Software Engineer salary in Ames, IA

Based on 28 certified H-1B filings in the Ames, IA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Huxley.

Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE

Median salary$92,500
Middle 50%$82k–$115.6k
vs. national median−34%comparison median $139,194
Filings28FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $67,273 and $173,163.
PercentileSalary
10th$70,325
25th$82,000
50th (median)$92,500
75th$115,550
90th$144,456

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $90k $120k FY2020: median $74,707 (22 filings) FY2021: median $87,500 (11 filings) FY2022: median $98,000 (15 filings) FY2023: median $112,445 (13 filings) FY2024: median $111,114 (20 filings) FY2025: median $90,000 (18 filings) FY2026: median $110,506 (10 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 22 filings FY20 FY2021: 11 filings FY21 FY2022: 15 filings FY22 FY2023: 13 filings FY23 FY2024: 20 filings FY24 FY2025: 18 filings FY25 FY2026: 10 filings FY26 22
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$74,707$63,294$87,50022
FY2021$87,500$80,000$107,51911
FY2022$98,000$85,000$117,50015
FY2023$112,445$87,000$116,00013
FY2024$111,114$92,747$130,36020
FY2025$90,000$70,935$100,70918
FY2026$110,506$84,011$139,54210

Cost of living

Ames's median Software Engineer salary of $92,500 is worth about $104,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Ames = 88.8).

Compared with all workers here

All Software Developers in the Ames, IA area earned a median of $129,440 in May 2025 (470 employed). The H-1B median here is $92,500, 29% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Kingland Systemstoo few5
Iowa State University of Science and Technologytoo few4
Ames IT and Numeric Solutionstoo few2
Deere & Companytoo few2
Stockell Consultingtoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $78,125 12
Mid-level · Level II too few 2
Senior · Level III – 0
Expert · Level IV too few 3

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$84,011$78,12512

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.