost of living closes some of the gap with higher-paying states. Ohio's overall price level sits at about 91% of the national average. In purchasing terms, the $107,690 median translates to closer to $118,800 in national-baseline dollars. That narrows the real gap with the national median to roughly 14%, not 22%.
BLS projects Software Developer employment to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a rate it classifies as much faster than average. With 44,280 Software Developers already employed in Ohio, even modest percentage growth adds a meaningful number of positions to the state's market.
Salary distribution
Where Ohio software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $87,340 and $134,540, with a median of $107,690.
Software Developers in Ohio: 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: $121,000. 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 | 24 | $82,846 |
| Level II — qualified | 180 | $102,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 76 | $127,250 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 117 | $149,718 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in Ohio. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Vice President, Lead Software Engineer | 94 | $147,000 |
| Cardinal Health | Engineer, Application Development and Maintenance | 36 | $116,948 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 25 | $140,026 |
| The Sherwin-Williams Company | Senior IT Web Developer | 23 | $130,832 |
| Capgemini America Inc | Applications Consultant 3 | 20 | $131,034 |
| Worldpay, LLC | Software Engineer Senior | 18 | $147,651 |
| The Kroger Company | Senior Software Engineer | 17 | $138,351 |
| SLK AMERICA INC | Software Engineer | 14 | $100,547 |
| Elevance Health, Inc. | Engineer Lead | 12 | $140,633 |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | Software Developers - KBGFJG396673-1 | 11 | $171,879 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Development Engineer and Testing at Infobiz Systems LLC$100,547CincinnatiDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503906
- Senior Software Engineer at BMW Financial Services NA, LLC$124,260ColumbusDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502651
- Senior IT Web Developer at The Sherwin-Williams Company$127,130ClevelandDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501465
- Software Developer at SAAS Global Solutions, LLC.$103,000DublinDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502586
- JAVA DEVELOPER at ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STAFFING LLC$82,846COLUMBUSDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-503063
- Senior Test Analyst at L BRANDS SERVICE COMPANY, LLC$120,973ColumbusDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501565
- Applications Engineer at Accelevation, LLC$110,000MiamisburgDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502891
- Consultant, Software Engineer at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company$140,026ColumbusDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-502313
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 Ohio
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 Ohio
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 562 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $119,787.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Worldpay, LLC | 144 | $119,787 |
| Software Developer | LTIMindtree Limited | 138 | $101,899 |
| Vice President, Lead Software Engineer | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | 74 | $150,000 |
| Engineer, Application Development and Maintenance | Cardinal Health | 42 | $120,973 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 32 | $146,952 |
| Java Developer | Planet Equity Group | 28 | $101,899 |
| Data Engineer | SLK AMERICA INC | 28 | $124,100 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 26 | $131,034 |
| Application Developer | Munich Re America Services, Inc. | 15 | $129,130 |
| Consultant, Software Engineer | Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | 12 | $140,026 |
| Solution Architect | NTT DATA Business Solutions Inc. | 12 | $155,158 |
| Software Developers - KBGFJG396673-1 | Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 11 | $171,879 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in Ohio, by industry
Median offered wage across 983 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $103,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | Capgemini America Inc | 521 | $103,000 |
| Professional services | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | 185 | $141,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Elevance Health, Inc. | 101 | $135,000 |
| Retail and wholesale | Cardinal Health | 88 | $129,834 |
| Manufacturing | The Sherwin-Williams Company | 58 | $130,760 |
| Transportation and logistics | NetJets Services Inc. | 12 | $132,834 |
| Education | McGraw Hill LLC | 8 | $80,777 |
| Healthcare | Molina Healthcare, Inc. | 4 | $132,537 |
| Energy and utilities | American Electric Power | 3 | $145,000 |
| Real estate | Move Sales, Inc | 2 | $118,486 |
| Government and public sector | CareSource Management Services, LLC | 1 | $101,899 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in Ohio 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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Explore coursesTop metros in Ohio
Metro-level salary data for software developers in major Ohio metropolitan areas.
- Columbus$117,150
- Cincinnati$113,240
- Cleveland$102,790
Compare Software Developers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in Ohio?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in Ohio is $107,690.
- How does Ohio compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The Ohio median is -22.3% versus the BLS national figure of $138,520.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in Ohio?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $74,780 and the 90th-percentile at $165,640, 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.