Entry-level Validation Engineer salary in Detroit, MI
Based on 56 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Farmington Hills, Troy, Auburn Hills, Warren, Rochester Hills.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $66,061 |
| 25th | $69,500 |
| 50th (median) | $73,799 |
| 75th | $80,000 |
| 90th | $85,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $61,069 | $59,280 | $63,375 | 62 |
| FY2021 | $63,914 | $61,500 | $75,001 | 56 |
| FY2022 | $65,000 | $61,568 | $73,171 | 43 |
| FY2023 | $69,500 | $67,246 | $76,250 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $72,225 | $69,879 | $77,684 | 28 |
| FY2025 | $69,000 | $66,061 | $75,140 | 28 |
| FY2026 | $75,920 | $73,798 | $80,257 | 28 |
Cost of living
Detroit's median entry-level Validation Engineer salary of $73,799 is worth about $73,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Detroit = 100.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Validation Engineers in the Detroit, MI area earned a median of $126,250 in May 2025 (5,800 employed). The H-1B median here is $73,799, 42% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| BrightSharks Engineering Services | too few | 5 |
| Artisan Consulting | too few | 4 |
| Segula Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | too few | 3 |
| VisionNav Robotics | too few | 3 |
| Automated Industrial Robotics Rochester Hills | too few | 2 |
| Humber Automated Systems | too few | 2 |
| optimal | too few | 2 |
| Rockwell Automation | too few | 2 |
| Yem Foods | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $73,799 | 56 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,443 | 108 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,905 | 62 |
| Expert · Level IV | $133,225 | 60 |
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 | $73,798 | $73,799 | 56 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $92,622 | $98,443 | 108 |
| Senior · Level III | $111,426 | $116,905 | 62 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,250 | $133,225 | 60 |
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.