Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Sacramento, CA
Based on 130 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $110,011 |
| 25th | $110,011 |
| 50th (median) | $116,106 |
| 75th | $116,879 |
| 90th | $140,412 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $94,390 | $94,390 | $116,800 | 61 |
| FY2021 | $97,152 | $93,704 | $116,720 | 42 |
| FY2022 | $99,208 | $92,342 | $130,000 | 66 |
| FY2023 | $107,702 | $96,596 | $129,298 | 62 |
| FY2024 | $110,011 | $107,702 | $132,500 | 61 |
| FY2025 | $110,804 | $110,011 | $121,879 | 78 |
| FY2026 | $116,106 | $116,106 | $116,480 | 52 |
Cost of living
Sacramento's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $116,106 is worth about $108,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Sacramento = 106.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Sacramento, CA area earned a median of $110,980 in May 2025 (2,700 employed). The H-1B median here is $116,106, 5% 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 | $116,106 | 32 |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company | $116,106 | 14 |
| IBM | $113,505 | 10 |
| Infosys | too few | 7 |
| Emonics | too few | 4 |
| Flexon Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Gainwell Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Intel | too few | 2 |
| Mastech Digital | too few | 2 |
| Alldata | 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 | $67,415 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,421 | 112 |
| Senior · Level III | $116,106 | 130 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,790 | 92 |
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 | $54,288 | $67,415 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,139 | $88,421 | 112 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,011 | $116,106 | 130 |
| Expert · Level IV | $143,790 | $143,790 | 92 |
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.