Expert Software Engineer salary in Atlanta, GA

Based on 1,899 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Alpharetta, Cumming, Johns Creek, Duluth, Suwanee.

Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE

Median salary$156,237
Middle 50%$152.1k–$175.1k
vs. all levels here+25%comparison median $125,000
Filings1,899FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $149,760 and $240,002.
PercentileSalary
10th$149,760
25th$152,131
50th (median)$156,237
75th$175,114
90th$198,164

Salary by year

Median salary

$110k $140k $170k FY2020: median $128,000 (759 filings) FY2021: median $129,500 (1,037 filings) FY2022: median $135,000 (1,544 filings) FY2023: median $143,000 (1,002 filings) FY2024: median $150,000 (980 filings) FY2025: median $155,000 (1,066 filings) FY2026: median $158,080 (833 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 759 filings FY20 FY2021: 1,037 filings FY21 FY2022: 1,544 filings FY22 FY2023: 1,002 filings FY23 FY2024: 980 filings FY24 FY2025: 1,066 filings FY25 FY2026: 833 filings FY26 1,544
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$128,000$125,000$140,000759
FY2021$129,500$121,400$144,0001,037
FY2022$135,000$122,616$150,0001,544
FY2023$143,000$136,822$160,0001,002
FY2024$150,000$142,100$167,248980
FY2025$155,000$149,760$173,1421,066
FY2026$158,080$152,131$178,000833

Cost of living

Atlanta's median expert Software Engineer salary of $156,237 is worth about $156,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Atlanta = 100.1).

Compared with all workers here

All Software Developers in the Atlanta, GA area earned a median of $132,960 in May 2025 (36,300 employed). The H-1B median here is $156,237, 18% 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

EmployerMedianFilings
Home Depot Management Company$170,56875
Deloitte$152,13167
Macy's Systems And Technology$173,00067
Equifax$152,13163
Intercontinental Exchange Holdings$149,80063
ADP$150,94644
AT&T$167,50043
Delta Air Lines$156,81741
Oracle$149,76031
Fiserv Solutions$149,76031

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

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $87,859 1,259
Mid-level · Level II $109,283 5,294
Senior · Level III $135,200 2,476
Expert · Level IV $156,237 1,899

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$82,971$87,8591,259
Mid-level · Level II$105,227$109,2835,294
Senior · Level III$130,707$135,2002,476
Expert · Level IV$152,131$156,2371,899

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.