Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a software developer make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

In the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, software developers earned a median of $123,730 a year ($59.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 6,170 of these jobs there. That is 142% above the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $77,740 and $164,660; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $89,999 in take-home pay.

Software developer pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at a glance

Median salary

$123,730$59.49 per hour · $10,311 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$77,740$37.38/hr
25th percentile$99,990$48.07/hr
75th percentile$138,590$66.63/hr
90th percentile$164,660$79.17/hr
Jobs in this metro6,170Location quotient 0.69 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here142% aboveAll-jobs median $51,160
Against Wisconsin1% aboveStatewide median $122,660
Against the U.S.9% belowNational 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.

Software developer salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI after taxes

$123,730
$45,000$250,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$123,730
Net 73%
Fed 15%
WI 5%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$89,999After all taxes
Monthly deposit$7,500Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$3,462Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate27.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$18,429 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$5,836 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$9,465 / yr

Software developers pay range in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, hourly and yearly

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

What software developers earned in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$37.38/hr$6,478$77,740$60,414
25th percentile$48.07/hr$8,333$99,990$74,746
MedianMedian$59.49/hr$10,311$123,730$89,999
75th percentile$66.63/hr$11,549$138,590$99,288
90th percentile$79.17/hr$13,722$164,660$115,725

Is $123,730 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

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$78,218Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.93.1% below 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.

Software developer pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for software developers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area was $123,730 in May 2025, about $10,311 a month or $59.49 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $122,660, so the metro pays 1% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

The median hourly wage for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI was $59.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $37.38 an hour and one in ten earned more than $79.17.

How many software developers work in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS estimated 6,170 jobs for software developers in the metro in May 2025, or 7.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.69 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

BLS wage estimates for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI run from $77,740 at the 10th percentile to $99,990 at the 25th, $138,590 at the 75th, and $164,660 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do software developers take home after taxes in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On a median gross salary of $123,730, an estimated $89,999 lands in net take-home pay per year ($3,462 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $33,731 (an effective rate of 27.3%).

How much do software developers make per month in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

On the median annual salary of $123,730, gross monthly income is $10,311. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $7,500 per month (or $3,462 every two weeks).

Is $123,730 a good salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?

At $123,730, the median salary for software developers is 158.2% of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI median household income ($78,218). It is 142% above the $51,160 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.9, so prices here run 3.1% below the U.S. average.