Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Portland, OR
Based on 125 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Hillsboro, Beaverton, Vancouver, Wilsonville, Gresham.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $88,962 |
| 25th | $90,000 |
| 50th (median) | $102,898 |
| 75th | $116,275 |
| 90th | $130,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,000 | $73,133 | $85,500 | 72 |
| FY2021 | $76,960 | $73,757 | $97,386 | 85 |
| FY2022 | $74,734 | $74,734 | $80,000 | 93 |
| FY2023 | $79,843 | $78,998 | $95,000 | 68 |
| FY2024 | $83,000 | $79,685 | $95,000 | 67 |
| FY2025 | $90,100 | $88,962 | $102,898 | 66 |
| FY2026 | $113,000 | $102,898 | $129,000 | 59 |
Cost of living
Portland's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $102,898 is worth about $97,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Portland = 105.4).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Portland, OR area earned a median of $156,000 in May 2025 (18,260 employed). The H-1B median here is $102,898, 34% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $129,000 | 15 |
| Siemens | too few | 9 |
| Core Defender | too few | 5 |
| Nike | too few | 4 |
| Elemental Technologies | too few | 4 |
| Advantage It | too few | 3 |
| Byte Link Systems | too few | 3 |
| Extendrum Technologies | too few | 3 |
| Inspirisys Solutions North America | too few | 3 |
| Mygo Consulting | 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 | $102,898 | 125 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $127,878 | 525 |
| Senior · Level III | $153,831 | 405 |
| Expert · Level IV | $180,000 | 268 |
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 | $102,898 | $102,898 | 125 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $112,070 | $127,878 | 525 |
| Senior · Level III | $135,200 | $153,831 | 405 |
| Expert · Level IV | $158,309 | $180,000 | 268 |
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.