Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Durham, NC
Based on 108 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Hillsborough, Mebane, Pittsboro.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,619 |
| 25th | $107,619 |
| 50th (median) | $119,704 |
| 75th | $128,175 |
| 90th | $147,450 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $96,262 | $96,262 | $100,762 | 98 |
| FY2021 | $101,636 | $99,362 | $126,375 | 68 |
| FY2022 | $100,000 | $99,112 | $110,000 | 101 |
| FY2023 | $111,467 | $107,474 | $124,000 | 77 |
| FY2024 | $111,467 | $111,467 | $115,150 | 127 |
| FY2025 | $117,500 | $107,619 | $129,350 | 75 |
| FY2026 | $124,349 | $119,704 | $127,000 | 33 |
Cost of living
Durham's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $119,704 is worth about $122,700 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 $119,704, 5% 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 | $107,619 | 20 |
| HCLTech | $126,256 | 11 |
| Infosys | too few | 9 |
| IBM | too few | 8 |
| Cisco Systems | too few | 7 |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | too few | 6 |
| UBS | too few | 4 |
| Compunnel Software Group | too few | 4 |
| Coforge | too few | 2 |
| Emc | 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 | $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 level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $63,440 | $76,798 | 12 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $85,530 | $96,054 | 123 |
| Senior · Level III | $107,619 | $119,704 | 108 |
| Expert · Level IV | $129,709 | $143,374 | 86 |
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.