Senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary in Washington, DC
Based on 423 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Herndon, Arlington, Mclean, Ashburn, Reston.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $134,077 |
| 25th | $134,077 |
| 50th (median) | $140,837 |
| 75th | $151,612 |
| 90th | $172,368 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,219 | $115,856 | $130,000 | 278 |
| FY2021 | $121,722 | $116,147 | $135,150 | 234 |
| FY2022 | $130,000 | $121,722 | $145,000 | 297 |
| FY2023 | $125,424 | $122,262 | $142,800 | 249 |
| FY2024 | $134,077 | $125,424 | $146,963 | 348 |
| FY2025 | $138,206 | $134,077 | $150,087 | 272 |
| FY2026 | $140,837 | $140,837 | $156,500 | 151 |
Cost of living
Washington's median senior Systems Engineer / Architect salary of $140,837 is worth about $129,300 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 $140,837, 10% lower.
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 | $134,077 | 116 |
| Amazon | $162,750 | 36 |
| HCLTech | $140,837 | 21 |
| Infosys | $140,837 | 16 |
| Hexaware Technologies | $134,077 | 15 |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | $168,030 | 13 |
| REI Systems | too few | 8 |
| Hughes Network Systems | too few | 6 |
| LTIMindtree | too few | 6 |
| Microsoft | too few | 6 |
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.