Expert Software Engineer salary in Lakeland, FL

Based on 77 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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$151,437
Middle 50%$145.6k–$165.4k
vs. all levels here+2%comparison median $148,454
Filings77FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $129,935 and $196,425.
PercentileSalary
10th$140,006
25th$145,642
50th (median)$151,437
75th$165,438
90th$178,392

Salary by year

Median salary

$100k $135k $170k FY2020: median $127,498 (12 filings) FY2021: median $120,003 (35 filings) FY2022: median $128,011 (41 filings) FY2023: median $136,110 (31 filings) FY2024: median $140,790 (47 filings) FY2025: median $149,783 (48 filings) FY2026: median $155,727 (29 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 12 filings FY20 FY2021: 35 filings FY21 FY2022: 41 filings FY22 FY2023: 31 filings FY23 FY2024: 47 filings FY24 FY2025: 48 filings FY25 FY2026: 29 filings FY26 48
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$127,498$120,383$131,22512
FY2021$120,003$114,199$124,99835
FY2022$128,011$123,110$135,00041
FY2023$136,110$128,817$141,77831
FY2024$140,790$136,913$152,08747
FY2025$149,783$140,724$160,20248
FY2026$155,727$150,000$173,78429

Cost of living

Lakeland's median expert Software Engineer salary of $151,437 is worth about $155,900 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 $151,437, 24% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Publix Super Markets$153,66572
FedEx Freighttoo few3

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.