Mid-level Software Engineer salary in Boulder, CO
Based on 93 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $141,960 |
| 25th | $146,058 |
| 50th (median) | $152,100 |
| 75th | $158,000 |
| 90th | $174,351 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $97,000 | $89,482 | $110,240 | 127 |
| FY2021 | $97,700 | $96,866 | $112,500 | 110 |
| FY2022 | $110,000 | $96,096 | $134,025 | 122 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $104,000 | $140,886 | 128 |
| FY2024 | $135,000 | $131,997 | $151,400 | 69 |
| FY2025 | $152,100 | $141,960 | $160,000 | 53 |
| FY2026 | $146,543 | $146,058 | $153,600 | 40 |
Cost of living
Boulder's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $152,100 is worth about $144,600 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 $152,100, 8% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Workday | $146,058 | 24 |
| Amazon | $160,800 | 18 |
| $158,000 | 13 | |
| Qualcomm | too few | 5 |
| Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group | too few | 5 |
| Apple | too few | 2 |
| Cardinal Peak | too few | 2 |
| Covidien | too few | 2 |
| Zia Consulting | too few | 2 |
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.