Software Engineer salary in Madison, WI
Based on 561 certified H-1B filings in the Madison, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Verona, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Dodgeville, Fitchburg.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $94,328 |
| 25th | $98,100 |
| 50th (median) | $115,942 |
| 75th | $135,048 |
| 90th | $153,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $88,000 | $78,000 | $101,920 | 570 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $83,500 | $116,310 | 569 |
| FY2022 | $97,406 | $83,520 | $117,264 | 477 |
| FY2023 | $102,000 | $88,000 | $125,000 | 357 |
| FY2024 | $108,395 | $90,000 | $129,375 | 345 |
| FY2025 | $113,752 | $95,000 | $134,696 | 320 |
| FY2026 | $125,000 | $105,706 | $140,587 | 241 |
Cost of living
Madison's median Software Engineer salary of $115,942 is worth about $119,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Madison = 97.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Madison, WI area earned a median of $130,630 in May 2025 (6,720 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,942, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. | $137,728 | 84 |
| $142,000 | 26 | |
| Epic Systems | $110,000 | 19 |
| Htc Global Services | $115,763 | 18 |
| Atos Syntel | $129,014 | 13 |
| Vennsys | $98,093 | 13 |
| Zappos.com | $162,000 | 11 |
| Windycity Technologies Inc. | $98,000 | 10 |
| Code Ace Solutions | too few | 9 |
| Genome International | too few | 9 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $94,765 | 56 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $105,653 | 276 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,800 | 135 |
| Expert · Level IV | $138,566 | 86 |
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 | $76,336 | $94,765 | 56 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,093 | $105,653 | 276 |
| Senior · Level III | $114,504 | $124,800 | 135 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,894 | $138,566 | 86 |
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.