.NET Developer Salary in Durham: $75,000-$140,000 (2026)

Durham’s cost-of-living (index ~96) gives . NET developers slightly better purchasing power than peers in higher-COL tech hubs.

Typical 1-bedroom rents in desirable neighborhoods (Downtown, Trinity Park, Southpoint-area apartments) range $1,300–1,700/month; two-bed units commonly list $1,700–2,200. Median single-family home prices are near $350k–$380k as of recent market snapshots, which keeps monthly mortgage payments lower than in many coastal tech metros.

Commute expenses depend on employer location: drives to RTP average 20–30 miles and 25–40 minutes; budget $150–250/month for gas and maintenance if commuting daily. Public transit options (GoTriangle and local buses) are limited for many RTP commutes, so many developers add parking or rideshare costs.

For a mid-level . NET salary (~$95k), typical take-home after taxes and benefits will comfortably cover rent, utilities, food, and moderate discretionary spending; saving rates and home-buying timelines improve versus Raleigh-Chapel Hill when remote/hybrid flexibility reduces daily commuting costs.

Salaries for . NET developers in Durham are shaped by the Research Triangle ecosystem—Duke-related research, RTP corporate campuses, and a dense cluster of healthcare, biotech, and fintech employers.

Organizations such as Duke Health and LabCorp require secure, compliant . NET systems for clinical and lab workflows, which drives demand for developers experienced in C#, .

NET Core/. NET 6+, Azure, and regulated-data practices.

RTP employers (IBM, Cisco, regional tech shops, and managed-services firms) hire for enterprise . NET stacks and modernization projects (migrating legacy .

NET Framework to . NET Core and cloud).

Startups and mid-size software consultancies add need for full-stack . NET developers able to work with Angular/React front ends and SQL/NoSQL back ends.

The presence of contract research and pharmaceutical companies also pushes demand for domain-specific expertise (HIPAA/GxP). Overall, a steady influx of VC and corporate investment plus retirements/turnover keep hiring active and salaries competitive—especially for cloud-enabled, security-aware .

NET engineers.

Compared with Raleigh (avg ~$105k, COL ~102) and Chapel Hill (~$110k, COL ~112), Durham offers slightly lower nominal pay but generally more favorable value due to cheaper housing and lower everyday costs. Charlotte’s market (avg ~$100k, COL ~98) is similar in salary but offers larger enterprise opportunities and higher competition.

If your priority is higher immediate nominal salary and corporate ladder motion, relocating to Raleigh or Chapel Hill can pay off—especially for roles at large fintech or research institutions. If you prefer lower housing costs and shorter in-town commutes, staying in Durham or commuting to RTP is sensible.

Remote-first roles expand options: many Triangle companies accept remote . NET engineers nationwide, letting you capture higher out-of-area salaries while retaining Durham’s lower living cost; however, some employers adjust pay to local markets.

For daily commuters to RTP, evaluate flexible schedules and hybrid days to reduce gas and time costs.

Entry-level (. NET junior, 0–2 years): expect base pay ~$60k–$75k.

Focus on mastering C#, ASP. NET Core, SQL, and unit testing; get broad exposure by contributing to team projects at hospitals, consultancies, or university IT.

Mid-level (3–7 years): pay rises to ~$85k–$110k as you lead features, own services, and demonstrate cloud (Azure) migration experience; certifications (Azure Developer, Microsoft Certified: . NET) and hands-on projects accelerate progression.

Senior (8+ years): salaries climb to $110k–$140k for architects, technical leads, or principal engineers—especially for those combining domain expertise (healthcare, pharma, fintech) and leadership. Typical time-to-senior is 7–10 years, quicker when you deliver full-project ownership, mentor others, and present measurable outcomes (reduced system outages, improved deployment cadence).

Moving into devops, cloud engineering, or product-facing roles can increase total compensation and open manager or staff-engineer career tracks.

When negotiating in Durham, anchor to realistic local ranges: entry $65k–75k, mid $90k–105k, senior $115k–135k, and justify asks with domain experience (healthcare/biotech), cloud (. NET Core + Azure), and impact metrics.

Ask about hybrid/remote expectations and prefer at least 2–3 remote days to save commute costs—this can be traded for modest salary concessions. Common benefits to negotiate: sign-on bonus ($5k–10k common for senior hires), relocation assistance (if moving from out-of-state), equity or performance bonuses (startups), increased 401(k) match, professional development budgets, and flexible PTO.

For hospital or pharma roles, emphasize compliance experience (HIPAA, GxP) to command premiums. Use competing offers from Raleigh/Charlotte as leverage but be mindful some employers regionalize pay; request explicit salary bands or total-compensation ranges in writing.

Finally, request clarity on career path, raise cadence, and promotion criteria to ensure long-term earnings growth.