Expert Software Engineer salary in Washington, DC
Based on 880 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $173,763 |
| 25th | $175,427 |
| 50th (median) | $178,600 |
| 75th | $196,692 |
| 90th | $222,690 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $143,374 | $138,482 | $154,397 | 503 |
| FY2021 | $145,000 | $139,360 | $160,000 | 464 |
| FY2022 | $150,000 | $141,294 | $165,000 | 625 |
| FY2023 | $165,000 | $157,061 | $175,000 | 403 |
| FY2024 | $172,748 | $165,173 | $180,983 | 350 |
| FY2025 | $176,595 | $173,763 | $195,000 | 449 |
| FY2026 | $180,000 | $175,427 | $201,750 | 431 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert Software Engineer salary of $178,600 is worth about $164,000 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 $178,600, 15% 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 | $178,400 | 180 |
| Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO) | $192,533 | 64 |
| Amazon | $190,345 | 38 |
| Asurion | $182,108 | 31 |
| Comcast | $175,427 | 25 |
| Deloitte | $177,400 | 25 |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authority | $175,427 | 19 |
| Federal National Mortgage Association | $174,000 | 12 |
| NVIDIA | $184,000 | 11 |
| Yahoo Holdings | $175,427 | 11 |
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.