Expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Washington, DC
Based on 302 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Herndon, Arlington, Mclean, Ashburn, Reston.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $156,229 |
| 25th | $160,000 |
| 50th (median) | $165,000 |
| 75th | $185,176 |
| 90th | $204,600 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $140,000 | $134,635 | $155,768 | 142 |
| FY2021 | $141,357 | $134,735 | $160,000 | 154 |
| FY2022 | $153,831 | $141,357 | $175,000 | 183 |
| FY2023 | $156,000 | $146,117 | $177,650 | 161 |
| FY2024 | $156,229 | $146,910 | $175,000 | 201 |
| FY2025 | $163,363 | $156,229 | $180,000 | 172 |
| FY2026 | $175,000 | $163,363 | $190,373 | 130 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $165,000 is worth about $151,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Computer Systems Engineers/Architects in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $156,640 in May 2025. The H-1B median here is $165,000, 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 | $163,363 | 54 |
| Amazon | $176,800 | 20 |
| Accenture | $179,700 | 12 |
| Visa | $158,415 | 12 |
| Infosys | too few | 8 |
| Hexaware Technologies | too few | 8 |
| HiLabs | too few | 8 |
| Bloomberg | too few | 4 |
| HCLTech | too few | 4 |
| Meta | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $95,784 | 132 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $118,310 | 601 |
| Senior · Level III | $140,837 | 423 |
| Expert · Level IV | $165,000 | 302 |
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 | $89,794 | $95,784 | 132 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $111,946 | $118,310 | 601 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,077 | $140,837 | 423 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,363 | $165,000 | 302 |
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.