Expert Software Engineer salary in Ann Arbor, MI
Based on 56 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Ann Arbor, MI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Ypsilanti, Saline, Superior Township, Chelsea, Manchester.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $140,275 |
| 25th | $144,374 |
| 50th (median) | $152,835 |
| 75th | $171,872 |
| 90th | $186,311 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,645 | $115,000 | $126,672 | 37 |
| FY2021 | $117,291 | $111,093 | $127,537 | 47 |
| FY2022 | $120,307 | $113,000 | $132,000 | 61 |
| FY2023 | $135,000 | $115,542 | $144,922 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $152,444 | $133,000 | $166,950 | 21 |
| FY2025 | $153,000 | $142,000 | $170,000 | 37 |
| FY2026 | $151,183 | $145,912 | $174,224 | 19 |
Cost of living
Ann Arbor's median expert Software Engineer salary of $152,835 is worth about $151,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Ann Arbor = 100.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Ann Arbor, MI area earned a median of $126,830 in May 2025 (2,740 employed). The H-1B median here is $152,835, 21% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Domino's Pizza | too few | 5 |
| Charles Schwab & Company | too few | 4 |
| Kla | too few | 4 |
| NSF International | too few | 4 |
| Clarivate Analytics (US) | too few | 3 |
| TORC Robotics | too few | 3 |
| Fidelity Investments | too few | 2 |
| Criteo | too few | 2 |
| Merative | too few | 2 |
| Stripe | 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 | $83,742 | 40 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,000 | 119 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,500 | 58 |
| Expert · Level IV | $152,835 | 56 |
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 | $76,648 | $83,742 | 40 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,864 | $106,000 | 119 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,008 | $127,500 | 58 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,275 | $152,835 | 56 |
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.