Computer Programmers Salary
Computer Programmers in St. Cloud, MN make a median of $77,640 a year, or about $37.33 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.63), which stretches that salary to about $88,600 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,206/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $78K actually covers in St. Cloud, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Cloud’s Regional Price Parity (87.63). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About computer programmers
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What this looks like in St. Cloud
Pay for computer programmers in St. Cloud runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $100K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,206/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, St. Cloud can be a reasonable trade-off for computer programmerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for computer programmers in metros near St. Cloud, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $118K | $113K |
| Mankato | $85K | $93K |
| Rochester | $65K | $72K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $85K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Cloud, MN
Entry-level computer programmers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Computer Programmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Computer Programmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $134K | +33% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $128K | +28% | 1,930 |
| Washington | $126K | +25% | 2,540 |
| Maryland | $126K | +25% | 2,490 |
| Virginia | $122K | +21% | 3,070 |
| Hawaii | $118K | +18% | 450 |
| California | $117K | +16% | 11,340 |
| Arkansas | $112K | +11% | 1,050 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +7% | 2,070 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +5% | 3,930 |
| Utah | $105K | +4% | 690 |
| Colorado | $105K | +4% | 930 |
| New York | $104K | +4% | 7,020 |
| Maine | $102K | +1% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $100K | -1% | 990 |
| South Carolina | $100K | -1% | 790 |
| Oregon | $100K | -1% | 1,370 |
| Texas | $99K | -1% | 7,620 |
| Georgia | $98K | -2% | 1,890 |
| Indiana | $97K | -3% | 1,520 |
| Rhode Island | $96K | -4% | 250 |
| Nebraska | $95K | -5% | 1,090 |
| Kentucky | $95K | -6% | 950 |
| Alabama | $94K | -7% | 890 |
| Nevada | $94K | -7% | 840 |
| Florida | $93K | -7% | 4,760 |
| Kansas | $93K | -7% | 460 |
| North Dakota | $92K | -8% | 190 |
| Alaska | $92K | -9% | 530 |
| Missouri | $90K | -10% | 1,520 |
| Montana | $90K | -10% | N/A |
| Vermont | $90K | -11% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $89K | -11% | 3,120 |
| Idaho | $89K | -11% | N/A |
| Arizona | $89K | -11% | 1,560 |
| Ohio | $85K | -15% | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $85K | -15% | 1,170 |
| New Mexico | $84K | -17% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -19% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -19% | 4,120 |
| Iowa | $79K | -21% | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $74K | -26% | N/A |
| Illinois | $73K | -28% | 1,280 |
| Michigan | $66K | -34% | 4,400 |
| West Virginia | $65K | -35% | 140 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -42% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track computer programmers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when St. Cloud numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a computer programmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in St. Cloud?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,206/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for computer programmers in St. Cloud?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new computer programmers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,429/month. At HUD’s $1,206/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is computer programmer a high-paying job in St. Cloud?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $78K here vs. $100K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does St. Cloud compare to the national average for computer programmers?
St. Cloud pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $100K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do computer programmers make in St. Cloud, MN?
The median is $77,640 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,240, and experienced computer programmers can clear $118,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in St. Cloud?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,929/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,206/month, which eats 24.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a computer programmers salary go in St. Cloud?
St. Cloud has a Regional Price Parity of 87.63 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median computer programmers salary is worth about $88,600 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do computer programmers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.