Mid-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Columbia, SC

Based on 13 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II in the Columbia, SC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Elgin, Lexington.

Median salary$70,400
Middle 50%$70.3k–$89.8k
vs. all levels here−28%comparison median $97,610
Filings13FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $68,330 and $267,056.
PercentileSalary
10th$70,325
25th$70,325
50th (median)$70,400
75th$89,773
90th$90,002

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $75k $90k FY2020: median $74,000 (23 filings) FY2021: median $76,877 (19 filings) FY2022: median $75,443 (16 filings) FY2023: median $85,000 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 23 filings FY20 FY2021: 19 filings FY21 FY2022: 16 filings FY22 FY2023: 12 filings FY23 FY2024: 8 filings FY24 FY2025: 9 filings FY25 FY2026: 4 filings FY26 23
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$74,000$73,008$87,98223
FY2021$76,877$76,856$87,50019
FY2022$75,443$75,442$82,25016
FY2023$85,000$80,683$99,62512
FY2024–––8
FY2025–––9
FY2026–––4

Cost of living

Columbia's median mid-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $70,400 is worth about $75,200 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbia = 93.7).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Columbia, SC area earned a median of $91,920 in May 2025 (770 employed). The H-1B median here is $70,400, 23% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
CALTEK Solutionstoo few2
Smac Appstoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I – 0
Mid-level · Level II $70,400 13
Senior · Level III $97,610 15
Expert · Level IV too few 8

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Mid-level · Level II$70,325$70,40013
Senior · Level III$92,019$97,61015

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.