Engineering Director salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 41 certified H-1B filings in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Wendell, Cary, Clayton, Apex.
Also listed as: Architectural and Engineering Manager, Manager Hardware Engineering
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $135,554 |
| 25th | $148,595 |
| 50th (median) | $160,000 |
| 75th | $180,379 |
| 90th | $200,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2022 | $143,570 | $108,913 | $173,438 | 18 |
| FY2023 | $135,612 | $114,500 | $153,851 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $156,541 | $145,000 | $172,847 | 15 |
| FY2025 | $159,000 | $145,625 | $179,387 | 26 |
| FY2026 | $172,078 | $153,969 | $184,709 | 15 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median Engineering Director salary of $160,000 is worth about $163,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Architectural and Engineering Managers in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $169,780 in May 2025 (1,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $160,000, 6% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Siemens | too few | 6 |
| Eaton | too few | 4 |
| Cadence Design Systems | too few | 2 |
| HDR Engineering, Inc. of the Carolinas | too few | 2 |
| Hitachi Energy | too few | 2 |
| Itron | too few | 2 |
| Renesas Electronics America | too few | 2 |
| Siemens Energy | too few | 2 |
| Synopsys | 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 | – | 0 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $149,298 | 14 |
| Senior · Level III | $178,000 | 11 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 4 |
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 | $135,554 | $149,298 | 14 |
| Senior · Level III | $156,541 | $178,000 | 11 |
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.