Software Engineer salary in Charlotte, NC
Based on 7,173 certified H-1B filings in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Fort Mill, Concord, Huntersville, Indian Land, Indian Trail.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $102,000 |
| 25th | $112,986 |
| 50th (median) | $130,000 |
| 75th | $145,000 |
| 90th | $160,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $102,000 | $89,918 | $119,101 | 4,910 |
| FY2021 | $104,770 | $87,138 | $122,616 | 3,753 |
| FY2022 | $112,000 | $90,000 | $130,000 | 4,313 |
| FY2023 | $120,000 | $101,110 | $135,000 | 3,838 |
| FY2024 | $117,000 | $106,974 | $136,254 | 3,630 |
| FY2025 | $130,000 | $112,986 | $145,000 | 4,234 |
| FY2026 | $130,000 | $112,424 | $145,000 | 2,939 |
Cost of living
Charlotte's median Software Engineer salary of $130,000 is worth about $133,500 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Charlotte = 97.3).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Charlotte, NC area earned a median of $135,920 in May 2025 (20,820 employed). The H-1B median here is $130,000, 4% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies | $133,536 | 420 |
| Randstad | $130,000 | 333 |
| Bank of America | $155,688 | 313 |
| Wells Fargo | $134,347 | 303 |
| Deloitte | $131,200 | 114 |
| Synechron | $119,150 | 114 |
| Capgemini America | $134,950 | 104 |
| Innova Solutions | $133,536 | 103 |
| Moody's Investors Service | $144,421 | 89 |
| LPL Financial | $160,000 | 85 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $91,645 | 725 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,986 | 3,105 |
| Senior · Level III | $134,347 | 1,759 |
| Expert · Level IV | $156,871 | 1,071 |
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 | $91,645 | $91,645 | 725 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,424 | $112,986 | 3,105 |
| Senior · Level III | $133,536 | $134,347 | 1,759 |
| Expert · Level IV | $154,669 | $156,871 | 1,071 |
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.