Entry-level Software Engineer salary in St. Louis, MO
Based on 264 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes O'fallon, Maryland Heights, Ofallon, Chesterfield, Saint Louis.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,598 |
| 25th | $68,630 |
| 50th (median) | $76,045 |
| 75th | $80,075 |
| 90th | $90,896 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $66,976 | $78,021 | 106 |
| FY2021 | $79,040 | $69,000 | $92,872 | 157 |
| FY2022 | $67,900 | $67,746 | $76,898 | 118 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $65,728 | $80,850 | 79 |
| FY2024 | $70,000 | $64,995 | $80,850 | 140 |
| FY2025 | $70,000 | $68,598 | $80,075 | 168 |
| FY2026 | $76,100 | $76,045 | $80,306 | 96 |
Cost of living
St. Louis's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $76,045 is worth about $80,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; St. Louis = 95.1).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the St. Louis, MO area earned a median of $129,030 in May 2025 (9,820 employed). The H-1B median here is $76,045, 41% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite Computer Solutions | $70,000 | 24 |
| Mastercard | $73,500 | 10 |
| Charter Communications | too few | 9 |
| Unikpros | too few | 8 |
| Deloitte | too few | 6 |
| Pro IT | too few | 6 |
| Ki Infosystems | too few | 5 |
| Hps Software Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Innova Solutions | too few | 4 |
| Axis Tech | 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 | $76,045 | 264 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $97,386 | 1,268 |
| Senior · Level III | $122,450 | 552 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,046 | 412 |
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 | $68,598 | $76,045 | 264 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $90,397 | $97,386 | 1,268 |
| Senior · Level III | $112,174 | $122,450 | 552 |
| Expert · Level IV | $140,046 | $140,046 | 412 |
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.