Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Baltimore, MD
Based on 201 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Columbia, Owings Mills, Ellicott City, Linthicum Heights, Hanover.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $92,955 |
| 25th | $97,258 |
| 50th (median) | $97,614 |
| 75th | $100,000 |
| 90th | $113,900 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,179 | $65,000 | $77,500 | 97 |
| FY2021 | $74,693 | $70,179 | $83,200 | 152 |
| FY2022 | $75,000 | $73,000 | $83,741 | 145 |
| FY2023 | $85,197 | $84,000 | $90,278 | 163 |
| FY2024 | $91,000 | $90,251 | $97,678 | 164 |
| FY2025 | $97,635 | $97,614 | $99,250 | 140 |
| FY2026 | $93,000 | $92,955 | $101,421 | 61 |
Cost of living
Baltimore's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $97,614 is worth about $93,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Baltimore = 104.5).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Baltimore, MD area earned a median of $138,900 in May 2025 (16,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $97,614, 30% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Fei.com | too few | 9 |
| Aditi | too few | 6 |
| Radiant Innovative | too few | 6 |
| Providenz | too few | 5 |
| Acarin | too few | 4 |
| Microsoft | too few | 4 |
| MindPROS | too few | 4 |
| Quber | too few | 4 |
| Trulogik | too few | 4 |
| Orabase Solutions | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $97,614 | 201 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $124,738 | 567 |
| Senior · Level III | $152,000 | 174 |
| Expert · Level IV | $180,175 | 58 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $97,614 | $97,614 | 201 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $122,013 | $124,738 | 567 |
| Senior · Level III | $151,091 | $152,000 | 174 |
| Expert · Level IV | $180,149 | $180,175 | 58 |
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.