Web Developer.
Fargo.
$66,000
median salary, 15% below the national average
$51,000 to $85,000. Last updated August 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Orbyt estimates Web Developer pay in Fargo at $66,000, within a range of $51,000 to $85,000. That is 15% below the national average. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Web Developer in Fargo, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. BLS does not publish this occupation for this metro area, so the national published benchmark is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $92,650 for Web Developers (SOC 15-1254) across the United States, based on 70,190 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$48,100
25th percentile
$64,230
Median
$92,650
75th percentile
$126,230
90th percentile
$162,290
Workers surveyed
70,190
What BLS published in each release
May 2024 release
$90,930
May 2025 release
$92,650
These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $66,000 is 29% lower than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Web Developers covers a different population than the Web Developer title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Web Developers (SOC 15-1254) rather than Web Developer specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 15-1254Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $59,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$43,000
to $53,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$56,000
to $69,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$73,000
to $86,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$83,000
to $102,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $19,000 to the total package.
Base
$66,000
Equity
$11,000
Bonus
$7,000
Signing
$1,000
Estimated total: $85,000
How Fargo compares.
Fargo, ND
$66,000
Cost of living: 15% below average
National Average
$78,000
Fargo is $12,000 below
Web Developer salary by city.
Salary by role in Fargo.
What you should know.
Before you negotiate a Web Developer offer in Fargo, understand the terrain. Fargo has a surprisingly strong technology sector, home to companies like Microsoft's campus and a growing startup ecosystem tied to North Dakota State University. The city's extremely low cost of living and emerging tech scene make it an increasingly attractive option for professionals seeking affordability. Compensation for Web Developers is driven by depth of technical specialization, open-source or published work, and the specific technology stack. Base salary carries most of the total compensation, with bonuses adding roughly 10% in a typical year. Within tech-sector Web Developers specifically, employer tier (FAANG and frontier-AI labs vs mid-stage startups vs traditional enterprise) drives 66%+ variance across the compensation band.
Web Developers typically progress Junior → Mid → Senior → Staff → Principal over 8 to 12 years, with the Staff+ levels carrying significant technical scope and cross-team influence. The director/VP track diverges around year 8 for those who choose management; IC staff-plus roles keep building technical depth. In Fargo, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 15% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation for Web Developers runs roughly $86K at median when factoring base + typical bonus (~10% of base). Base salary carries most of the compensation; benefits (healthcare, 401(k) match, PTO) add an estimated 15–25% in imputed value on top. At tech companies specifically, equity and sign-on are often the largest delta between offers — two roles with matching base can differ by $100K+ at total when equity is included. And on the tax side: north Dakota has a very low income tax with a top rate of just 2.5%. Fargo has no city income tax. The minimal tax burden combined with low living costs creates excellent take home pay. When someone quotes you $66,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Highlight willingness to work on site. Fargo tech employers struggle to recruit talent to the region and reward candidates who commit to living locally. The range for Web Developers in Fargo runs from $51,000 to $85,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Respiratory Therapist in Fargo earns $67,000 (2% more)
- The highest-paying role in Fargo is CTO at $258,000
Common questions.
Web Developer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Fargo.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Web Developers in Fargo.
Related tools.
Do you work as a web developer in Fargo?
Your individual figure is never published. Submissions appear only as aggregate percentiles, and nothing is shown for a role and city until at least five people have reported. It is stored against your account, which is what keeps the dataset clean.
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Web Developer Salary in Fargo, ND." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/web-developer/fargo
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget. One script tag, free forever.
Related tools