Senior Software Engineer salary in Milwaukee, WI
Based on 161 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Waukesha, Brookfield, Franklin, Menomonee Falls, Wauwatosa.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $113,500 |
| 25th | $113,922 |
| 50th (median) | $123,600 |
| 75th | $134,971 |
| 90th | $148,221 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $99,500 | $91,750 | $109,080 | 187 |
| FY2021 | $105,685 | $99,528 | $115,000 | 165 |
| FY2022 | $110,000 | $102,870 | $120,000 | 200 |
| FY2023 | $109,965 | $102,315 | $122,638 | 104 |
| FY2024 | $122,000 | $112,175 | $130,000 | 99 |
| FY2025 | $125,000 | $113,922 | $134,993 | 91 |
| FY2026 | $119,200 | $113,922 | $132,498 | 70 |
Cost of living
Milwaukee's median senior Software Engineer salary of $123,600 is worth about $127,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Milwaukee = 96.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Milwaukee, WI area earned a median of $123,730 in May 2025 (6,170 employed). The H-1B median here is $123,600, 0% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company | $135,000 | 21 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | $123,550 | 11 |
| FIS Management Services | too few | 9 |
| Ge Precision Healthcare | too few | 8 |
| Capgemini America | too few | 6 |
| Accenture | too few | 3 |
| Cognizant | too few | 3 |
| CVS Health | too few | 3 |
| EY | too few | 3 |
| Cisco Systems | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $79,520 | 70 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,564 | 236 |
| Senior · Level III | $123,600 | 161 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,342 | 164 |
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 | $75,525 | $79,520 | 70 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,307 | $96,564 | 236 |
| Senior · Level III | $113,922 | $123,600 | 161 |
| Expert · Level IV | $131,373 | $142,342 | 164 |
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.