Software Developer Salary
The median pay for a software developers in Rapid City, SD is $91,840/year ($44.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $148K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $103,006 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,336/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $92K actually covers in Rapid City, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). 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 Rapid City
Pay for software developers in Rapid City runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $136K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,336/month, 22% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Rapid City can be a reasonable trade-off for software developers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for software developers in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $101K | $111K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $131K | $125K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $126K | $138K |
| Omaha | $125K | $136K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level software developers (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $92K. Top earners bring in $148K or more, a $76K 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 Rapid City 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 Rapid City?
Yes — at the median salary of $92K, rent takes 22% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for software developers in Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new software developers typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,927/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is software developer a high-paying job in Rapid City?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $92K here vs. $136K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for software developers?
Rapid City pays $92K median vs. the U.S. average of $136K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — below the national median.
How much do software developers make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $91,840 a year, that works out to about $44 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,120, and experienced software developers can clear $148,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $92K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,083/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 22% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 $103,006 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.