Expert Software Engineer salary in Baltimore, MD
Based on 58 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $178,963 |
| 25th | $180,149 |
| 50th (median) | $180,175 |
| 75th | $190,750 |
| 90th | $208,687 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $141,766 | $135,000 | $151,250 | 112 |
| FY2021 | $144,950 | $141,752 | $160,000 | 92 |
| FY2022 | $150,000 | $140,483 | $168,286 | 73 |
| FY2023 | $165,000 | $164,029 | $174,930 | 34 |
| FY2024 | $171,000 | $165,000 | $180,850 | 29 |
| FY2025 | $179,000 | $178,963 | $185,000 | 22 |
| FY2026 | $180,250 | $180,149 | $191,090 | 36 |
Cost of living
Baltimore's median expert Software Engineer salary of $180,175 is worth about $172,400 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 $180,175, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Deloitte | too few | 4 |
| Oracle | too few | 3 |
| Aditi | too few | 3 |
| T. Rowe Price Associates | too few | 3 |
| Johns Hopkins University | too few | 2 |
| Leidos | too few | 2 |
| PowerOne Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Rohde & Schwarz | too few | 2 |
| Stanley Black & Decker | 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 | $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.