Expert Software Engineer salary in Cleveland, OH
Based on 177 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Cleveland, OH metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Strongsville, Mayfield Heights, Brooklyn, Mentor, Solon.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $128,794 |
| 25th | $130,832 |
| 50th (median) | $130,832 |
| 75th | $150,000 |
| 90th | $168,177 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $103,355 | $95,347 | $116,000 | 171 |
| FY2021 | $105,000 | $103,355 | $123,871 | 95 |
| FY2022 | $137,779 | $127,644 | $150,000 | 56 |
| FY2023 | $131,518 | $121,368 | $137,875 | 85 |
| FY2024 | $131,518 | $131,518 | $145,000 | 72 |
| FY2025 | $130,832 | $128,794 | $142,626 | 101 |
| FY2026 | $136,882 | $130,832 | $154,463 | 76 |
Cost of living
Cleveland's median expert Software Engineer salary of $130,832 is worth about $139,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Cleveland = 93.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Cleveland, OH area earned a median of $111,310 in May 2025 (8,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $130,832, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Sherwin-Williams Company | $130,832 | 53 |
| Deloitte | $142,075 | 14 |
| Rockwell Automation | $144,790 | 13 |
| The PNC Financial Services Group | too few | 7 |
| CGI | too few | 6 |
| Oracle | too few | 4 |
| Great Lakes Cheese | too few | 4 |
| Penske Logistics | too few | 4 |
| Precision Management Group | too few | 4 |
| Eaton | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $75,442 | 74 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,000 | 231 |
| Senior · Level III | $115,085 | 156 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,832 | 177 |
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 | $75,442 | $75,442 | 74 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,206 | $94,000 | 231 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,509 | $115,085 | 156 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,832 | $130,832 | 177 |
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.