Senior Software Engineer salary in Charlotte, NC
Based on 1,759 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $133,536 |
| 25th | $133,536 |
| 50th (median) | $134,347 |
| 75th | $145,000 |
| 90th | $160,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $110,000 | $107,453 | $120,000 | 1,307 |
| FY2021 | $110,000 | $104,043 | $122,875 | 922 |
| FY2022 | $120,058 | $104,770 | $135,000 | 1,087 |
| FY2023 | $121,000 | $120,058 | $132,061 | 952 |
| FY2024 | $134,347 | $128,232 | $143,321 | 776 |
| FY2025 | $135,000 | $134,347 | $146,318 | 991 |
| FY2026 | $133,536 | $133,536 | $143,222 | 768 |
Cost of living
Charlotte's median senior Software Engineer salary of $134,347 is worth about $138,000 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 $134,347, 1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lowe's Companies | $133,536 | 272 |
| Wells Fargo | $134,347 | 101 |
| Capgemini America | $134,950 | 72 |
| Randstad | $135,000 | 59 |
| Bank of America | $150,000 | 55 |
| Innova Solutions | $133,536 | 51 |
| EY | $174,962 | 41 |
| Mitchell/Martin | $139,360 | 35 |
| Insight Global | $133,536 | 29 |
| Artech | $141,440 | 28 |
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.