Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 519 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,602 |
| 25th | $92,602 |
| 50th (median) | $126,256 |
| 75th | $126,256 |
| 90th | $140,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $93,654 | $89,606 | $103,397 | 167 |
| FY2021 | $95,000 | $92,310 | $113,339 | 154 |
| FY2022 | $104,350 | $94,578 | $123,018 | 234 |
| FY2023 | $97,406 | $95,805 | $120,000 | 214 |
| FY2024 | $97,406 | $97,406 | $120,000 | 342 |
| FY2025 | $92,602 | $92,602 | $126,256 | 341 |
| FY2026 | $126,256 | $126,256 | $130,006 | 178 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $126,256 is worth about $128,600 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 $126,256, 15% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant | $117,000 | 163 |
| Infosys | $92,602 | 94 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | $92,602 | 34 |
| HCLTech | $126,256 | 29 |
| Cisco Systems | $126,256 | 29 |
| DB Global Technology | $134,500 | 11 |
| UBS | too few | 8 |
| Truist Bank | too few | 8 |
| Accenture | too few | 5 |
| Wipro | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 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 level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $63,648 | $64,324 | 24 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $94,952 | $94,952 | 761 |
| Senior · Level III | $92,602 | $126,256 | 519 |
| Expert · Level IV | $114,504 | $147,950 | 368 |
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.