Starting range
Average salary
Top earners
below average (about 15% lower than US average)
Compare to Nearby Cities
| City | Average Salary | Cost of Living Index | Real Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $90,000 | 95 | $94,737 |
| Detroit, MI | $95,000 | 98 | $96,939 |
| Columbus, OH | $100,000 | 105 | $95,238 |
Local Market Outlook
Demand Level
Stable with selective growth—steady hiring for healthcare/industrial automation projects and occasional spikes from manufacturing digitalization and logistics companies.
Top Employers
Key Industries
How Toledo's cost of living affects a .NET developer's purchasing power
Toledo's cost-of-living index (~85) means earning $85K as a . NET developer gives you stronger real purchasing power than the same nominal salary in many coastal markets.
Housing is the largest factor: median single-family home prices in the Toledo metro are commonly reported around $120K–$150K, and a typical one-bedroom rental runs roughly $700–$950/month depending on neighborhood. For a mid-level .
NET developer making about $80K, mortgage payments or rent will consume a noticeably smaller share of income than in higher-COL cities—freeing cash for savings, professional training, or commuting expenses. Commuting is relatively inexpensive: average drives are 20–30 minutes and typical monthly fuel/maintenance costs for a suburban commuter are often $100–$200 less per month than in larger metros.
Daily living (groceries, utilities, dining) trends lower as well, so discretionary spending and the ability to contribute to retirement or pay down student debt improves. Overall, Toledo’s lower housing and everyday costs make the local salary stretch further, which is important to highlight in compensation conversations and personal budgeting.
Why .NET salaries are at current levels in Toledo
Salaries for . NET developers in Toledo reflect the region’s industry mix and hiring profile.
Major employers—ProMedica (healthcare systems and health IT), Owens Corning (industrial/manufacturing IT), Dana (automotive & mobility software), and the University of Toledo (research and administrative IT)—drive steady demand for application development, integration with clinical systems, and automation solutions. Many opportunities are embedded in manufacturing digitalization projects (PLC to cloud integrations) and health-record system extensions where .
NET stack skills (C#, ASP. NET Core, Azure integration) are frequently required.
The market skews toward in-house roles and regional consultancies rather than high-volume tech startups, which keeps base salaries moderate but often augmented with stable benefits, overtime or project bonuses. Local economic trends—manufacturing modernization, hospital system IT spending, and logistics optimization for area distribution centers—support consistent hiring, but because the talent pool is smaller than in major metros, employers tend to reward proven local experience, domain knowledge (healthcare/manufacturing), and full-stack .
NET + cloud (Azure) capability.
Comparing Toledo to nearby cities: commute, relocate, or go remote?
Compared with Cleveland, Detroit, and Columbus, Toledo pays modestly less on average but benefits from a lower cost of living. Example figures: Cleveland avg .
NET salary ~$90K with a COL index near 95; Detroit ~$95K with COL ~98; Columbus ~$100K with COL ~105. Net purchasing power in Toledo can match or exceed these if you prioritize housing affordability and shorter local commutes.
Commuting to Cleveland or Detroit is feasible for some—Cleveland is ~1 hour, Detroit ~1–1. 5 hours depending on traffic—but daily commuting costs and time often offset salary bumps unless the employer offers significant pay increase or remote flexibility.
Remote work is increasingly common for senior . NET roles: many Toledo-based developers keep local jobs while taking remote positions with out-of-region employers paying higher nominal salaries.
If you seek higher cash compensation and are willing to relocate, Columbus or Detroit can offer 10–20% higher pay; if you prefer lower living costs with stable employer benefits, staying in Toledo is attractive.
Career path and progression for .NET developers in Toledo
Typical progression in the Toledo market follows entry → mid → senior → lead/architect or engineering manager. Entry-level (0–2 years) developers focus on maintaining internal applications, bug fixes, and learning business domain (hospital workflows, manufacturing processes).
Progression to mid (3–7 years) usually requires demonstrable delivery of projects (web APIs, integrations with EMR systems, Azure migrations) and solid knowledge of C#, ASP. NET Core, SQL Server, and basic cloud services.
Senior (8+ years) roles combine technical leadership (architecture, performance/scalability), mentoring, and stakeholder management; seniors often lead modernization efforts (migrating legacy . NET Framework apps to .
NET Core/5+/Azure) and command the top local salaries. Accelerators for faster progression locally include earning Azure certifications (AZ-204/AZ-303), delivering cross-functional projects that tie software to manufacturing automation or healthcare outcomes, and taking client-facing/consulting responsibilities.
Transitioning into regional consultancies or remote-first companies can also shorten time to higher compensation.
Location-specific negotiation tips for Toledo .NET developers
When negotiating salary in Toledo, anchor to local realities: reasonable total cash offers for a solid mid-level . NET developer are in the $75K–$90K range; seniors should target $95K–$115K depending on Azure/cloud experience and domain expertise.
Use concrete examples: cite recent projects (e. g.
, migrated 3 legacy . NET Framework apps to ASP.
NET Core + Azure App Service, reduced page load by 60%, integrated with Epic/health systems or with PLC/SCADA for manufacturing) to justify top-of-range pay. Emphasize certifications (Microsoft/Azure) and domain familiarity (healthcare compliance, HL7/FHIR, or OPC-UA for manufacturing) to gain leverage.
Because Toledo employers often offer strong benefits, negotiate total compensation—401(k) matches, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and flexible schedule—if base pay is constrained. Remote or hybrid options can be a bargaining chip for higher rates; if employer resists base pay increases, request a clear promotion/raise timeline, project-based bonuses, or paid training to accelerate advancement.
Cultural tip: local employers value demonstrated reliability and community ties—highlighting long-term fit and local project impact can strengthen your position.
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