.NET Developer Salary in Charleston: $72,000-$130,000 (2026)

Charleston's cost-of-living index (~105) means nominal . NET salaries are slightly above US average, but housing pushes effective purchasing power down.

Typical one-bedroom rents in desirable areas (Downtown, North Charleston close to Boeing, Mount Pleasant) range $1,400–$2,000/month; suburban or shared housing can be $900–$1,300. A mid-level .

NET developer earning ~$92k gross will see higher rent and insurance costs than a same-salary peer in a lower-COL city, reducing discretionary income. Commute costs vary: many developers in North Charleston or Summerville drive 20–40 minutes; budget $150–$300/month for fuel and parking.

Groceries and utilities are near national average, but housing and occasional tourism-driven price spikes (summer) matter. For families, school district choices and mortgage premiums in high-rated zones can materially affect affordability.

Overall, Charleston favors developers who value quality-of-life (coastal access, culture) but requires careful housing choices to maximize take-home and savings.

Charleston's . NET salary profile reflects a mix of legacy SaaS companies, aerospace manufacturing, healthcare systems, and a growing services/consulting sector.

Firms like Blackbaud and Benefitfocus historically anchor local software pay bands and maintain stable hiring for C#/. NET backends, API work, and integrations.

Boeing's North Charleston presence increases demand for developers who can support manufacturing IT, automation, and systems integration—often contractor roles with competitive pay. MUSC and regional health-tech startups need .

NET expertise for patient systems and interoperability projects. Local digital agencies and consultancies take smaller product budgets but hire junior-to-mid .

NET engineers for client work. The region also sees periodic federal/state contract work and remote roles sourced from larger hubs; that inflow keeps mid-level salaries healthy but tempers steep increases.

Overall, the salary mix is set by established SaaS employers and manufacturing/healthcare demand, with remote hiring slightly compressing top-end local offers.

Compared to Columbia (lower COL, avg . NET ~$82k) Charleston pays more nominally but costs more in housing.

Charlotte offers higher average pay (~$103k) but a higher COL and larger, more competitive market with more senior roles. Savannah is closer in profile to Charleston with slightly lower pay and lower COL.

Commuting from Columbia or Summerville to Charleston can be feasible for lower rent, but long commutes reduce quality of life; many developers will consider Summerville, Goose Creek, or North Charleston for lower housing while staying near employers. For mid-to-senior roles, relocation to Charlotte makes sense if you seek larger enterprise opportunities; for early-career developers, staying in Charleston provides access to entrenched SaaS employers and a growing startup scene.

Remote work is increasingly available for . NET roles; candidates can often secure Charlotte- or national-market wages while living in Charleston, but remote positions may require adjustments for time zone overlap and occasional on-site visits.

Typical progression: Entry (0–2 years) focuses on C#, ASP. NET Core basics, SQL Server, and unit testing—average pay ~$65k.

Mid (3–7 years) adds architecture, cloud (Azure), microservices, CI/CD, and team lead responsibilities—avg ~$92k. Senior (8+ years) leads architecture, platform decisions, mentoring, and cross-team projects—avg ~$120k.

To accelerate locally: specialize in Azure (certifications: AZ-204/AZ-303/AZ-305), gain experience with cloud-native . NET Core microservices, show domain knowledge in SaaS metrics (for Blackbaud/Benefitfocus) or manufacturing/IoT (for Boeing suppliers).

Contributing to successful product releases, taking on technical lead duties, or moving into DevOps/Platform engineering often yields >10% bumps. Contracting/consulting for aerospace or federal projects can spike pay temporarily.

Networking within Charleston tech meetups, contributing to local open-source projects, or demonstrating cross-functional impact (product + engineering) shortens timelines to senior roles.

When negotiating, anchor to local ranges: entry $60–75k, mid $80–105k, senior $105–140k depending on responsibilities and remote premiums. If the role requires domain expertise (fundraising SaaS, aerospace systems, or healthcare compliance), expect offers toward the top of local ranges.

Emphasize Azure and . NET Core experience, API design, and any CI/CD or containerization work—these command a premium.

Common benefits in Charleston include flexible/hybrid schedules, paid parking or commuter stipends (useful near Boeing/industrial parks), student loan assistance, and equity in startups. Ask about remote flexibility; fully remote roles often pay market (Charlotte/national) wages, but hybrid roles may not.

Highlight willingness for occasional on-site presence if applying for remote-eligible jobs—this can increase offer competitiveness. Finally, cite local comps (Blackbaud/Benefitfocus listings, regional Recruiter data) and cost-of-living specifics (rent in target neighborhood) to justify salary requests.