Software Engineer salary in Iowa, IA
Based on 12 certified H-1B filings in the Iowa City, IA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Iowa City, North Liberty.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $78,228 |
| 25th | $90,817 |
| 50th (median) | $96,000 |
| 75th | $97,885 |
| 90th | $113,436 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,766 | $78,465 | $92,653 | 40 |
| FY2021 | $92,186 | $80,885 | $96,879 | 36 |
| FY2022 | $79,668 | $60,216 | $100,626 | 42 |
| FY2023 | $96,772 | $82,409 | $122,750 | 18 |
| FY2024 | $105,000 | $85,696 | $108,493 | 17 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 6 |
Cost of living
Iowa's median Software Engineer salary of $96,000 is worth about $104,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Iowa = 91.5).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Iowa, IA area earned a median of $107,680 in May 2025 (690 employed). The H-1B median here is $96,000, 11% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Iowa | too few | 7 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 6 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.