Expert Software Engineer salary in Charlotte, NC
Based on 1,071 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $154,669 |
| 25th | $155,000 |
| 50th (median) | $156,871 |
| 75th | $170,000 |
| 90th | $189,735 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $125,000 | $124,987 | $135,000 | 639 |
| FY2021 | $127,470 | $123,000 | $141,500 | 643 |
| FY2022 | $139,027 | $123,677 | $150,000 | 944 |
| FY2023 | $145,308 | $139,027 | $156,000 | 609 |
| FY2024 | $155,688 | $149,469 | $164,799 | 442 |
| FY2025 | $156,928 | $155,688 | $170,000 | 604 |
| FY2026 | $156,488 | $154,669 | $170,000 | 467 |
Cost of living
Charlotte's median expert Software Engineer salary of $156,871 is worth about $161,100 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 $156,871, 15% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | $161,800 | 148 |
| Wells Fargo | $155,688 | 139 |
| Lowe's Companies | $154,669 | 53 |
| LPL Financial | $170,000 | 43 |
| Moody's Investors Service | $168,062 | 31 |
| Deloitte | $155,688 | 29 |
| Capgemini America | $169,527 | 16 |
| Credit Karma | $216,765 | 16 |
| JRI America | $154,669 | 16 |
| Artech | $166,400 | 15 |
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.