Senior Electrical Engineer salary in Detroit, MI
Based on 137 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Auburn Hills, Warren, Dearborn, Troy, Milford.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $103,834 |
| 25th | $110,310 |
| 50th (median) | $117,540 |
| 75th | $125,400 |
| 90th | $144,869 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,125 | $95,807 | $108,080 | 122 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $96,450 | $114,536 | 139 |
| FY2022 | $105,500 | $98,030 | $120,000 | 147 |
| FY2023 | $110,042 | $100,589 | $122,768 | 106 |
| FY2024 | $115,954 | $107,829 | $125,000 | 119 |
| FY2025 | $114,683 | $106,751 | $124,350 | 96 |
| FY2026 | $120,000 | $111,654 | $126,684 | 41 |
Cost of living
Detroit's median senior Electrical Engineer salary of $117,540 is worth about $117,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Detroit = 100.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the Detroit, MI area earned a median of $114,390 in May 2025 (6,060 employed). The H-1B median here is $117,540, 3% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| General Motors Company | $121,048 | 29 |
| Ford | $111,654 | 11 |
| Fca | too few | 9 |
| Rivian | too few | 5 |
| Fives DyAG | too few | 4 |
| Meritor Electric Vehicles | too few | 4 |
| Cummins | too few | 3 |
| Data Acquisition & Control Systems Inc. (DACS) | too few | 3 |
| Aptiv | too few | 2 |
| Aptiv US Services General Partnership | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $81,750 | 108 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,000 | 259 |
| Senior · Level III | $117,540 | 137 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,000 | 314 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,611 | $81,750 | 108 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,712 | $100,000 | 259 |
| Senior · Level III | $103,834 | $117,540 | 137 |
| Expert · Level IV | $127,379 | $135,000 | 314 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.