Expert Electronics Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 34 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Research Triangle Park, Morrisville, Duham.
Also listed as: Hardware Engineer, Hardware Engineer Electronics
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $156,069 |
| 25th | $159,578 |
| 50th (median) | $168,000 |
| 75th | $184,000 |
| 90th | $196,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | $134,181 | $129,168 | $140,000 | 17 |
| FY2022 | $149,630 | $139,250 | $180,000 | 12 |
| FY2023 | $158,500 | $139,951 | $165,375 | 15 |
| FY2024 | $156,000 | $152,488 | $164,650 | 12 |
| FY2025 | $168,000 | $154,565 | $196,000 | 13 |
| FY2026 | $173,958 | $159,578 | $184,000 | 21 |
Cost of living
Durham's median expert Electronics Engineer salary of $168,000 is worth about $172,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Electronics Engineers, Except Computer in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $155,680 in May 2025 (290 employed). The H-1B median here is $168,000, 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | $184,000 | 19 |
| Arm | too few | 8 |
| Analog Devices | too few | 5 |
| Delta Electronics (Americas) | 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 | 7 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $120,000 | 23 |
| Senior · Level III | $139,381 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $168,000 | 34 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-level · Level II | $119,184 | $120,000 | 23 |
| Senior · Level III | $131,144 | $139,381 | 25 |
| Expert · Level IV | $159,578 | $168,000 | 34 |
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.