Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 363 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $86,466 |
| 25th | $86,525 |
| 50th (median) | $91,707 |
| 75th | $99,000 |
| 90th | $108,887 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,932 | $68,578 | $76,000 | 97 |
| FY2021 | $75,743 | $73,923 | $79,899 | 138 |
| FY2022 | $77,241 | $76,294 | $89,393 | 204 |
| FY2023 | $83,200 | $81,640 | $90,000 | 216 |
| FY2024 | $85,000 | $78,915 | $88,370 | 250 |
| FY2025 | $87,600 | $86,466 | $95,000 | 233 |
| FY2026 | $93,600 | $91,707 | $102,650 | 130 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $91,707 is worth about $93,400 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Raleigh = 98.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Raleigh, NC area earned a median of $132,770 in May 2025 (12,580 employed). The H-1B median here is $91,707, 31% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Highbrow Technology | $86,466 | 23 |
| DB Global Technology | $88,300 | 16 |
| Relx | $87,864 | 16 |
| Amazon | $138,600 | 13 |
| Deloitte | too few | 9 |
| NetApp | too few | 9 |
| Affintrix Technologies | too few | 8 |
| IXL Learning | too few | 8 |
| Cisco Systems | too few | 6 |
| Eagle Eye Technologies | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $91,707 | 363 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $113,547 | 1,599 |
| Senior · Level III | $140,000 | 914 |
| Expert · Level IV | $164,000 | 583 |
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 | $86,466 | $91,707 | 363 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $109,262 | $113,547 | 1,599 |
| Senior · Level III | $135,408 | $140,000 | 914 |
| Expert · Level IV | $157,248 | $164,000 | 583 |
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.