Expert Software Engineer salary in Champaign, IL

Based on 22 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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$139,131
Middle 50%$127.3k–$154.9k
vs. all levels here+23%comparison median $113,500
Filings22FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $111,737 and $283,732.
PercentileSalary
10th$127,234
25th$127,322
50th (median)$139,131
75th$154,875
90th$181,990

Salary by year

Median salary

$110k $135k $160k FY2021: median $130,480 (11 filings) FY2022: median $132,000 (21 filings) FY2023: median $133,200 (19 filings) FY2024: median $139,131 (13 filings) FY2025: median $146,461 (12 filings) FY2026: median $127,411 (10 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 6 filings FY20 FY2021: 11 filings FY21 FY2022: 21 filings FY22 FY2023: 19 filings FY23 FY2024: 13 filings FY24 FY2025: 12 filings FY25 FY2026: 10 filings FY26 21
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–––6
FY2021$130,480$126,249$144,50011
FY2022$132,000$117,645$159,50021
FY2023$133,200$105,227$136,12519
FY2024$139,131$139,131$152,00013
FY2025$146,461$139,131$161,21212
FY2026$127,411$127,234$149,65510

Cost of living

Champaign's median expert Software Engineer salary of $139,131 is worth about $150,100 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 $139,131, 31% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Yahoo Holdingstoo few4
Oracletoo few2
Verizontoo 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.