.NET Developer Salary in Billings: $65,000-$120,000 (2026)

Billings’ cost of living index around 88 means bedroom and lifestyle costs are materially lower than U. S.

metros. For a .

NET developer earning the local average (~$88k), rent for a one‑bedroom in central neighborhoods typically runs $850–$1,050/month; family homes outside core neighborhoods rent for $1,100–$1,500. A mortgage at median home prices near $320k results in monthly housing payments significantly below what a comparable mortgage would cost in Bozeman or Denver.

Commute costs are modest — average one‑way drives are under 20 minutes, gas and insurance rates are near state averages — so transportation eats less of take‑home pay. Groceries, utilities and healthcare are slightly below national averages, improving discretionary income.

Practically, a mid‑level . NET dev here can save a larger percentage of salary and achieve homeownership faster than peers in higher‑cost Montana markets, though entertainment and niche services are fewer and may require travel to larger regional centers.

Salaries reflect a mix of stable but limited local demand and growing remote opportunities. Billings hosts healthcare systems (Billings Clinic, St.

Vincent) that maintain sizeable in‑house IT and EMR integration teams — these teams often prefer reliable . NET developers for internal tools and integrations.

Zoot Enterprises and several regional fintech/service firms provide payment and integration work that commands higher pay for specialized . NET and C# skill sets.

Energy and utilities projects create periodic contract work but tend to be cyclical. Local government and insurance firms require maintenance and modernization of legacy .

NET systems, producing consistent mid‑level openings rather than explosive growth. The rise of remote-first hiring has capped local salary inflation: employers can source talent remotely, so local firms compete on stability, benefits, and lower cost of living rather than matching big‑tech pay.

As a result, compensation is moderate, with senior specialized engineers or managers commanding closer to the top of the range.

Compared to Bozeman and Missoula, Billings offers lower salaries but also noticeably lower costs. Bozeman (.

NET avg ~$105k, COL ~112) pays a premium driven by a growing tech scene; relocating there makes sense for higher pay and more senior roles, but housing and everyday costs are significantly higher. Missoula provides a middle ground with slightly higher pay (~$95k) and modestly higher costs.

Rapid City is closer in COL and pay to Billings, making inter‑city moves often unnecessary unless a specific role or company is unusually compelling. Commuting long distances is rarely practical; instead consider remote or hybrid roles based in larger metros that allow residing in Billings.

For developers prioritizing salary and product work, relocating to Bozeman or an out‑of‑state tech hub may accelerate earnings. If lifestyle, cost savings, or family ties matter, staying in Billings and targeting remote senior roles can be optimal.

Typical progression: entry (0–2 years) focuses on full‑stack basics—C#, ASP. NET Core, SQL Server, basic unit testing—moving to mid (3–7 years) where devs own modules, design APIs, mentor juniors, and handle deployments; senior (8+ years) leads architecture, system design, and cross‑team initiatives.

In Billings, timeframe can be accelerated by specializing in healthcare integrations (FHIR, HL7), fintech/payment systems (PCI compliance, payment gateways), or cloud migration (Azure). Achieving certifications (Azure Developer/Architect, Microsoft MCSD equivalents) and demonstrable project lead experience often moves mid‑level devs into senior pay bands faster.

Taking cross‑functional roles (DevOps ownership, security, product ownership) is a common path to manager/lead positions. Participating in regional IT projects, contributing to open‑source or public case studies, and building a portfolio of integrations with major EMR or payment platforms materially shortens the timeline to higher compensation in the Billings market.

When negotiating in Billings, use both local data and remote comparables. Reasonable base salary asks: entry $52k–$62k, mid $75k–$95k, senior $100k–$125k depending on specialization.

Emphasize domain expertise (healthcare/FHIR, payments, Azure) to push toward the upper band. Benefits often separate good offers: prioritize flexible remote/hybrid schedules, paid training/certification budgets, clear path to promotion, and equity or performance bonuses if offered by SaaS firms.

If the employer is constrained on base pay, secure a structured review (90–180 days) with defined goals and a written raise/bonus plan. Cultural factors: smaller teams in Billings value broad ownership and cultural fit; demonstrate reliability, on‑call experience, and ability to communicate with non‑technical stakeholders.

Finally, quantify cost offsets — lower COL makes lower nominal pay more palatable, but if you have competing remote offers use those as leverage to reach national‑competitive compensation.