Starting range
Average salary
Top earners
About 8% below the U.S. average
Compare to Nearby Cities
| City | Average Salary | Cost of Living Index | Real Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | $110,000 | 112 | $98,214 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $105,000 | 108 | $97,222 |
| Rapid City, SD | $78,000 | 95 | $82,105 |
Local Market Outlook
Demand Level
Steady but conservative — periodic postings for full-time .NET roles, occasional contract work; modest growth tied to state IT projects and healthcare modernization.
Top Employers
Key Industries
How Cheyenne's cost of living affects .NET developer purchasing power
Cheyenne’s COL index near 92 means nominal salaries stretch further than in Denver or Boulder. For a .
NET developer earning the local average (~$82k), housing is the biggest amplifier: median rent for a 1–2 bedroom in Cheyenne typically ranges $850–$1,200/mo and a median single-family home price is substantially below Front Range metros. Commute costs are lower because drive times are generally under 25 minutes and public transit is limited, so most developers budget for car ownership and modest fuel costs rather than expensive transit passes.
Utility costs can be seasonally higher in winter (heating) but still do not offset the housing savings. Practically, an entry-level .
NET developer on $58k will usually be able to afford downtown or near-suburban housing and save more than entry peers in Denver; mid-level and senior engineers find disposable income sufficient to buy a house locally or commute to higher-paying nearby cities while retaining a lower cost base.
Why Cheyenne .NET salaries sit where they do
Salaries for . NET developers in Cheyenne are driven by a mix of public-sector demand and smaller private firms.
The State of Wyoming and Laramie County maintain significant enterprise applications and occasionally hire . NET developers for modernization projects (C#, ASP.
NET, WebAPI). Cheyenne Regional Medical Center and regional healthcare practices need .
NET skills for EHR integrations and custom portals. Local banks and credit unions maintain in-house .
NET teams for online banking and reporting. Energy and field-service firms use .
NET for telemetry backends and administrative tools, but often favor contractors or regional offices. Compared with major tech hubs, local firms have smaller budgets, so compensation trades off with job stability, clearer on-site responsibilities, and closer community ties.
Project-based state contracts can temporarily lift demand, but long-term salary growth mirrors state budgets and regional business cycles rather than rapid VC-driven expansion.
Comparing Cheyenne to nearby tech markets and commute/relocation advice
Relative to Denver (avg . NET ~$110k, COL ~112) and Fort Collins (~$105k, COL ~108), Cheyenne pays less nominally but offers stronger purchasing power after housing adjustments.
Rapid City (~$78k, COL ~95) is closer in profile, with lower nominal pay and similar COL. If you prioritize higher nominal compensation and larger tech ecosystems (cloud teams, larger consultancies), relocating to Denver/Fort Collins or commuting for a hybrid role can make sense—many Cheyenne developers accept remote or hybrid roles with Denver firms and keep housing in Cheyenne.
Commuting daily to Denver is generally unrealistic (100+ miles); however, hybrid schedules (2–3 days/week onsite) or long-week commuting are feasible for senior engineers. For career growth without relocation, pursue state-level contracts, healthcare IT projects, or remote roles with Denver/remote-first companies while living in Cheyenne to maximize take-home value.
Typical career progression for a .NET developer in Cheyenne
Entry (0–2 years): Junior . NET roles focus on maintenance, bug fixes, and small feature work—skills to develop: C#, ASP.
NET Core, SQL Server, source control, and basic unit testing. Expect 1–2 promotions or title changes over 2–4 years if you add DevOps basics (CI/CD) and cloud exposure (Azure).
Mid (3–7 years): Mid-level devs own modules, lead small projects, and mentor juniors. Titles may include Software Engineer II/III or Application Developer; salary mobility improves by demonstrating end-to-end delivery, integrations (REST APIs), and performance tuning.
Senior (8+ years): Senior engineers or architects lead cross-team integrations, design systems and influence procurement—roles that command the local top of market (~$100k+). Accelerators: gaining Azure certifications, healthcare interoperability (HL7/FHIR), or experience with government procurement cycles (RFP-driven projects) can shorten timelines and unlock higher pay or contracting options.
How to negotiate as a .NET developer in Cheyenne
Be explicit about local market constraints and your leverage. Reasonable base ranges: entry $55k–62k, mid $72k–88k, senior $95k–110k depending on responsibilities and whether the role includes architecture/leadership.
If an employer can't meet the top of range, negotiate for tangible compensators: flexible remote days, sign-on bonuses, accelerated review cycles, extra vacation, training budget for Azure/. NET certifications, or a budget for home office/commute.
For public-sector roles, emphasize domain knowledge (state systems, HIPAA, procurement experience) to justify premiums. When interviewing with out-of-area or remote firms, ask about COL-based pay policies—some Denver firms base offers on their metro salaries (higher), which is leverage if you propose to remain in Cheyenne.
Document quantifiable outcomes (reduced latency, feature delivery cadence) to support requests for raises or title changes.
Related Tools
Sources & Methodology
How We Calculate Salary Data
Location-specific salary data is compiled from government statistics (BLS), employer-reported data, and verified employee submissions. Cost of living adjustments use COLI data from the Council for Community and Economic Research. All figures are cross-referenced across multiple sources and updated quarterly to reflect current market conditions.
Data last verified: January 2026
Data Sources
Official government occupational employment and wage statistics
Self-reported salary data from employees by location
Job posting salary data aggregated by metro area
Council for Community and Economic Research cost of living data
Regional compensation data and cost-of-living adjustments