Senior Software Engineer salary in Indianapolis, IN
Based on 241 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Greenwood, Zionsville.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $112,507 |
| 25th | $113,901 |
| 50th (median) | $125,000 |
| 75th | $142,000 |
| 90th | $165,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $90,938 | $89,274 | $99,736 | 260 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $93,400 | $115,000 | 141 |
| FY2022 | $105,000 | $94,953 | $130,178 | 204 |
| FY2023 | $110,000 | $98,000 | $134,090 | 142 |
| FY2024 | $116,856 | $105,000 | $138,817 | 120 |
| FY2025 | $128,309 | $115,000 | $145,107 | 131 |
| FY2026 | $117,104 | $112,507 | $138,497 | 110 |
Cost of living
Indianapolis's median senior Software Engineer salary of $125,000 is worth about $130,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Indianapolis = 95.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Indianapolis, IN area earned a median of $106,870 in May 2025 (7,140 employed). The H-1B median here is $125,000, 17% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | $158,769 | 21 |
| Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO) | $155,250 | 12 |
| Deloitte | too few | 8 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 7 |
| Crave Infotech | too few | 7 |
| Cummins | too few | 6 |
| Optum | too few | 6 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | too few | 6 |
| Cognizant | too few | 5 |
| EXL | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $80,000 | 122 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,000 | 419 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,000 | 241 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,585 | 228 |
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 | $76,606 | $80,000 | 122 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $95,202 | $96,000 | 419 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,507 | $125,000 | 241 |
| Expert · Level IV | $129,813 | $143,585 | 228 |
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.