Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Champaign, IL

Based on 23 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Urbana, Savoy, Tolono, Apt. 926, Champaige.

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

Median salary$75,400
Middle 50%$72.3k–$90.5k
vs. all levels here−34%comparison median $113,500
Filings23FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $71,614 and $145,530.
PercentileSalary
10th$72,280
25th$72,280
50th (median)$75,400
75th$90,528
90th$108,800

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $68,500 (11 filings) FY2021: median $62,421 (23 filings) FY2023: median $70,000 (12 filings) FY2025: median $72,280 (11 filings) FY2026: median $81,699 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 11 filings FY20 FY2021: 23 filings FY21 FY2022: 7 filings FY22 FY2023: 12 filings FY23 FY2024: 8 filings FY24 FY2025: 11 filings FY25 FY2026: 12 filings FY26 23
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$68,500$63,400$103,50011
FY2021$62,421$60,445$65,78023
FY2022–––7
FY2023$70,000$69,388$72,00012
FY2024–––8
FY2025$72,280$72,280$80,45311
FY2026$81,699$75,300$98,75012

Cost of living

Champaign's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $75,400 is worth about $81,300 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Champaign = 92.7).

Compared with all workers here

All Software Developers in the Champaign, IL area earned a median of $106,080 in May 2025 (670 employed). The H-1B median here is $75,400, 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.

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
Axiscadestoo few4
Carnegie Mellon Universitytoo few2
Yahoo Holdingstoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $75,400 23
Mid-level · Level II $96,000 37
Senior · Level III $125,000 19
Expert · Level IV $139,131 22

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$71,614$75,40023
Mid-level · Level II$90,147$96,00037
Senior · Level III$108,701$125,00019
Expert · Level IV$139,131$139,13122

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.