Software Developers in North Carolina. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
What the numbers say
The median Software Developer in North Carolina earned $131,000 in 2024, about 5.4% below the US median of $138,520. That gap is smaller than it first looks once you factor in cost of living. North Carolina's price index sits at 95, meaning a dollar goes a bit further here than in most states. Adjusted for that, the real purchasing gap with the national figure shrinks to nearly nothing.
The spread between earners tells a more interesting story. A developer at the 10th percentile earned $79,620. One at the 90th earned $173,660. That range of roughly $94,000 reflects how much experience, specialization, and the specific employer matter in this field. Entry-level roles and senior positions are effectively different jobs in terms of pay, even within the same state.
The mean annual wage of $131,780 sits only $780 above the median. In many high-paying technical occupations, a smaller group of very high earners pulls the average well above the midpoint. Here the two figures are nearly identical, which suggests North Carolina's wage distribution is relatively even across the middle. There are fewer extreme outliers at the top than you might see in California or Washington.
On the employment side, 57,590 Software Developers were working in North Carolina as of 2024, making it one of the larger state-level concentrations in the country. BLS projects employment in this occupation to grow 15.8% between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as much faster than average. That growth rate applies nationally, not to North Carolina specifically, but the state's Research Triangle has historically tracked close to national trends for this role.
Salary distribution
Where North Carolina software developers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $104,530 and $164,750, with a median of $134,710.
Software Developers in North Carolina: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 2,000 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $131,120. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 116 | $91,707 |
| Level II — qualified | 809 | $114,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 483 | $137,000 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 325 | $161,741 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Software Developers in North Carolina. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | Senior Software Engineer/Developer | 267 | $125,119 |
| Lowe's Companies, Inc. | Senior Software Engineer | 69 | $133,536 |
| RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC | Software Developer | 62 | $132,560 |
| BANK OF AMERICA N.A. | Senior Vice President; Senior Technology Manager | 35 | $160,500 |
| COMPUNNEL SOFTWARE GROUP, INC | Software Developer | 35 | $132,000 |
| DB Global Technology, Inc. | Assistant Vice President, Senior Engineer | 32 | $140,000 |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | Manager | 31 | $138,900 |
| RELX, Inc. | Consulting/Principal Software Engineer | 28 | $131,000 |
| WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. | Senior Software Engineer | 28 | $133,536 |
| Cisco Systems, Inc. | Software Engineer | 27 | $137,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Software Developers - KBGFJG361510-4 at Ernst & Young U.S. LLP$120,000CharlotteWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728110
- Senior Software Engineer at Lowe's Companies, Inc.$133,536CharlotteWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729140
- Delivery Project Lead at Mphasis Corporation$125,000DurhamWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-728957
- Senior Technical Lead - Data Engineering at Coforge Limited$135,408RaleighWage Level IIIDecided —I-200-26084-729159
- Senior Developer at Sincera Technologies, Inc.$138,000Holly SpringsWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730154
- Software Developer at RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC$130,000CharlotteWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26085-730804
- Software Engineer at NetApp, Inc.$161,741DurhamWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-729188
- Software Developer at Wisdom Infotech Ltd$113,600Holy SpringsWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730227
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Software Developers pay by experience level in North Carolina
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Software Developers specialties in North Carolina
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 1,103 certified offers. The most common variant is Software Engineer at a median of $133,536.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Lowe's Companies, Inc. | 455 | $133,536 |
| Software Developer | RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC | 302 | $114,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer/Developer | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 76 | $116,709 |
| Senior Full Stack Engineer | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 48 | $125,119 |
| Data Engineer | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 47 | $124,084 |
| Director, Full Stack Engineering | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 44 | $161,741 |
| Assistant Vice President, Senior Engineer | DB Global Technology, Inc. | 26 | $150,000 |
| Engineer | Government Employee Insurance Company (GEICO) | 26 | $141,443 |
| Manager | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 22 | $154,669 |
| Staff Software Development Engineer | CVS Shared Services Resources LLC | 20 | $140,000 |
| Applications Consultant | Capgemini America Inc | 19 | $139,214 |
| DevOps Engineer | Charter Communications, Inc. | 18 | $125,445 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Software Developers in North Carolina, by industry
Median offered wage across 1,998 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $120,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology and software | RANDSTAD DIGITAL, LLC | 1,037 | $120,000 |
| Finance and insurance | Fidelity Technology Group, LLC d/b/a Fidelity Investments | 556 | $133,536 |
| Professional services | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 203 | $133,536 |
| Retail and wholesale | Lowe's Companies, Inc. | 111 | $133,536 |
| Manufacturing | Cisco Systems, Inc. | 74 | $137,000 |
| Transportation and logistics | Federal Express Corporation | 6 | $129,566 |
| Healthcare | NOVANT HEALTH | 6 | $143,697 |
| Education | North Carolina State University | 4 | $136,187 |
| Real estate | Millenium Auto Share LLC | 1 | $112,424 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in North Carolina over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
Common tasks (O*NET)
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+15.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Software Developers in North Carolina?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Software Developers in North Carolina is $134,710.
- How does North Carolina compare to the national median for Software Developers?
- The North Carolina median is -5.8% versus the BLS national figure of $142,947.
- What is the salary range for Software Developers in North Carolina?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $83,840 and the 90th-percentile at $179,310, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Software Developers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 15.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Software Developers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.