Software Engineer salary in Boulder, CO
Based on 306 certified H-1B filings in the Boulder, CO metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Erie.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $106,364 |
| 25th | $132,012 |
| 50th (median) | $146,058 |
| 75th | $169,225 |
| 90th | $191,450 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $110,000 | $90,000 | $126,000 | 261 |
| FY2021 | $115,998 | $96,866 | $138,534 | 238 |
| FY2022 | $124,800 | $100,000 | $143,978 | 257 |
| FY2023 | $126,300 | $104,000 | $145,787 | 229 |
| FY2024 | $141,205 | $131,324 | $166,959 | 166 |
| FY2025 | $141,960 | $129,478 | $163,200 | 167 |
| FY2026 | $146,058 | $138,352 | $174,637 | 139 |
Cost of living
Boulder's median Software Engineer salary of $146,058 is worth about $138,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Boulder = 105.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Boulder, CO area earned a median of $164,560 in May 2025 (7,130 employed). The H-1B median here is $146,058, 11% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| $154,500 | 50 | |
| Qualcomm | $133,500 | 37 |
| Amazon | $159,300 | 33 |
| Workday | $146,058 | 32 |
| Apple | $146,058 | 11 |
| Medtronic | too few | 7 |
| Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group | too few | 7 |
| Covidien | too few | 7 |
| NetApp | too few | 7 |
| Ricoh | too few | 7 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $110,000 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $152,100 | 93 |
| Senior · Level III | $185,869 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $225,680 | 15 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $101,670 | $110,000 | 43 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $141,960 | $152,100 | 93 |
| Senior · Level III | $185,869 | $185,869 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $222,539 | $225,680 | 15 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.