Entry-level Software Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 1,707 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Mclean, Herndon, Arlington, Reston, Ashburn.
Also listed as: Software Developer, Software Development Engineer, SDE
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $97,157 |
| 25th | $97,200 |
| 50th (median) | $101,421 |
| 75th | $115,000 |
| 90th | $129,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $80,000 | $75,712 | $90,000 | 881 |
| FY2021 | $80,000 | $76,690 | $93,995 | 889 |
| FY2022 | $80,000 | $77,189 | $90,000 | 1,142 |
| FY2023 | $88,442 | $86,819 | $100,000 | 1,265 |
| FY2024 | $88,920 | $88,442 | $97,200 | 1,389 |
| FY2025 | $98,000 | $97,157 | $110,500 | 1,193 |
| FY2026 | $102,000 | $101,421 | $129,000 | 514 |
Cost of living
Washington's median entry-level Software Engineer salary of $101,421 is worth about $93,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Software Developers in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $154,930 in May 2025 (69,060 employed). The H-1B median here is $101,421, 35% lower.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $129,000 | 352 |
| Idexcel | $101,500 | 45 |
| Moxie IT Solutions | $97,225 | 28 |
| Tech Tammina | $97,157 | 25 |
| Antra | $101,500 | 20 |
| Hughes Network Systems | $110,094 | 15 |
| PeopleNTech | $97,157 | 14 |
| Aceintegrator | $101,421 | 13 |
| Intellisoft Technologies | $97,160 | 13 |
| FiniteTek | $97,157 | 12 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $101,421 | 1,707 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $126,090 | 3,594 |
| Senior · Level III | $156,000 | 1,277 |
| Expert · Level IV | $178,600 | 880 |
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 | $97,157 | $101,421 | 1,707 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $122,699 | $126,090 | 3,594 |
| Senior · Level III | $150,758 | $156,000 | 1,277 |
| Expert · Level IV | $175,427 | $178,600 | 880 |
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.