Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Minneapolis, MN
Based on 209 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Eden Prairie, Richfield, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Bloomington.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $84,448 |
| 25th | $85,000 |
| 50th (median) | $87,500 |
| 75th | $97,157 |
| 90th | $129,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $65,416 | $78,998 | 134 |
| FY2021 | $76,960 | $71,700 | $92,000 | 169 |
| FY2022 | $76,000 | $75,546 | $85,000 | 209 |
| FY2023 | $80,000 | $77,500 | $84,000 | 205 |
| FY2024 | $82,028 | $81,945 | $89,253 | 152 |
| FY2025 | $86,000 | $84,448 | $97,000 | 136 |
| FY2026 | $88,192 | $87,360 | $100,000 | 73 |
Cost of living
Minneapolis's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $87,500 is worth about $83,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Minneapolis = 104.8).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Minneapolis, MN area earned a median of $130,920 in May 2025 (27,410 employed). The H-1B median here is $87,500, 33% 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 | $129,000 | 15 |
| Best Buy | $134,096 | 10 |
| Arcus Technologies | too few | 7 |
| ITProfound | too few | 5 |
| Arkhatech | too few | 4 |
| Beaconbold | too few | 4 |
| Softworld Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Viavi Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Concord | too few | 3 |
| U.s. Electronics | 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 | $87,500 | 209 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,579 | 881 |
| Senior · Level III | $126,000 | 512 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,018 | 576 |
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 | $84,448 | $87,500 | 209 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $106,579 | $106,579 | 881 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,798 | $126,000 | 512 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,018 | $145,018 | 576 |
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.