Software Developers Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $135,620/year ($65.2/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $101K at the entry level to $209K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $138,998 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 20.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $136K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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 software developers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Software developers pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 0% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,711/month, 21.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software developers in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $136K | $140K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $133K | $135K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $125K | $135K |
| Winston-Salem | $124K | $135K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $101K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $209K or more, a $109K spread from bottom to top.
Software Developers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Software Developers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $174K | +28% | 284,390 |
| Washington | $167K | +22% | 107,030 |
| New York | $166K | +22% | 113,510 |
| Massachusetts | $165K | +21% | 48,190 |
| Oregon | $143K | +5% | 21,830 |
| New Hampshire | $140K | +3% | 10,840 |
| Maryland | $139K | +2% | 31,350 |
| Colorado | $138K | +2% | 43,320 |
| District of Columbia | $137K | +1% | 6,120 |
| Virginia | $136K | +0% | 88,280 |
| New Jersey | $136K | -0% | 51,570 |
| North Carolina | $135K | -1% | 58,470 |
| Connecticut | $134K | -1% | 13,660 |
| Delaware | $133K | -2% | 3,380 |
| Texas | $132K | -3% | 163,880 |
| Illinois | $132K | -3% | 56,310 |
| Idaho | $132K | -3% | 5,750 |
| Georgia | $131K | -4% | 49,700 |
| Florida | $131K | -4% | 87,890 |
| Rhode Island | $131K | -4% | 5,070 |
| Minnesota | $130K | -4% | 35,890 |
| Arizona | $130K | -5% | 38,050 |
| South Carolina | $129K | -5% | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $129K | -5% | 4,520 |
| Utah | $129K | -5% | 31,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $127K | -7% | 55,920 |
| Missouri | $126K | -7% | 20,020 |
| Michigan | $126K | -8% | 43,460 |
| Vermont | $125K | -8% | 1,740 |
| New Mexico | $125K | -8% | 3,960 |
| Hawaii | $124K | -9% | 1,600 |
| Maine | $123K | -9% | 2,790 |
| Wisconsin | $123K | -10% | 21,730 |
| Alabama | $123K | -10% | 17,450 |
| Tennessee | $122K | -10% | 19,030 |
| Montana | $122K | -10% | 2,160 |
| West Virginia | $121K | -11% | 2,650 |
| Oklahoma | $118K | -13% | 6,880 |
| Wyoming | $115K | -15% | 1,510 |
| Iowa | $115K | -16% | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $114K | -16% | 44,790 |
| Kansas | $113K | -17% | 13,580 |
| Nebraska | $111K | -18% | 7,260 |
| Kentucky | $109K | -20% | 7,660 |
| Indiana | $106K | -22% | 14,130 |
| North Dakota | $106K | -22% | 1,450 |
| Arkansas | $104K | -23% | 6,050 |
| Louisiana | $103K | -24% | 4,080 |
| South Dakota | $96K | -29% | 2,380 |
| Mississippi | $95K | -30% | 1,880 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track software developers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 21.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $101K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,040/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for software developers?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $139K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do software developers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $135,620 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,670, and experienced software developers can clear $209,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,112/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 21.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a software developers salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 software developers salary is worth about $138,998 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do software developers 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.