Entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Durham, NC

Based on 12 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Hillsborough, Mebane, Pittsboro.

Median salary$76,798
Middle 50%$70k–$85.3k
vs. all levels here−36%comparison median $120,000
Filings12FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $63,502 and $113,790.
PercentileSalary
10th$64,600
25th$70,000
50th (median)$76,798
75th$85,316
90th$102,226

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $80k $110k FY2020: median $65,915 (10 filings) FY2021: median $95,555 (33 filings) FY2022: median $71,750 (14 filings) FY2023: median $75,000 (12 filings) FY2024: median $75,000 (14 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 10 filings FY20 FY2021: 33 filings FY21 FY2022: 14 filings FY22 FY2023: 12 filings FY23 FY2024: 14 filings FY24 FY2025: 8 filings FY25 FY2026: 4 filings FY26 33
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$65,915$65,915$66,47710
FY2021$95,555$95,555$95,55533
FY2022$71,750$67,825$79,85014
FY2023$75,000$73,590$80,00012
FY2024$75,000$73,590$81,64014
FY2025–––8
FY2026–––4

Cost of living

Durham's median entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $76,798 is worth about $78,700 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $126,300 in May 2025 (2,090 employed). The H-1B median here is $76,798, 39% 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
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Companytoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $76,798 12
Mid-level · Level II $96,054 123
Senior · Level III $119,704 108
Expert · Level IV $143,374 86

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$63,440$76,79812
Mid-level · Level II$85,530$96,054123
Senior · Level III$107,619$119,704108
Expert · Level IV$129,709$143,37486

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.