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

Based on 24 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina.

Median salary$64,324
Middle 50%$62.6k–$75.3k
vs. all levels here−33%comparison median $95,680
Filings24FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $58,000 and $165,745.
PercentileSalary
10th$60,000
25th$62,632
50th (median)$64,324
75th$75,250
90th$88,487

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $62,000 (16 filings) FY2021: median $70,000 (17 filings) FY2022: median $68,670 (34 filings) FY2023: median $80,000 (25 filings) FY2024: median $65,000 (24 filings) FY2025: median $62,555 (12 filings) FY2026: median $67,500 (12 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 16 filings FY20 FY2021: 17 filings FY21 FY2022: 34 filings FY22 FY2023: 25 filings FY23 FY2024: 24 filings FY24 FY2025: 12 filings FY25 FY2026: 12 filings FY26 34
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$62,000$56,000$65,62416
FY2021$70,000$60,611$80,50017
FY2022$68,670$60,611$76,29434
FY2023$80,000$66,000$85,00025
FY2024$65,000$61,500$73,35024
FY2025$62,555$60,000$69,37512
FY2026$67,500$63,648$87,05712

Cost of living

Raleigh's median entry-level Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $64,324 is worth about $65,500 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $110,030 in May 2025 (3,620 employed). The H-1B median here is $64,324, 42% 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
Codewave ITtoo few2
Relxtoo few2
Zifo Technologiestoo few2

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $64,324 24
Mid-level · Level II $94,952 761
Senior · Level III $126,256 519
Expert · Level IV $147,950 368

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$63,648$64,32424
Mid-level · Level II$94,952$94,952761
Senior · Level III$92,602$126,256519
Expert · Level IV$114,504$147,950368

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.