Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · CBSA 19820
Software Engineer Salary in Detroit
VerifiedPublished metro-area wages for software engineers in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, from the BLS OEWS May 2024 release — with the local distribution set against Michigan and the national benchmark.
Software Engineers in Detroit earn a median of $124,780 per year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $98,110–$135,830; the top 10% earn $164,900. That is 6% below the national median and 16% above the Michigan median. BLS reports 21,670 employed locally.
Median wage
Verified$124,780
-6% vs national
Top 10% earn
$164,900
90th percentile
Employed in metro
21,670
Reliability High (3.9% RSE)
Software Engineer pay — Detroit vs Michigan vs national
All three distributions are published BLS percentiles on a single shared scale.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $79,230 | -1% |
| 25th percentile | $98,110 | -5% |
| Median50th percentile | $124,780 | -6% |
| 75th percentile | $135,830 | -20% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $164,900 | -22% |
| Meanaverage | $120,520 | -17% |
How concentrated software engineers are in Detroit
Location quotient compares local concentration to the national rate. Above 1.00 means this metro employs the occupation more densely than the country overall.
Location quotient
1.06
Jobs per 1,000
11.35
Metro rank (pay)
#96 of 381
All engineering roles
$108,615
Detroit employs software engineers at close to the national rate (location quotient 1.06).
Frequently asked questions
How much does a software engineer make in Detroit?
Does Detroit pay more than the rest of Michigan?
Where does Detroit rank nationally for software engineers?
Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 15-1252 (Software Developers), Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (metro area).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →