Cognizant salaries in Washington, DC
Based on 365 certified H-1B filings by Cognizant in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Base salary only.
Median salary$134,077
Middle 50%$111.9k–$140.8k
vs. all employers here+9%comparison median $122,699
Filings365FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All employers here
$90k$100k$110k$120k$130k$140k$150k$160k$170k$180k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $101,234 |
| 25th | $111,946 |
| 50th (median) | $134,077 |
| 75th | $140,837 |
| 90th | $163,218 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $89,149 | $86,736 | $105,394 | 502 |
| FY2021 | $108,805 | $89,149 | $108,805 | 241 |
| FY2022 | $115,731 | $96,158 | $116,667 | 203 |
| FY2023 | $115,731 | $101,338 | $122,262 | 206 |
| FY2024 | $125,424 | $114,566 | $134,077 | 251 |
| FY2025 | $134,077 | $111,946 | $140,837 | 270 |
| FY2026 | $140,837 | $118,310 | $140,837 | 95 |
By job
| Job | Median here | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer / Architect | $134,077 | 227 |
| QA Engineer | $120,557 | 74 |
| Graphic Designer | $84,053 | 20 |
| Software Engineer | $126,090 | 14 |
| Management Consultant | too few | 6 |
| Database Administrator | too few | 5 |
| Data Engineer | too few | 4 |
| Network Administrator | too few | 4 |
| Information Security Analyst | too few | 3 |
| Programmer Analyst | too few | 3 |
| UX Designer | too few | 3 |
Jobs with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings; links go to all employers for that job in Washington, DC.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,946 | 121 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,077 | 176 |
| Expert · Level IV | $156,229 | 68 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.