Entry-level Network Architect salary in Washington, DC

Based on 21 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Herndon, Ashburn, Arlington, Reston, Mclean.

Also listed as: Network Engineer, Network Development Engineer

Median salary$115,000
Middle 50%$108k–$118.7k
vs. all levels here−20%comparison median $144,000
Filings21FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $103,018 and $152,000.
PercentileSalary
10th$104,805
25th$108,000
50th (median)$115,000
75th$118,700
90th$122,757

Salary by year

Median salary

$70k $95k $120k FY2020: median $78,645 (14 filings) FY2021: median $85,155 (14 filings) FY2022: median $95,950 (22 filings) FY2023: median $93,683 (20 filings) FY2024: median $107,417 (20 filings) FY2025: median $112,000 (17 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 14 filings FY20 FY2021: 14 filings FY21 FY2022: 22 filings FY22 FY2023: 20 filings FY23 FY2024: 20 filings FY24 FY2025: 17 filings FY25 FY2026: 4 filings FY26 22
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$78,645$78,645$80,66014
FY2021$85,155$85,155$87,28914
FY2022$95,950$95,867$106,31222
FY2023$93,683$93,683$100,05020
FY2024$107,417$102,981$114,00820
FY2025$112,000$108,000$117,78217
FY2026–––4

Cost of living

Washington's median entry-level Network Architect salary of $115,000 is worth about $105,600 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Computer Network Architects in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $159,820 in May 2025 (9,370 employed). The H-1B median here is $115,000, 28% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Hughes Network Systemstoo few8
Amazontoo few4
Googletoo few3

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $115,000 21
Mid-level · Level II $134,889 57
Senior · Level III $169,700 28
Expert · Level IV $191,173 11

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$102,981$115,00021
Mid-level · Level II$127,421$134,88957
Senior · Level III$163,030$169,70028
Expert · Level IV$176,322$191,17311

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.