Electrical Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 42 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Chapel Hill.
Also listed as: Electrical Design Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $90,070 |
| 25th | $107,642 |
| 50th (median) | $135,000 |
| 75th | $144,726 |
| 90th | $167,195 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2021 | $89,720 | $84,760 | $91,556 | 10 |
| FY2022 | $110,000 | $102,000 | $118,791 | 19 |
| FY2023 | $115,000 | $90,000 | $126,736 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $105,726 | $100,000 | $125,840 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $135,000 | $101,080 | $144,546 | 27 |
| FY2026 | $135,252 | $116,185 | $145,594 | 15 |
Cost of living
Durham's median Electrical Engineer salary of $135,000 is worth about $138,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Electrical Engineers in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $129,030 in May 2025 (1,020 employed). The H-1B median here is $135,000, 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.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Analog Devices | $140,000 | 13 |
| Duke University | too few | 4 |
| Microsoft | too few | 4 |
| Danfoss | too few | 2 |
| Etronium AI | too few | 2 |
| Pentangle Tech Services | too few | 2 |
| Sam Analytic Solutions | 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 | too few | 3 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | $135,126 | 18 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior · Level III | $128,003 | $135,126 | 18 |
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.