Software Engineer salary in Lakeland, FL

Based on 106 certified H-1B filings in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Davenport, Auburndale, Bartow, Haines City, Seffner.

Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE

Median salary$148,454
Middle 50%$135k–$160.6k
vs. national median+7%comparison median $139,194
Filings106FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $90,501 and $191,437.
PercentileSalary
10th$99,920
25th$134,978
50th (median)$148,454
75th$160,599
90th$175,929

Salary by year

Median salary

$80k $125k $170k FY2020: median $90,605 (84 filings) FY2021: median $101,920 (113 filings) FY2022: median $116,248 (80 filings) FY2023: median $115,843 (71 filings) FY2024: median $136,913 (70 filings) FY2025: median $145,000 (69 filings) FY2026: median $155,000 (37 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 84 filings FY20 FY2021: 113 filings FY21 FY2022: 80 filings FY22 FY2023: 71 filings FY23 FY2024: 70 filings FY24 FY2025: 69 filings FY25 FY2026: 37 filings FY26 113
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$90,605$77,688$111,30384
FY2021$101,920$81,806$115,011113
FY2022$116,248$98,750$130,00080
FY2023$115,843$85,000$135,41971
FY2024$136,913$104,572$149,81070
FY2025$145,000$129,935$155,01269
FY2026$155,000$145,642$169,89737

Cost of living

Lakeland's median Software Engineer salary of $148,454 is worth about $152,800 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Lakeland = 97.1).

Compared with all workers here

All Software Developers in the Lakeland, FL area earned a median of $122,200 in May 2025 (990 employed). The H-1B median here is $148,454, 21% higher.

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

EmployerMedianFilings
Publix Super Markets$153,66572
FedExtoo few3
FedEx Freighttoo few3
System Soft Technologiestoo few3
Salesforcetoo few2
Innova Solutionstoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I – 0
Mid-level · Level II $99,030 17
Senior · Level III $133,525 11
Expert · Level IV $151,437 77

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Mid-level · Level II$90,501$99,03017
Senior · Level III$119,787$133,52511
Expert · Level IV$140,525$151,43777

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.