.NET Developer Salary in Syracuse: $70,000-$120,000 (2026)

Syracuse’s cost-of-living index (~85) directly improves net purchasing power for . NET developers compared with coastal metros.

Rent for a 1–2 bedroom in neighborhoods near downtown or University Hill typically runs $800–$1,300/month; single-family homes and condos available outside the core often list 30–40% below national medians. For a mid-level .

NET developer making roughly $85k, monthly housing will often be $600–900 less than a comparable role in NYC or Boston, freeing cash for savings, commuting, or discretionary spending. Commuting costs are moderate: many developers drive 20–40 minutes from suburbs; gasoline, insurance and parking are lower than in larger cities.

Utilities and groceries are roughly in line with U. S.

averages, so housing is the largest factor improving take-home lifestyle. For those seeking higher-end dining or entertainment, options exist but are fewer — meaning disposable income is frequently redirected to family expenses, mortgage savings, or remote work setups (dual monitors, home office ergonomics).

Overall, a $92k salary in Syracuse yields strong local purchasing power, especially for homeowners or those renting outside the central core.

Salaries for . NET developers in Syracuse reflect a mix of steady technical demand and constrained high-end competition.

Large local employers—Lockheed Martin and SRC—drive demand for software engineers on defense and embedded systems projects, but many roles are C/C++ and systems-focused; . NET opportunities appear in adjunct enterprise apps, integrations, and tooling.

Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate create consistent need for web applications, research data platforms and clinical systems that often use . NET or full-stack Microsoft stacks.

A cluster of local MSPs and systems integrators hires . NET developers for client-facing business systems and modernization projects.

Because Syracuse’s tech ecosystem is smaller than nearby larger metros, there are more mid-level roles than high-paid senior architect positions; startups exist but with limited VC depth. Regional public-sector and health IT contracts also sustain demand.

These market realities drive a moderate salary band: competitive for the region, below coastal hubs, with above-average take-home value thanks to lower living costs.

Rochester and Buffalo pay slightly higher average . NET salaries (roughly $98k–$100k) with cost-of-living indices around 90–92; Albany pays a bit more (≈$105k) but has a COL closer to or slightly above the national average (≈103).

Commuting daily from Syracuse to these cities is impractical (60–90+ minute drives each way); however, hybrid arrangements or occasional travel to nearby hubs are common for roles tied to regional offices. Relocation makes sense when targeting senior or specialized roles that pay a premium (architecture, cloud-native .

NET, or security-focused positions) and when the salary uplift offsets moving costs and higher housing. Remote work has become an equalizer: many Syracuse-based .

NET developers accept remote roles from larger employers, enabling Albany/Buffalo/Rochester-level pay while living in Syracuse’s lower-cost environment. Practical decision rule: if the guaranteed salary uplift is 10–15% or more and the role matches career goals (senior/lead), consider relocating; otherwise, prefer remote or commute-for-interviews model while staying in Syracuse.

Entry-level (. NET junior developer) roles (0–2 years) in Syracuse focus on maintenance, bug fixes, and feature work in established enterprise apps; expect 1–3 years to reach mid-level.

Mid-level developers (3–7 years) own modules, write integrations (Web API, EF Core), and mentor juniors; this is the busiest hiring segment locally. Progression to senior (8+ years) requires demonstrated architecture experience (designing scalable .

NET services, migration to . NET Core/.

NET 6+, cloud deployments on Azure), leadership on cross-functional projects, or domain expertise (healthcare, defense). Accelerants: contributing to production cloud migrations, certifications (Microsoft Azure Developer/Architect), delivering measurable impact on system performance or cost, and building side projects or open-source contributions.

In Syracuse, senior roles are fewer—developers often accelerate progression by taking on regional leadership, consulting roles with MSPs, or remote senior positions with out-of-region firms. Networking through Syracuse tech meetups, university partnerships, and defense contractor events helps shorten time-to-advance.

When negotiating, reference local benchmarks: entry ~$60k, mid ~$85k, senior ~$115k, with typical local range $70k–$120k. Emphasize tangible .

NET/Cloud skills that raise value here: successful Azure migrations, microservices architecture in . NET Core, performance tuning of ASP.

NET apps, and secure coding for healthcare/defense compliance. If the employer is local (university, hospital, defense contractor), highlight experience with regulated environments and stakeholder communication.

Negotiate total compensation: local base salaries may be modest, so push for remote-work flexibility, extra paid time off, professional development stipends, certifications funding, and a clear path to role/compensation review in 6–12 months. For remote roles paying out-of-region rates, confirm whether the company adjusts salary by your location; if so, ask for a midpoint between Syracuse and their metro pay.

Finally, show cost-aware requests—if you ask for higher pay, justify with market data and expected outcomes (reduced maintenance costs, faster delivery).