Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Based on 219 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Pittsburgh, PA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Coraopolis, Canonsburg, Monroeville, Warrendale, Cranberry Township.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,757 |
| 25th | $75,065 |
| 50th (median) | $88,000 |
| 75th | $135,000 |
| 90th | $145,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,000 | $65,000 | $78,438 | 71 |
| FY2021 | $74,221 | $65,000 | $92,240 | 100 |
| FY2022 | $70,200 | $66,144 | $87,575 | 128 |
| FY2023 | $82,500 | $71,032 | $110,000 | 81 |
| FY2024 | $75,783 | $71,032 | $90,000 | 106 |
| FY2025 | $82,173 | $73,757 | $95,000 | 124 |
| FY2026 | $135,000 | $81,500 | $142,000 | 95 |
Cost of living
Pittsburgh's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $88,000 is worth about $93,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Pittsburgh = 94.7).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Pittsburgh, PA area earned a median of $124,500 in May 2025 (10,320 employed). The H-1B median here is $88,000, 29% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | $141,000 | 40 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | $80,000 | 23 |
| $142,000 | 19 | |
| Visionet Systems | $73,757 | 11 |
| StarsHR | too few | 7 |
| DVI Technologies | too few | 6 |
| SkilzMatrix Digital | too few | 6 |
| TeleTracking Technologies | too few | 5 |
| Relevantz Technology Services | too few | 4 |
| Artigence Tech Solutions | 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 | $88,000 | 219 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $98,400 | 802 |
| Senior · Level III | $120,000 | 413 |
| Expert · Level IV | $146,295 | 303 |
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 | $76,918 | $88,000 | 219 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $93,038 | $98,400 | 802 |
| Senior · Level III | $119,475 | $120,000 | 413 |
| Expert · Level IV | $131,581 | $146,295 | 303 |
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.