Software Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 2,923 certified H-1B filings in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Morrisville, Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, Carrboro.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $116,709 |
| 25th | $117,000 |
| 50th (median) | $130,000 |
| 75th | $148,382 |
| 90th | $161,741 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $100,000 | $87,360 | $109,793 | 1,691 |
| FY2021 | $100,526 | $91,000 | $113,339 | 1,844 |
| FY2022 | $105,000 | $94,806 | $120,000 | 2,029 |
| FY2023 | $112,000 | $101,421 | $130,000 | 1,665 |
| FY2024 | $119,621 | $110,365 | $133,000 | 1,557 |
| FY2025 | $124,000 | $117,832 | $142,756 | 1,524 |
| FY2026 | $131,120 | $116,709 | $150,000 | 1,399 |
Cost of living
Durham's median Software Engineer salary of $130,000 is worth about $133,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Durham = 97.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Durham, NC area earned a median of $135,620 in May 2025 (9,790 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | $125,119 | 1,647 |
| Compunnel Software Group | $124,000 | 114 |
| $143,500 | 88 | |
| NetApp | $135,172 | 67 |
| IBM | $168,498 | 50 |
| Nutanix | $117,832 | 38 |
| Kforce | $125,029 | 30 |
| National Charitable Services LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | $122,674 | 28 |
| Cisco Systems | $149,100 | 27 |
| Mastech Digital | $139,214 | 22 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $94,515 | 123 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $117,832 | 1,166 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,170 | 413 |
| Expert · Level IV | $161,741 | 488 |
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 | $94,515 | $94,515 | 123 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $116,709 | $117,832 | 1,166 |
| Senior · Level III | $141,170 | $141,170 | 413 |
| Expert · Level IV | $161,741 | $161,741 | 488 |
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.