Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Seattle, WA

Based on 4,813 certified H-1B filings in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell, Kirkland, Issaquah.

Median salary$153,000
Middle 50%$115k–$179.3k
vs. national median+33%comparison median $114,795
Filings4,813FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $83,824 and $262,491.
PercentileSalary
10th$108,098
25th$115,000
50th (median)$153,000
75th$179,300
90th$203,701

Salary by year

Median salary

$90k $130k $170k FY2020: median $105,200 (2,955 filings) FY2021: median $116,813 (2,931 filings) FY2022: median $120,000 (3,566 filings) FY2023: median $125,611 (2,783 filings) FY2024: median $142,126 (3,590 filings) FY2025: median $150,050 (2,911 filings) FY2026: median $160,833 (1,902 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 2,955 filings FY20 FY2021: 2,931 filings FY21 FY2022: 3,566 filings FY22 FY2023: 2,783 filings FY23 FY2024: 3,590 filings FY24 FY2025: 2,911 filings FY25 FY2026: 1,902 filings FY26 3,590
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$105,200$80,000$137,1592,955
FY2021$116,813$85,352$146,4002,931
FY2022$120,000$90,000$154,5693,566
FY2023$125,611$86,653$160,0002,783
FY2024$142,126$105,850$169,8853,590
FY2025$150,050$111,550$176,8722,911
FY2026$160,833$125,782$181,6601,902

Cost of living

Seattle's median Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $153,000 is worth about $137,700 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Seattle = 111.1).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Seattle, WA area earned a median of $136,120 in May 2025 (10,710 employed). The H-1B median here is $153,000, 12% higher.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
Amazon$167,0241,055
Microsoft$174,700951
Infosys$111,550232
LTIMindtree$111,551177
Tata Consultancy Services$108,098173
HCLTech$136,843141
Meta$208,000107
People Tech Group$108,098100
Cognizant$139,29884
Salesforce$191,89360

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $95,500 246
Mid-level · Level II $111,550 1,852
Senior · Level III $165,800 1,430
Expert · Level IV $188,590 1,148

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$83,824$95,500246
Mid-level · Level II$108,098$111,5501,852
Senior · Level III$136,843$165,8001,430
Expert · Level IV$167,024$188,5901,148

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.