Software Engineer salary
From 289,690 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 15-1252: Software Developers
- Also filed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 45% of Software Engineer filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Amazon. 21,188 filings (7% of the total), median $159,600.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 10 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $114,420 in Dallas, TX to $189,987 in San Francisco, CA.
- Median up 36% since FY2020. From $106,200 in FY2020 to $144,914 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Software Engineer H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 289,690 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Software Engineer jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 15-1252, Software Developers). The median base salary is $139,194, 13% above the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $112,923 and $172,200. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 45% of filings. Dallas, TX has the most filings (35,788), and Amazon is the employer that files the most (21,188).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Software Engineer
Amazon21,188 filings · 7%$159,600
Google10,913 filings · 4%$186,000
Microsoft8,932 filings · 3%$173,570
Meta6,268 filings · 2%$211,778
Apple5,171 filings · 2%$181,100
Fidelity Investments3,913 filings · 1%$124,237
Walmart3,826 filings · 1%$141,751
Deloitte3,795 filings · 1%$136,350
JPMorgan Chase3,308 filings · 1%$158,500
Capgemini America2,043 filings · 1%$135,000
Employers with the most Software Engineer filings. Bar: share of all Software Engineer filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 15% of filings
Mid-level · 45% of filings
Senior · 22% of filings
Expert · 19% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $101,000 | 37,067 |
| Level II · Qualified | $121,078 | 114,372 |
| Level III · Experienced | $151,819 | 54,649 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $177,861 | 47,108 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Software Engineer pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 249 metro areas
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Software Engineer does
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
Typical tasks
- Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.
- Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.
- Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.
- Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.
- Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.
- Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Software Developers (15-1252.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Software Developers), the median annual wage was $135,980 in May 2025, with 1,687,890 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $139,194, 2% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $100,000 | $82,460 |
| 25th percentile | $112,923 | $105,210 |
| Median | $139,194 | $135,980 |
| 75th percentile | $172,200 | $171,980 |
| 90th percentile | $204,900 | $214,670 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $100,000 |
| 25th | $112,923 |
| 50th (median) | $139,194 |
| 75th | $172,200 |
| 90th | $204,900 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $106,200 | $90,200 | $130,000 | 200,223 |
| FY2021 | $111,415 | $93,558 | $137,000 | 183,134 |
| FY2022 | $117,957 | $94,860 | $145,000 | 215,209 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $99,100 | $150,000 | 170,767 |
| FY2024 | $126,700 | $102,690 | $157,900 | 164,146 |
| FY2025 | $135,520 | $110,000 | $168,000 | 170,849 |
| FY2026 | $144,914 | $115,875 | $177,861 | 118,841 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Software Engineer make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Software Engineer jobs is $139,194 (289,690 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $112,923 and $172,200.
What does an entry-level Software Engineer earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $101,000. Level I accounts for 15% of Software Engineer filings.
Which city pays H-1B Software Engineers the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, San Francisco, CA has the highest median base salary for Software Engineer jobs: $189,987 (17,679 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Software Engineers?
Amazon (21,188), Google (10,913) and Microsoft (8,932) filed the most Software Engineer LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Software Engineers earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($139,194) is 2% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($135,980, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.