Senior Software Engineer salary in Raleigh, NC
Based on 914 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $132,080 |
| 25th | $135,408 |
| 50th (median) | $140,000 |
| 75th | $150,000 |
| 90th | $162,595 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $109,038 | $104,000 | $116,533 | 396 |
| FY2021 | $116,522 | $110,000 | $129,608 | 373 |
| FY2022 | $121,601 | $113,418 | $137,625 | 648 |
| FY2023 | $130,000 | $122,000 | $140,000 | 514 |
| FY2024 | $136,300 | $128,960 | $145,000 | 514 |
| FY2025 | $140,000 | $132,500 | $150,000 | 493 |
| FY2026 | $140,000 | $135,408 | $150,000 | 421 |
Cost of living
Raleigh's median senior Software Engineer salary of $140,000 is worth about $142,600 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 $140,000, 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| DB Global Technology | $140,000 | 102 |
| Relx | $149,411 | 53 |
| Cisco Systems | $137,000 | 50 |
| UBS | $144,300 | 24 |
| EY | $175,000 | 17 |
| Truist Bank | $147,500 | 16 |
| Capgemini America | $145,000 | 13 |
| D2Sol | $145,000 | 13 |
| Microsoft | $171,788 | 13 |
| Optum | $135,408 | 12 |
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.