Senior Software Engineer salary in Madison, WI
Based on 135 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $113,000 |
| 25th | $114,504 |
| 50th (median) | $124,800 |
| 75th | $135,000 |
| 90th | $153,709 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $95,000 | $88,000 | $110,344 | 169 |
| FY2021 | $109,000 | $97,409 | $125,000 | 135 |
| FY2022 | $108,426 | $97,406 | $119,985 | 90 |
| FY2023 | $107,000 | $97,365 | $123,670 | 83 |
| FY2024 | $120,029 | $104,250 | $133,046 | 66 |
| FY2025 | $125,186 | $114,504 | $132,858 | 71 |
| FY2026 | $121,267 | $114,504 | $140,747 | 64 |
Cost of living
Madison's median senior Software Engineer salary of $124,800 is worth about $128,300 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 $124,800, 4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. | $135,024 | 38 |
| Htc Global Services | too few | 7 |
| Atos Syntel | too few | 6 |
| Genome International | too few | 6 |
| Symphony | too few | 5 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 4 |
| Code Ace Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Digital Scripts | too few | 3 |
| Windycity Technologies Inc. | too few | 3 |
| Accenture | 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.