Software Developers Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $123,730/year ($59.49/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $165K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $127,636 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,338/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $124K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Software developers pay in Milwaukee-Waukesha tracks closely to the national median, $124K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,338/month, 17.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $131K | $134K |
| Green Bay | $103K | $111K |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $104K | $112K |
| Appleton | $103K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $124K. Top earners bring in $165K or more, a $87K 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Yes — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 17.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,664/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $124K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for software developers?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $124K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $123,730 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,740, and experienced software developers can clear $164,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $124K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,484/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 17.9% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $127,636 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.