Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 123 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I 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 | $94,182 |
| 25th | $94,515 |
| 50th (median) | $94,515 |
| 75th | $95,680 |
| 90th | $108,744 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $71,906 | $71,406 | $79,760 | 50 |
| FY2021 | $76,294 | $72,000 | $93,850 | 71 |
| FY2022 | $76,294 | $70,300 | $81,640 | 82 |
| FY2023 | $84,000 | $81,411 | $89,347 | 83 |
| FY2024 | $88,300 | $88,296 | $94,515 | 109 |
| FY2025 | $94,515 | $94,515 | $95,000 | 88 |
| FY2026 | $94,182 | $94,182 | $106,850 | 35 |
Cost of living
Durham's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $94,515 is worth about $96,900 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 $94,515, 30% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments | $94,515 | 44 |
| too few | 6 | |
| 3 Dots IT Solutions | too few | 5 |
| Consultadd | too few | 4 |
| Karwell Technologiies | too few | 3 |
| Mythri Consulting | too few | 3 |
| Antra | too few | 2 |
| Generic Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Gradient Health | too few | 2 |
| NetApp | too few | 2 |
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.