Cognizant Software Engineer salary
Based on 596 H-1B filings by Cognizant, fiscal years 2025–2026. Base salary only.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $105,997 |
| 25th | $114,000 |
| 50th (median) | $130,603 |
| 75th | $144,000 |
| 90th | $154,773 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $94,182 | $84,427 | $108,035 | 1,349 |
| FY2021 | $94,411 | $85,842 | $109,741 | 219 |
| FY2022 | $102,149 | $93,673 | $113,917 | 248 |
| FY2023 | $109,283 | $99,008 | $120,931 | 302 |
| FY2024 | $126,942 | $115,918 | $143,988 | 335 |
| FY2025 | $130,000 | $116,828 | $148,147 | 418 |
| FY2026 | $131,082 | $111,618 | $134,971 | 178 |
By state
Bar length: number of filings (Texas 144). Figure: average salary in that state.
By city
Cities with at least 10 filings. Figure: median salary.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | too few | 1 |
| Level II · Qualified | $109,500 | 198 |
| Level III · Experienced | $132,267 | 297 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $151,757 | 100 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Questions
How much does a software engineer make at Cognizant?
In H-1B filings, Cognizant's median base salary for Software Engineer is $130,603; half of filings fall between $114,000 and $144,000. Bonus and stock are not included.
Does Cognizant sponsor H-1B visas for software engineers?
Yes. Cognizant filed 596 certified Labor Condition Applications for this role in FY2025–FY2026. A filing is a step before the visa petition, not an approval.
Which job titles are included?
Filings are grouped by occupation code 15-1252 (Software Developers), so this page covers every job title Cognizant filed under that code.
Where does this data come from?
The U.S. Department of Labor's public LCA disclosure files, updated every quarter. Methodology