Expert Software Engineer salary in Cincinnati, OH
Based on 348 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mason, Blue Ash, Erlanger, Milford, Covington.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $131,831 |
| 25th | $139,027 |
| 50th (median) | $148,750 |
| 75th | $162,477 |
| 90th | $178,860 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,021 | $110,406 | $131,830 | 157 |
| FY2021 | $134,790 | $133,786 | $144,518 | 57 |
| FY2022 | $135,000 | $130,998 | $145,000 | 170 |
| FY2023 | $134,992 | $122,850 | $145,000 | 193 |
| FY2024 | $144,616 | $130,541 | $158,500 | 152 |
| FY2025 | $150,000 | $136,217 | $164,982 | 192 |
| FY2026 | $146,905 | $139,874 | $161,316 | 156 |
Cost of living
Cincinnati's median expert Software Engineer salary of $148,750 is worth about $156,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Cincinnati = 95.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Cincinnati, OH area earned a median of $121,420 in May 2025 (9,900 employed). The H-1B median here is $148,750, 23% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Archer Daniels Midland Company | $160,000 | 37 |
| NTT DATA | $157,248 | 31 |
| Deloitte | $139,027 | 26 |
| Elevance Health | $146,956 | 22 |
| Cintas | $139,500 | 21 |
| The Kroger Company | $155,094 | 21 |
| Worldpay | $162,250 | 17 |
| Siemens | $143,570 | 15 |
| Fidelity Investments | too few | 9 |
| IBM | too few | 9 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $81,307 | 147 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,550 | 803 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,000 | 319 |
| Expert · Level IV | $148,750 | 348 |
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 | $77,438 | $81,307 | 147 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $100,547 | $100,550 | 803 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,787 | $127,000 | 319 |
| Expert · Level IV | $139,027 | $148,750 | 348 |
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.