The 13 Highest Paying Cities for Software Engineers in the U.S Midwest

Despite the best efforts of some venture capitalists and Ohio’s local and state governments, the Buckeye State might need to put in some more work to attract tech talent in the U.S. Midwest.

The best-paying cities for software engineers in the U.S. Midwest are the large cities of St. Louis and Chicago, according to a recent analysis from the professional social network Blind. Some of the large tech employers hiring in Missouri’s second-largest city include Amazon, Microsoft, Square and more.

The average total compensation for software engineers in the southern U.S. ranges from $100,468 to $175,463, according to

Among the top 100 best-paying cities for software engineers in the U.S., 13 are in the Midwest, as reported by the more than 5 million verified professionals on Blind.

Blind analyzed thousands of total compensation packages, including the annual salary and any stock-based compensation or cash bonuses a developer might earn. Check out the top 13 best-paying cities in the midwestern U.S.:

1. St. Louis

   Average total compensation: $175,463 Median total compensation: $119,250 Average salary: $125,009 Median base salary: $112,500

   
   

2. Chicago

   Average total compensation: $173,991 Median total compensation: $136,400 Average salary: $128,811 Median base salary: $121,000

   
   

3. Milwaukee

   Average total compensation: $164,019 Median total compensation: $112,500 Average salary: $156,396 Median base salary: $104,000

   
   

4. Indianapolis

   Average total compensation: $154,989 Median total compensation: $112,750 Average salary: $114,071 Median base salary: $100,000

   
   

5. Minneapolis

   Average total compensation: $145,409 Median total compensation: $125,000 Average salary: $121,880 Median base salary: $119,000

   
   

6. Madison, Wisc.

   Average total compensation: $144,254 Median total compensation: $131,050 Average salary: $117,593 Median base salary: $117,500

   
   

7. Detroit

   Average total compensation: $142,077 Median total compensation: $115,000 Average salary: $108,958 Median base salary: $100,000

   
   

8. Ann Arbor, Mich.

   Average total compensation: $125,885 Median total compensation: $116,000 Average salary: $104,698 Median base salary: $103,500

   
   

9. Cincinnati

   Average total compensation: $123,249 Median total compensation: $99,000 Average salary: $105,585 Median base salary: $96,500

   
   

10. Columbus, Ohio

    Average total compensation: $119,023 Median total compensation: $105,000 Average salary: $106,059 Median base salary: $100,000

    
    

11. Cleveland

    Average total compensation: $104,299 Median total compensation: $97,500 Average salary: $95,932 Median base salary: $93,000

    
    

12. Dearborn, Mich.

    Average total compensation: $102,200 Median total compensation: $100,000 Average salary: $97,057 Median base salary: $95,000

    
    

13. Kansas City, Mo.

    Average total compensation: $100,468 Median total compensation: $82,000 Average salary: $94,736 Median base salary: $81,000

    
    

    Methodology

    Blind analyzed the base salaries and total compensation of software engineers in the United States on its platform. Cities were ranked by the average total compensation, including salary and, if applicable, stock-based compensation and annual cash bonuses. The list includes cities in the midwestern U.S., as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, in the top 100 best-paying cities for software engineers in the United States. All data is self-reported by verified professionals on the professional social network Blind.

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