Software Engineer salary in Columbia, SC
Based on 237 certified H-1B filings in the Columbia, SC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Lexington, Cayce, Blythewood, West Columbia, Irmo.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $88,941 |
| 25th | $90,525 |
| 50th (median) | $109,866 |
| 75th | $130,000 |
| 90th | $146,297 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $85,000 | $74,547 | $99,500 | 305 |
| FY2021 | $79,624 | $64,792 | $98,413 | 354 |
| FY2022 | $78,206 | $64,168 | $98,320 | 316 |
| FY2023 | $94,000 | $77,355 | $113,614 | 234 |
| FY2024 | $101,588 | $93,500 | $122,159 | 194 |
| FY2025 | $109,866 | $96,949 | $126,290 | 123 |
| FY2026 | $109,933 | $88,963 | $130,770 | 114 |
Cost of living
Columbia's median Software Engineer salary of $109,866 is worth about $117,300 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Columbia = 93.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Columbia, SC area earned a median of $123,380 in May 2025 (2,070 employed). The H-1B median here is $109,866, 11% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Capgemini America | $118,000 | 23 |
| AgFirst Farm Credit Bank | $117,783 | 14 |
| Sanctityinternational | too few | 9 |
| Protech Solutions | too few | 6 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina | too few | 4 |
| Computer Sciences | too few | 4 |
| Coolsoft | too few | 4 |
| CGI | too few | 3 |
| Dataedge | too few | 3 |
| Dominion Energy Services | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $83,000 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $96,949 | 115 |
| Senior · Level III | $118,000 | 63 |
| Expert · Level IV | $142,495 | 34 |
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 | $76,232 | $83,000 | 22 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $88,941 | $96,949 | 115 |
| Senior · Level III | $109,866 | $118,000 | 63 |
| Expert · Level IV | $130,770 | $142,495 | 34 |
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.