Expert Software Engineer salary in Minneapolis, MN
Based on 576 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $141,898 |
| 25th | $141,977 |
| 50th (median) | $145,018 |
| 75th | $157,311 |
| 90th | $178,757 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $114,000 | $113,776 | $124,134 | 505 |
| FY2021 | $124,545 | $122,741 | $129,655 | 388 |
| FY2022 | $128,315 | $125,798 | $137,750 | 495 |
| FY2023 | $135,200 | $130,998 | $147,963 | 347 |
| FY2024 | $141,898 | $135,200 | $154,518 | 324 |
| FY2025 | $145,018 | $141,898 | $155,709 | 345 |
| FY2026 | $145,600 | $145,018 | $160,922 | 231 |
Cost of living
Minneapolis's median expert Software Engineer salary of $145,018 is worth about $138,300 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 $145,018, 11% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Target Enterprise | $145,018 | 107 |
| Best Buy | $166,765 | 49 |
| Optum | $145,018 | 37 |
| Ameriprise Financial | $145,018 | 32 |
| Medtronic | $145,018 | 29 |
| U.S. Bank National Association | $145,018 | 28 |
| Cohesity | $154,109 | 12 |
| Delta Air Lines | $148,634 | 10 |
| Wells Fargo | too few | 9 |
| Oracle | too few | 7 |
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.
