Expert Software Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 583 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $154,877 |
| 25th | $157,248 |
| 50th (median) | $164,000 |
| 75th | $180,305 |
| 90th | $200,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $126,014 | $120,806 | $134,064 | 174 |
| FY2021 | $131,851 | $126,027 | $145,000 | 206 |
| FY2022 | $141,003 | $131,851 | $157,627 | 320 |
| FY2023 | $151,986 | $141,003 | $162,032 | 273 |
| FY2024 | $160,000 | $153,000 | $173,372 | 223 |
| FY2025 | $162,400 | $154,877 | $180,000 | 309 |
| FY2026 | $165,000 | $157,248 | $181,884 | 274 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median expert Software Engineer salary of $164,000 is worth about $167,100 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 $164,000, 24% higher.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Relx | $173,916 | 48 |
| DB Global Technology | $164,000 | 21 |
| Deloitte | $168,300 | 20 |
| Oracle | $154,877 | 18 |
| SAS Institute | $157,248 | 15 |
| Apple | $157,248 | 13 |
| MetLife Group | $154,877 | 11 |
| CVS Health | $178,345 | 10 |
| Align Technology | too few | 9 |
| Cisco Systems | 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 | $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.