Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Columbia, SC
Based on 15 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Columbia, SC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Elgin, Lexington.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,709 |
| 25th | $91,364 |
| 50th (median) | $97,610 |
| 75th | $109,950 |
| 90th | $121,535 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $106,000 | $88,694 | $124,753 | 16 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2022 | $104,000 | $93,638 | $113,898 | 10 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2024 | $101,000 | $82,015 | $125,000 | 22 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 7 |
Cost of living
Columbia's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $97,610 is worth about $104,200 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 $97,610, 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Duck Creek Technologies | too few | 3 |
| HCLTech | too few | 2 |
| Pajosys Technologies | 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 | – | 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 level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $70,325 | $70,400 | 13 |
| Senior · Level III | $92,019 | $97,610 | 15 |
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.