Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Madison, WI
Based on 56 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $76,750 |
| 25th | $84,094 |
| 50th (median) | $94,765 |
| 75th | $123,875 |
| 90th | $135,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $66,560 | $65,500 | $80,000 | 21 |
| FY2021 | $98,500 | $80,000 | $115,568 | 70 |
| FY2022 | $69,705 | $69,410 | $79,063 | 36 |
| FY2023 | $83,099 | $68,032 | $93,451 | 12 |
| FY2024 | $70,000 | $69,500 | $90,590 | 39 |
| FY2025 | $85,363 | $80,000 | $94,800 | 31 |
| FY2026 | $123,500 | $100,834 | $135,000 | 25 |
Cost of living
Madison's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $94,765 is worth about $97,400 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 $94,765, 27% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | too few | 5 |
| Technoviz | too few | 5 |
| Fetch Rewards | too few | 4 |
| American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. | too few | 3 |
| ASP Diverse | too few | 3 |
| Epic Systems | too few | 3 |
| Last Lock | too few | 3 |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | too few | 3 |
| EY | too few | 2 |
| too few | 2 |
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.