Expert Software Engineer salary in Virginia Beach, VA
Based on 38 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Norfolk, Chesapeake, Newport News, Portsmouth, Yorktown.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $147,493 |
| 25th | $149,684 |
| 50th (median) | $160,215 |
| 75th | $169,145 |
| 90th | $180,316 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $117,021 | $110,074 | $120,000 | 31 |
| FY2021 | $110,074 | $110,074 | $118,726 | 41 |
| FY2022 | $118,726 | $118,726 | $137,000 | 38 |
| FY2023 | $130,437 | $130,437 | $136,698 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $144,900 | $137,600 | $154,700 | 17 |
| FY2025 | $169,262 | $161,400 | $181,083 | 11 |
| FY2026 | $158,125 | $149,416 | $165,238 | 27 |
Cost of living
Virginia Beach's median expert Software Engineer salary of $160,215 is worth about $163,600 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Virginia Beach = 97.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Virginia Beach, VA area earned a median of $129,090 in May 2025 (7,160 employed). The H-1B median here is $160,215, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| The Elevance Health Companies | $153,138 | 11 |
| Elevance Health | $165,238 | 10 |
| Map Communications | too few | 3 |
| ADP | too few | 2 |
| Artech | too few | 2 |
| Xylem I | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $87,024 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $107,411 | 109 |
| Senior · Level III | $132,047 | 62 |
| Expert · Level IV | $160,215 | 38 |
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 | $79,726 | $87,024 | 20 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $101,358 | $107,411 | 109 |
| Senior · Level III | $125,320 | $132,047 | 62 |
| Expert · Level IV | $147,493 | $160,215 | 38 |
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.