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Boulder, CO metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a software developer make in Boulder, CO?

In the Boulder, CO metropolitan area, software developers earned a median of $164,560 a year ($79.11 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 7,130 of these jobs there. That is 137% above the $69,580 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $102,880 and $235,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Colorado tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $117,211 in take-home pay.

Software developer pay in Boulder, CO at a glance

Median salary

$164,560$79.11 per hour · $13,713 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$102,880$49.46/hr
25th percentile$129,210$62.12/hr
75th percentile$206,650$99.35/hr
90th percentile$235,660$113.30/hr
Jobs in this metro7,130Location quotient 3.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here137% aboveAll-jobs median $69,580
Against Colorado19% aboveStatewide median $138,390
Against the U.S.21% aboveNational median $135,980

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $165,000 a year leaves after tax in ColoradoFederal tax, FICA and Colorado withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$80 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $165,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $165,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Colorado publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Colorado.

Software developer salary in Boulder, CO after taxes

$164,560
$65,000$330,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$164,560
Net 71%
Fed 17%
CO 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$117,211After all taxes
Monthly deposit$9,768Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$4,508Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate28.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$28,228 / yr
Colorado state income tax$6,532 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$12,589 / yr
Customize deductions in full Colorado calculator

Software developers pay range in Boulder, CO, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Boulder, CO metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What software developers earned in the Boulder, CO metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (CO)
10th percentile$49.46/hr$8,573$102,880$77,388
25th percentile$62.12/hr$10,768$129,210$94,604
MedianMedian$79.11/hr$13,713$164,560$117,211
75th percentile$99.35/hr$17,221$206,650$145,441
90th percentile$113.30/hr$19,638$235,660$164,107

Is $164,560 a good salary in Boulder, CO?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for software developers next to both.

Median household income$103,994Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)105.25.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household158.2%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Software developers pay in other Colorado metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Boulder, CO. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Software developer pay in Boulder, CO: common questions

What is the median salary for software developers in Boulder, CO?

The BLS median annual wage for software developers in the Boulder, CO metro area was $164,560 in May 2025, about $13,713 a month or $79.11 an hour. Statewide, the Colorado median for this job is $138,390, so the metro pays 19% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for software developers in Boulder, CO?

The median hourly wage for software developers in Boulder, CO was $79.11 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $49.46 an hour and one in ten earned more than $113.30.

How many software developers work in Boulder, CO?

BLS estimated 7,130 jobs for software developers in the metro in May 2025, or 37.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 3.41 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for software developers in Boulder, CO?

BLS wage estimates for software developers in Boulder, CO run from $102,880 at the 10th percentile to $129,210 at the 25th, $206,650 at the 75th, and $235,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do software developers take home after taxes in Boulder, CO?

On a median gross salary of $164,560, an estimated $117,211 lands in net take-home pay per year ($4,508 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Colorado in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $47,349 (an effective rate of 28.8%).

How much do software developers make per month in Boulder, CO?

On the median annual salary of $164,560, gross monthly income is $13,713. After federal, FICA, and Colorado state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $9,768 per month (or $4,508 every two weeks).

Is $164,560 a good salary in Boulder, CO?

At $164,560, the median salary for software developers is 158.2% of the Boulder, CO median household income ($103,994). It is 137% above the $69,580 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 105.2, so prices here run 5.2% above the U.S. average.