.NET Developer Salary in Richmond: $80,000-$140,000 (2026)

Richmond's cost-of-living index around 95 means a . NET developer earning the local average (~$105k) typically has stronger real purchasing power than an equivalent salary in higher-cost metros.

Key drivers: housing and commute. A one-bedroom near downtown rents for roughly $1,200–1,400/month; suburban three-bed family homes average monthly mortgage payments well below comparable DC suburbs because median home price (~$310k) is ~60–70% of D.

C. -area prices.

Commute costs are moderate: average drive times are 20–30 minutes from most suburbs, and public transit options (GRTC) are improving but still limited vs larger cities, so many developers budget for car ownership and parking ($150–300/month). Lifestyle expenses — groceries, utilities, dining — are close to or slightly below national averages.

For a mid-level . NET developer (≈$100k), after taxes and housing a single person can expect materially more discretionary income in Richmond than in DC; this supports saving, home purchases, and family affordability while still accessing good tech job opportunities.

Salaries for . NET developers in Richmond reflect a mix of strong local employers, targeted demand, and regional cost structure.

Major companies — Capital One (large engineering/tech presence), Altria, CarMax, Dominion Energy and the healthcare systems like VCU Health and Bon Secours — run sizable . NET shops for enterprise systems, customer portals, and integrations.

Financial services and fintech projects often pay a premium for secure, scalable . NET/ASP.

NET Core expertise, while health systems need developers who understand HL7/FHIR integrations and compliance. The region also hosts government contractors and smaller SaaS vendors that rely on .

NET for backend services. Market dynamics: while national cloud-native and microservices trends push teams toward .

NET Core and Azure, many organizations still maintain and modernize legacy . NET Framework apps — increasing demand for both migration skills and maintaining production systems.

Combined with Richmond’s lower living costs, employers offer competitive but slightly below-blue-chip metro salaries, with non-salary perks (bonus, 401k, tuition benefit) commonly used to attract talent.

Compared to nearby cities, Richmond balances pay and affordability. Washington, D.

C. offers higher median .

NET salaries (~$140k) but a COL index ~125, meaning much of the extra pay is absorbed by housing and commuting. Charlottesville pays slightly above Richmond (~$110k) with a COL near 102; it’s attractive for specialists willing to accept smaller companies or university-affiliated roles.

Norfolk/Virginia Beach pay is similar to Richmond (~$100k) with comparable COL. When to commute or relocate: commute/relocate to D.

C. if you need higher immediate pay, specialized federal contracting experience, or career advancement in large fintech firms; remain in Richmond if you prioritize home ownership, lower commute times, and comparable quality-of-life.

Remote work: many Richmond employers now allow hybrid/remote models; you can often secure D. C.

-level remote roles while living in Richmond, giving you higher pay while retaining lower local living costs — but verify corporate remote pay policies, as some firms adjust salaries to employee location.

Typical progression: entry (0–2 years) — focus on C#, ASP. NET Core basics, SQL Server, and source control; expect ~$65–75k.

Mid (3–7 years) — full-stack . NET Core work, microservices, Azure/AWS deployment, CI/CD, and mentoring juniors; expect ~$95–110k.

Senior (8+ years) — architecture, system design, leading migration off . NET Framework to .

NET Core, cloud-native expert (Azure preferred), team lead or engineering manager responsibilities; expect ~$120–140k+. Timeframes can accelerate locally if you gain cloud certifications (Azure Developer/Architect), demonstrate successful migrations or high-impact fintech/healthcare integrations, or lead cross-functional projects.

Visible contributions (public talks, GitHub projects, contributing to platform modernization) raise profile with Richmond’s major employers. Transitioning into adjacent roles — DevOps/Site Reliability, Solutions Architect, or Product Engineering lead — is common and typically increases total compensation by 10–30% depending on company size and revenue model.

When negotiating in Richmond, anchor to local mid/senior ranges but cite regional comparisons. For mid-level roles, reasonable base salary asks are $95k–115k; seniors should target $115k–145k depending on ownership and cloud expertise.

Use examples: winning a migration from . NET Framework to .

NET Core or delivering Azure-native services justifies the higher end. Emphasize total comp — Richmond employers commonly trade salary for bonuses, strong 401(k) matches (often 4–6%), flexible PTO, remote/hybrid schedules, student loan repayment, and tuition reimbursement; factor those into offers.

Cultural factors: many Richmond teams value long-term fit and community involvement; sharing local references, contributions to regional user groups (e. g.

, Richmond . NET user group), or teaching/mentoring experience helps.

If relocating from higher-cost areas for a Richmond role, request a sign-on or relocation stipend (typical $3k–8k) and, for remote hires, clarify whether base is location-adjusted. Finally, be explicit about outperform metrics tied to bonuses or raises; employers here respond well to concrete deliverables tied to outcomes.