Software Developer Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Fort Collins, CO is $133,990/year ($64.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $221K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.13), that's roughly $132,493 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,759/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $134K actually covers in Fort Collins-Loveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Collins-Loveland’s Regional Price Parity (101.13). 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
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What this looks like in Fort Collins-Loveland
Software developers pay in Fort Collins-Loveland tracks closely to the national median, $134K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,759/month, 21.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.13) 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $138K | $130K |
| Boulder | $165K | $156K |
| Colorado Springs | $134K | $133K |
| Greeley | $129K | $129K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $134K. Top earners bring in $221K or more, a $141K 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 annually. We'll email you when Fort Collins-Loveland numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $134K, rent takes 21.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,759/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,095/month. At HUD’s $1,759/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 software developer a high-paying job in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $134K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for software developers?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $134K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $132K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $133,990 a year, that works out to about $64 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,990, and experienced software developers can clear $221,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $134K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,037/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,759/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median software developers salary is worth about $132,493 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.