Mid-level Software Engineer salary in Durham, NC
Based on 1,166 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level II 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 | $116,709 |
| 50th (median) | $117,832 |
| 75th | $119,808 |
| 90th | $136,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $88,000 | $87,360 | $91,968 | 816 |
| FY2021 | $91,291 | $90,147 | $94,806 | 927 |
| FY2022 | $94,806 | $88,750 | $101,421 | 1,064 |
| FY2023 | $102,000 | $101,110 | $110,365 | 875 |
| FY2024 | $110,365 | $110,365 | $116,000 | 764 |
| FY2025 | $117,832 | $117,832 | $120,297 | 614 |
| FY2026 | $116,709 | $116,709 | $117,000 | 552 |
Cost of living
Durham's median mid-level Software Engineer salary of $117,832 is worth about $120,800 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 $117,832, 13% 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 | $116,709 | 567 |
| Compunnel Software Group | $124,000 | 84 |
| $144,000 | 69 | |
| Kforce | $117,832 | 17 |
| IBM | $149,490 | 14 |
| Randstad | $130,000 | 11 |
| National Charitable Services LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | $117,271 | 10 |
| Mastech Digital | too few | 9 |
| Digipulse Technologies | too few | 9 |
| NetApp | too few | 9 |
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.