Starting range
Average salary
Top earners
8% below US average
Compare to Nearby Cities
| City | Average Salary | Cost of Living Index | Real Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moline, IL | $82,000 | 94 | $87,234 |
| Rock Island, IL | $78,000 | 93 | $83,871 |
| Iowa City, IA | $95,000 | 103 | $92,233 |
Local Market Outlook
Demand Level
Steady demand with periodic spikes tied to manufacturing digitalization and healthcare IT projects; growth in .NET-maintenance/modernization roles and integration work.
Top Employers
Key Industries
How Davenport’s cost of living shapes a .NET developer’s purchasing power
Davenport’s cost of living index (~92) meaningfully enhances local purchasing power for a . NET developer.
Rent for a typical 1–2 bedroom apartment ranges roughly $700–$1,050 depending on neighborhood; a median single-family home market sits near $160k–$175k, far below national metros. For a mid-level .
NET developer earning about $80,000, monthly housing costs consume a smaller share of gross income than in Chicago or Minneapolis—enabling higher discretionary spending or faster savings. Commute costs are modest: average drive times are under 25 minutes and gas/insurance costs are below national urban averages, so transportation is rarely a major budget drain.
Lifestyle affordability is favorable for family formation, childcare and local entertainment; however, certain goods (specialized tech meetups, niche co-working spaces, boutique gyms) may be limited or require travel to Moline or Iowa City. In short, a $80k .
NET salary in Davenport usually affords a middle-class lifestyle that would require $5k–8k more in higher-COL metros.
Why .NET salaries sit at current levels in Davenport
Local salary levels for . NET developers reflect the region’s employer mix and cost structure.
Major employers like John Deere (with engineering/IT teams in the Quad Cities), regional healthcare systems (Genesis, UnityPoint) and local financial services provide steady demand for enterprise . NET skills—maintenance of legacy .
NET Framework apps, integrations with ERP/PLM systems, and internal business applications. Many opportunities are at small-to-mid sized consultancies and MSPs providing .
NET-based solutions to manufacturers and hospitals; these firms typically budget for competitive but not top-tier salaries. Economic trends such as continued investment in manufacturing automation, migration to cloud-hosted .
NET Core services, and occasional EMR upgrade projects create periodic hiring spikes. Because the labor pool is smaller than in metros, employers often emphasize stable benefits and work-life balance, trading off some salary premium versus larger tech hubs.
How Davenport compares to nearby cities and relocation considerations
Compared with nearby Moline and Rock Island, Davenport’s . NET salaries are similar; Moline averages a slightly higher figure (~$82k) due to on-site John Deere roles, while Rock Island runs marginally lower (~$78k).
Iowa City is the outlier: higher COL (~103) and higher average salaries (~$95k) driven by the university, healthcare research, and a tighter local tech market. Commuting from Davenport to Moline or Rock Island is common and practical; daily commutes across the river are often under 30 minutes.
Relocation to Iowa City or a larger metro can boost base pay but also raises housing costs substantially. Remote work is increasingly available for .
NET roles—developers in Davenport can often secure remote positions paying national rates, though competition is stronger and interview expectations (tests, architecture reviews) increase. For many, a hybrid approach (local employer + remote contracting) yields best total compensation.
Typical career progression and how to accelerate salary growth locally
Entry-level . NET developers in Davenport (0–2 years) typically start at $52k–$60k, focusing on bug fixes, unit tests and small feature work.
Mid-level roles (3–7 years, ~$75k–$90k) involve owning modules, integrating services (REST, SOAP), and migrating apps to . NET Core/.
NET 6+. Senior engineers (8+ years, $95k–$115k) lead architecture, CI/CD, cloud migration (Azure/AWS) and mentor teams.
Acceleration strategies that work locally: obtain Azure or Microsoft certifications (Azure Developer, AZ-204), demonstrate successful migration of legacy . NET Framework apps to .
NET Core, gain domain knowledge in manufacturing or healthcare (EMR/ERP integrations), or move into full-stack roles that add React/Angular and cloud IaC skills. Taking lead roles on cross-functional modernization projects or producing measurable uptime/performance improvements often justifies 10–20% raises or promotion to team lead/architect positions.
Negotiation tips tailored to Davenport .NET roles
When negotiating a . NET role in Davenport, use both local comparables and the cost-of-living advantage as leverage.
Reasonable base salary targets: entry $52k–$62k, mid $75k–$90k, senior $95k–$115k — ask toward the top of range if you bring cloud, architecture, or industry-specific experience (John Deere/healthcare integrations). Emphasize total compensation: many employers compensate with stronger PTO, flexible schedules, employer-paid training, tuition reimbursement, and profit-sharing rather than large base raises.
For remote offers, push for location-adjusted pay or a signing bonus if the employer applies national pay scales. Concrete negotiation tactics: present recent local job postings with salary ranges, quantify project outcomes (reduced lead times, error rates), and request specific review timelines for raises (6–12 months).
Cultural note: regional employers value stability and fit—express long-term interest while negotiating for market-aligned pay.
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