Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Charlotte, NC
Based on 725 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $91,291 |
| 25th | $91,300 |
| 50th (median) | $91,645 |
| 75th | $93,600 |
| 90th | $104,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $73,000 | $72,384 | $84,050 | 189 |
| FY2021 | $84,050 | $69,142 | $93,142 | 188 |
| FY2022 | $76,949 | $66,934 | $84,601 | 156 |
| FY2023 | $85,738 | $82,139 | $89,295 | 305 |
| FY2024 | $86,000 | $85,738 | $92,000 | 428 |
| FY2025 | $91,645 | $91,645 | $93,600 | 474 |
| FY2026 | $91,291 | $91,291 | $95,000 | 251 |
Cost of living
Charlotte's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $91,645 is worth about $94,100 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 $91,645, 33% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | $96,900 | 33 |
| Deloitte | $97,923 | 24 |
| Moody's Investors Service | $100,480 | 17 |
| Indotronix International | $93,600 | 10 |
| Softtechers | too few | 9 |
| Raas Infotek | too few | 8 |
| Elite Tech Solute | too few | 7 |
| Strategic Systems | too few | 7 |
| Ardor It Solutions | too few | 6 |
| Beaconbold | too few | 6 |
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.