Backend Developer.
Billings.
$110,000
median salary, 12% below the national average
$84,000 to $145,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Here is what Backend Developers actually make in Billings: $84,000 at the 25th percentile, $110,000 at the median, and $145,000 at the 75th. That is 12% below the national average. Billings is Montana's largest city and economic hub, driven by energy, agriculture, and healthcare. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $99,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$72,000
to $88,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$94,000
to $116,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$121,000
to $143,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$138,000
to $171,000
Salary trend
+6% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $24,000 to the total package.
Base
$110,000
Equity
$13,000
Bonus
$9,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $134,000
How Billings compares
Billings, MT
$110,000
Cost of living: 11% below average
National Average
$125,000
Billings is $15,000 below
Backend Developer salary by city
Salary by role in Billings
What you should know
If you are interviewing for Backend Developer roles in Billings, here is what you are walking into. Billings is Montana's largest city and economic hub, driven by energy, agriculture, and healthcare. The city serves as a regional center for the Northern Plains. Remote work has brought a wave of tech professionals seeking Montana's quality of life, gradually diversifying the local job market. Language specialization, distributed systems experience, and database optimization skills are the primary differentiators. Backend developers proficient in Go, Rust, or Java for high throughput systems earn premiums. Experience with microservices architecture, message queues, and handling millions of requests per second significantly elevates compensation.
Junior backend developers start at $75,000 to $100,000, reaching mid level at $110,000 to $145,000 within two to three years. Senior backend developers earn $145,000 to $190,000. Staff engineers and architects at major companies can exceed $280,000 in total compensation including equity. In Billings, your dollars stretch further. Cost of living runs 11% below the national average, which means even a median salary buys a stronger lifestyle.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity grants at tech companies add $15,000 to $90,000 annually at senior levels. Bonuses of 8 to 15% are standard. Signing bonuses range from $15,000 to $40,000. Benefits frequently include compute credits, home lab stipends, and on call compensation for production support rotations. And on the tax side: montana has a top income tax rate of 5.9% but no state sales tax. Billings has no city income tax. The no sales tax benefit helps offset the state income tax. When someone quotes you $110,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Negotiate remote work arrangements. Billings employers are increasingly open to remote and hybrid setups to attract talent from larger metros. The range for Backend Developers in Billings runs from $84,000 to $145,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Full Stack Developer in Billings earns $109,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Billings is Chief AI Officer at $287,000
Common questions.
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