Software Developers salary in Cincinnati, OH
Median pay for software developers in Cincinnati, OH: $107,890/yr
Typical range (10th–90th percentile): $74,070 – $157,480 · about 8,330 employed locally
Below the typical metro median ($111,055) by −$3,165 (-3%).
What it's really worth in Cincinnati
With Cincinnati's cost of living at 94 (US=100), that $107,890 has the buying power of about $114,504 in an average-cost US metro.
Local context: median household income $76,247 · median home $311,270 · median rent $1,575/mo.
How Cincinnati ranks for this job
On raw pay, Cincinnati, OH is 105th of the 186 metros we hold software developers wages for. Once Cincinnati's cost of living is applied, it ranks 111th.
Pay and living costs are roughly in step here, so Cincinnati sits in much the same place whether you look at raw salary or spending power.
What that salary buys in Cincinnati
A median home in Cincinnati, OH costs $311,270 — about 2.9× this salary, against a typical US metro figure of 4.7×. Buying is more attainable here than in the average metro on this income.
Median rent of $1,575/mo works out at 18% of gross pay — inside the conventional 30% affordability ceiling.
Where software developers earn more
Pay on its own is only half the picture, so each row shows what rent costs there relative to Cincinnati.
| Metro | Median pay | vs Cincinnati | Rent vs Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $199,100 | +85% | 2.3× |
| San Francisco, CA | $172,340 | +60% | 2.1× |
| Seattle, WA | $167,030 | +55% | 1.4× |
| Santa Maria, CA | $154,200 | +43% | 2.1× |
Same job elsewhere in OH
| Metro | Median pay | vs Cincinnati | Rent vs Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $114,330 | +6% | 1× |
| Cleveland, OH | $105,790 | −2% | 0.9× |
| Akron, OH | $104,450 | −3% | 0.8× |
| Toledo, OH | $101,020 | −6% | 0.8× |
Staying in OH keeps state income tax and licensing the same, which makes these the most directly comparable moves.
Who hires software developers around Cincinnati
Large local employers in sectors that typically employ this role.
- Fifth Third Bank · Finance
- GE Aerospace · Aerospace/Defense
Other jobs in Cincinnati
Source: US BLS OEWS (May 2023) median annual wage; cost of living from BEA; home price and rent from Zillow; household income from US Census ACS. Rankings are across the 186 metros we hold wage data for in this occupation. Estimates for guidance only. See methodology.