Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Buffalo, NY
Based on 52 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Getzville, Williamsville, Niagara Falls, Amherst, Cheektowaga.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $75,920 |
| 25th | $77,189 |
| 50th (median) | $84,750 |
| 75th | $97,141 |
| 90th | $109,558 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $61,191 | $60,341 | $67,686 | 18 |
| FY2021 | $61,626 | $60,382 | $67,750 | 16 |
| FY2022 | $69,000 | $65,430 | $80,500 | 13 |
| FY2023 | $78,500 | $71,025 | $91,000 | 15 |
| FY2024 | $85,000 | $68,515 | $90,000 | 25 |
| FY2025 | $83,200 | $75,920 | $91,645 | 35 |
| FY2026 | $94,691 | $81,000 | $110,000 | 17 |
Cost of living
Buffalo's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $84,750 is worth about $88,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Buffalo = 95.8).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Buffalo, NY area earned a median of $127,850 in May 2025 (3,960 employed). The H-1B median here is $84,750, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Slk America | too few | 9 |
| London Stock Exchange Group Holdings | too few | 6 |
| Odoo | too few | 6 |
| Globaltekforcecom | too few | 2 |
| Multisource International | too few | 2 |
| PCA Technology Group of New York | too few | 2 |
| Sherpa Analytics | too few | 2 |
| Welkin Technologies | 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 | $84,750 | 52 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $102,461 | 134 |
| Senior · Level III | $128,705 | 100 |
| Expert · Level IV | $147,118 | 59 |
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 | $75,920 | $84,750 | 52 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,509 | $102,461 | 134 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,800 | $128,705 | 100 |
| Expert · Level IV | $147,118 | $147,118 | 59 |
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.