Expert Software Engineer salary in Trenton, NJ
Based on 220 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Princeton, Pennington, Cranbury, Hamilton, East Windsor.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $152,131 |
| 25th | $153,005 |
| 50th (median) | $163,772 |
| 75th | $181,620 |
| 90th | $201,840 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $127,000 | $120,000 | $140,668 | 225 |
| FY2021 | $134,700 | $125,000 | $150,000 | 160 |
| FY2022 | $145,454 | $130,000 | $160,000 | 169 |
| FY2023 | $153,750 | $140,000 | $165,142 | 108 |
| FY2024 | $169,215 | $154,283 | $190,000 | 80 |
| FY2025 | $160,000 | $152,131 | $180,000 | 125 |
| FY2026 | $165,006 | $153,358 | $188,946 | 95 |
Cost of living
Trenton's median expert Software Engineer salary of $163,772 is worth about $158,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Trenton = 103.2).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Trenton, NJ area earned a median of $128,770 in May 2025 (3,390 employed). The H-1B median here is $163,772, 27% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | $179,982 | 34 |
| Educational Testing Service | $152,131 | 28 |
| Merrill Lynch | $153,500 | 21 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | $153,005 | 14 |
| Deloitte | too few | 7 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | too few | 6 |
| BlackRock | too few | 4 |
| Dow Jones and Company | too few | 4 |
| Gs1 | too few | 4 |
| K-Makin Technologies | too few | 4 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $95,493 | 199 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $108,250 | 629 |
| Senior · Level III | $143,449 | 248 |
| Expert · Level IV | $163,772 | 220 |
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 | $84,490 | $95,493 | 199 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,037 | $108,250 | 629 |
| Senior · Level III | $130,603 | $143,449 | 248 |
| Expert · Level IV | $153,005 | $163,772 | 220 |
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.