Expert Software Engineer salary in St. Louis, MO
Based on 412 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $133,973 |
| 25th | $138,757 |
| 50th (median) | $140,046 |
| 75th | $159,650 |
| 90th | $169,086 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $120,000 | $116,106 | $130,000 | 260 |
| FY2021 | $120,000 | $113,901 | $133,437 | 193 |
| FY2022 | $123,900 | $116,792 | $140,000 | 296 |
| FY2023 | $127,150 | $122,970 | $142,048 | 254 |
| FY2024 | $138,000 | $126,298 | $155,000 | 153 |
| FY2025 | $140,046 | $133,973 | $159,825 | 227 |
| FY2026 | $140,046 | $140,046 | $157,624 | 185 |
Cost of living
St. Louis's median expert Software Engineer salary of $140,046 is worth about $147,300 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 $140,046, 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mastercard | $140,046 | 89 |
| Charter Communications | $133,973 | 56 |
| Equifax | $133,973 | 28 |
| Cigna-Evernorth Services | $148,823 | 19 |
| Bayer | $156,334 | 14 |
| RGA Enterprise Services Company | $160,390 | 11 |
| Bayer Research and Development Services | too few | 8 |
| World Wide Technology Holding Company | too few | 8 |
| Spire | too few | 7 |
| Technology Partners | too few | 6 |
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.