Expert Software Engineer salary in Birmingham, AL
Based on 34 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Birmingham, AL metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Hoover, Chelsea, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Birminghan.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $124,800 |
| 25th | $135,595 |
| 50th (median) | $135,595 |
| 75th | $147,992 |
| 90th | $160,985 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $108,683 | $101,920 | $114,959 | 26 |
| FY2021 | $117,219 | $109,020 | $148,134 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $117,312 | $113,005 | $130,000 | 27 |
| FY2023 | $122,000 | $119,660 | $127,000 | 32 |
| FY2024 | $139,732 | $125,000 | $169,229 | 24 |
| FY2025 | $131,798 | $124,850 | $138,513 | 14 |
| FY2026 | $135,798 | $135,595 | $148,989 | 20 |
Cost of living
Birmingham's median expert Software Engineer salary of $135,595 is worth about $148,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Birmingham = 91.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Birmingham, AL area earned a median of $125,410 in May 2025 (3,830 employed). The H-1B median here is $135,595, 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Motion Industries | too few | 5 |
| Deloitte | too few | 4 |
| Callidus Software | too few | 2 |
| Calumet GP | too few | 2 |
| Guidewire Software | too few | 2 |
| Legacy Vulcan, LLC - Subsidiary of Vulcan Materials Company | too few | 2 |
| Shipt | too few | 2 |
| The University of Alabama at Birmingham | 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 | $72,405 | 49 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,000 | 112 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,496 | 36 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,595 | 34 |
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 | $67,642 | $72,405 | 49 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,694 | $94,000 | 112 |
| Senior · Level III | $114,525 | $122,496 | 36 |
| Expert · Level IV | $135,595 | $135,595 | 34 |
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.