Senior Software Engineer salary in Columbus, IN
Based on 82 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Columbus, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $99,445 |
| 25th | $99,445 |
| 50th (median) | $111,769 |
| 75th | $113,901 |
| 90th | $125,357 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $87,714 | $85,920 | $99,280 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $96,280 | $87,714 | $121,101 | 20 |
| FY2022 | $94,599 | $89,606 | $95,727 | 28 |
| FY2023 | $95,340 | $94,619 | $102,595 | 20 |
| FY2024 | $100,000 | $95,267 | $122,379 | 11 |
| FY2025 | $113,901 | $100,000 | $114,151 | 47 |
| FY2026 | $100,000 | $99,445 | $112,507 | 35 |
Cost of living
Columbus's median senior Software Engineer salary of $111,769 is worth about $120,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbus = 93.0).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Columbus, IN area earned a median of $104,880 in May 2025 (280 employed). The H-1B median here is $111,769, 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cummins | $112,507 | 57 |
| Fujitsu North America | too few | 4 |
| KPIT Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Bill Austin & Associates | too few | 2 |
| Optime-Tech | too few | 2 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | 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 | $85,000 | 26 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $95,600 | 101 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,769 | 82 |
| Expert · Level IV | $129,813 | 35 |
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 | $70,346 | $85,000 | 26 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,930 | $95,600 | 101 |
| Senior · Level III | $99,445 | $111,769 | 82 |
| Expert · Level IV | $112,736 | $129,813 | 35 |
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.