Expert Software Engineer salary in Richmond, VA
Based on 257 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Richmond, VA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Glen Allen, Henrico, Mechanicsville, Ashland, Moseley.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $150,550 |
| 25th | $150,550 |
| 50th (median) | $162,100 |
| 75th | $178,200 |
| 90th | $204,900 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $118,747 | $118,747 | $130,000 | 119 |
| FY2021 | $125,000 | $117,853 | $141,080 | 118 |
| FY2022 | $128,980 | $117,853 | $145,000 | 178 |
| FY2023 | $130,915 | $130,915 | $147,091 | 80 |
| FY2024 | $150,550 | $144,976 | $157,560 | 126 |
| FY2025 | $154,981 | $150,550 | $177,435 | 163 |
| FY2026 | $162,100 | $155,550 | $179,550 | 94 |
Cost of living
Richmond's median expert Software Engineer salary of $162,100 is worth about $165,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Richmond = 97.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Richmond, VA area earned a median of $132,120 in May 2025 (7,680 employed). The H-1B median here is $162,100, 23% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One | $161,100 | 137 |
| Elevance Health | $171,364 | 17 |
| CarMax Enterprise Services | too few | 8 |
| Deloitte | too few | 4 |
| Costar Realty Information | too few | 4 |
| Genworth North America | too few | 4 |
| Cognizant | too few | 3 |
| Oracle | too few | 3 |
| Wells Fargo | too few | 3 |
| Tridium | 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 | $86,549 | 217 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $108,000 | 777 |
| Senior · Level III | $132,555 | 261 |
| Expert · Level IV | $162,100 | 257 |
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 | $86,549 | $86,549 | 217 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,890 | $108,000 | 777 |
| Senior · Level III | $129,210 | $132,555 | 261 |
| Expert · Level IV | $154,981 | $162,100 | 257 |
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.