Software Developers Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Portland-South Portland, ME is $128,710/year ($61.88/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $185K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $126,360 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,130/month, or 28% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Software developers pay in Portland-South Portland tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $136K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $2,130/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software developers in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lewiston-Auburn | $118K | $124K |
| Bangor | $104K | $108K |
| Manchester-Nashua | $162K | $153K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $185K or more, a $101K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a software developer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,026/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $136K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for software developers?
Portland-South Portland pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $128,710 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,760, and experienced software developers can clear $185,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,586/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (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 $126,360 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.