Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Baltimore, MD
Based on 57 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Owings Mills, Ellicott City, Cockeysville, Hanover, Columbia.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $152,194 |
| 25th | $152,500 |
| 50th (median) | $159,786 |
| 75th | $167,249 |
| 90th | $202,560 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $125,000 | $122,283 | $139,992 | 59 |
| FY2021 | $141,752 | $130,000 | $150,000 | 60 |
| FY2022 | $143,600 | $135,000 | $158,790 | 67 |
| FY2023 | $145,000 | $138,840 | $154,000 | 33 |
| FY2024 | $159,786 | $145,000 | $163,554 | 44 |
| FY2025 | $159,786 | $159,786 | $174,915 | 31 |
| FY2026 | $153,153 | $152,194 | $162,372 | 26 |
Cost of living
Baltimore's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $159,786 is worth about $152,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Baltimore = 104.5).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Baltimore, MD area earned a median of $135,600 in May 2025 (9,010 employed). The H-1B median here is $159,786, 18% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $152,194 | 20 |
| Allegis Group | too few | 5 |
| Jason Pharmaceuticals | too few | 3 |
| Softrams | too few | 3 |
| Elixir Lab USA Inc DBA Cardinality.ai | too few | 2 |
| Leidos | too few | 2 |
| Stanley Black & Decker | too few | 2 |
| TEKsystems Global Services | 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 | $88,000 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,779 | 114 |
| Senior · Level III | $135,782 | 95 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,786 | 57 |
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 | $87,776 | $88,000 | 17 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,779 | $111,779 | 114 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,419 | $135,782 | 95 |
| Expert · Level IV | $152,194 | $159,786 | 57 |
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.