Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Denver, CO
Based on 240 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Englewood, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Parker.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $122,866 |
| 25th | $122,866 |
| 50th (median) | $127,941 |
| 75th | $127,941 |
| 90th | $143,113 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $106,080 | $106,059 | $111,494 | 99 |
| FY2021 | $116,730 | $111,280 | $124,976 | 82 |
| FY2022 | $116,730 | $116,730 | $121,000 | 149 |
| FY2023 | $114,000 | $111,134 | $133,806 | 137 |
| FY2024 | $133,806 | $133,806 | $133,806 | 136 |
| FY2025 | $127,941 | $127,941 | $127,941 | 161 |
| FY2026 | $122,866 | $122,866 | $122,866 | 79 |
Cost of living
Denver's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $127,941 is worth about $120,900 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Denver = 105.8).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Denver, CO area earned a median of $160,520 in May 2025 (7,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $127,941, 20% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $127,941 | 93 |
| Infosys | $127,941 | 25 |
| Dish Wireless | $122,866 | 24 |
| DISH Network | $122,866 | 14 |
| HCLTech | too few | 9 |
| Visa | too few | 7 |
| IBM | too few | 4 |
| Sonoco Products Company | too few | 4 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | too few | 4 |
| Accelalpha | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $76,627 | 41 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,274 | 320 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,941 | 240 |
| Expert · Level IV | $153,587 | 148 |
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 | $76,627 | $76,627 | 41 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,274 | $102,274 | 320 |
| Senior · Level III | $127,941 | $127,941 | 240 |
| Expert · Level IV | $145,995 | $153,587 | 148 |
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.