Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Seattle, WA
Based on 1,148 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell, Kirkland, Issaquah.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $165,910 |
| 25th | $167,156 |
| 50th (median) | $188,590 |
| 75th | $213,581 |
| 90th | $238,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $127,783 | $115,000 | $160,000 | 370 |
| FY2021 | $150,000 | $123,410 | $178,500 | 492 |
| FY2022 | $160,000 | $125,611 | $194,975 | 614 |
| FY2023 | $165,000 | $133,503 | $200,916 | 529 |
| FY2024 | $183,590 | $156,976 | $209,999 | 636 |
| FY2025 | $190,987 | $167,024 | $213,475 | 576 |
| FY2026 | $186,116 | $169,101 | $213,581 | 572 |
Cost of living
Seattle's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $188,590 is worth about $169,700 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 $188,590, 39% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $179,400 | 309 |
| Microsoft | $216,729 | 165 |
| Meta | $224,000 | 81 |
| Cognizant | $167,024 | 34 |
| Apple | $167,024 | 30 |
| Salesforce | $215,696 | 28 |
| Accenture | $170,000 | 21 |
| T-Mobile | $189,095 | 19 |
| $234,000 | 18 | |
| Expedia | $167,024 | 18 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 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 level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $83,824 | $95,500 | 246 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $108,098 | $111,550 | 1,852 |
| Senior · Level III | $136,843 | $165,800 | 1,430 |
| Expert · Level IV | $167,024 | $188,590 | 1,148 |
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.