H-1B Salary Intelligence: What Sponsored Roles Actually Pay in the United States
An analysis of median sponsored wages across employers, roles, and states, drawn from 3.6 million LCA filings between 2020 and 2026, showing how H-1B salaries have grown and where the highest-paying opportunities are concentrated.
Why Salary Data Matters for Sponsored Candidates
Every H-1B sponsorship involves a legally binding wage commitment. Employers who file a Labour Condition Application with the Department of Labor must attest that they will pay the sponsored worker at or above the prevailing wage for the role and location. This makes LCA wage data one of the most reliable salary benchmarks available for any job seeker, sponsored or otherwise.
Unlike self-reported salary surveys or anonymised job board estimates, LCA wages are filed under legal obligation. An employer who lists $140,000 on an LCA has committed to paying at least that amount. This gives international candidates a uniquely transparent window into what employers are actually willing to pay for sponsored roles.
The data below covers median sponsored wages by employer, role, and state, alongside the trajectory of overall H-1B wages from 2020 to 2026.
How H-1B Median Wages Have Changed: 2020 to 2026
The median sponsored wage across all H-1B filings has risen consistently over the study period, growing from $96,595 in 2020 to $126,300 in 2026. This represents a 30.8% increase over six years, significantly outpacing general wage inflation across the same period.
Year | Median Sponsored Wage | Annual Change |
2020 | $96,595 | Baseline |
2021 | $101,109 | 4.7% |
2022 | $108,000 | 6.8% |
2023 | $110,000 | 1.9% |
2024 | $113,381 | 3.1% |
2025 | $120,000 | 5.8% |
2026 | $126,300 | 5.2% |
Source: VisaViz analysis of DOL LCA median wages, FY2020-FY2026.
Highest-Paying Employers for H-1B Sponsored Roles
The table below ranks the top H-1B sponsors by median sponsored wage. This is a fundamentally different lens from filing volume. Several of the highest-paying employers are not the largest filers, which means candidates who focus exclusively on volume rankings may overlook some of the most lucrative sponsorship opportunities.
Employer | LCA Filings | Median Wage |
Meta | 37,591 | $190,000 |
Apple | 31,817 | $169,603 |
64,508 | $167,000 | |
Microsoft | 57,784 | $157,558 |
Amazon | 126,794 | $146,500 |
Jpmorgan Chase and | 21,565 | $143,000 |
Tesla | 11,820 | $142,371 |
Wal Mart Associates | 21,692 | $140,000 |
Cisco Systems | 10,199 | $135,000 |
Ernst and Young | 59,390 | $130,200 |
Qualcomm Technologies | 13,397 | $126,464 |
Deloitte Consulting | 29,528 | $123,500 |
Intel | 21,154 | $115,482 |
Mphasis | 9,788 | $110,000 |
Accenture | 23,911 | $109,500 |
Source: VisaViz analysis of DOL LCA disclosures, FY2020-FY2026. Employers shown meet the filing-volume threshold used in the article.
Key Observations on Employer Wages
Meta leads all employers on median sponsored wage at $190,000
Meta's median sponsored wage of $190,000 across 37,591 filings is the highest of any major employer in the dataset. This reflects both the seniority level at which Meta tends to hire internationally and the highly competitive compensation packages the company offers for engineering and technical roles.
The gap between highest and lowest-paying major sponsors is significant
The spread between Meta ($190,000) and Cognizant Technology Solutions ($94,411) among high-volume sponsors is $95,589. Two candidates both holding H-1B visas sponsored by major employers can be earning dramatically different wages depending on which company they joined. This reinforces the value of researching employer-level wage data rather than relying on sector or role averages alone.
Walmart and Tesla are outliers in their sectors
Walmart Associates ($140,000) and Tesla ($142,371) both pay median sponsored wages that significantly exceed what many candidates would expect from a retail company and an automotive manufacturer. Both are sponsoring primarily for technology, engineering, and data roles, which explains the premium compensation.
IT consulting firms cluster at the bottom of the wage table
Cognizant ($94,411), HCL America ($101,358), and Compunnel Software Group ($102,500) are among the lower-wage sponsors despite filing in significant volumes. Candidates considering these employers should weigh the accessibility of sponsorship against the compensation gap relative to direct technology employers.
Highest-Paying Roles for H-1B Sponsored Candidates
Median sponsored wages vary significantly by job title. The table below covers all 24 roles in the VisaViz dataset, ranked by median sponsored wage.
# | Job Title | Median Wage | LCA Filings |
1 | Physician | $183,101 | 71,609 |
2 | Engineering Manager | $165,000 | 22,021 |
3 | Machine Learning Engineer | $163,000 | 25,675 |
4 | Product Manager | $150,444 | 48,621 |
5 | Program Manager | $145,000 | 35,541 |
6 | Hardware Engineer | $144,747 | 22,881 |
7 | Data Scientist | $135,874 | 67,114 |
8 | Cybersecurity Analyst | $125,000 | 29,563 |
9 | Engineer | $119,778 | 30,261 |
10 | Data Engineer | $118,102 | 67,474 |
11 | Software Engineer | $115,003 | 1,130,882 |
Source: VisaViz analysis of DOL LCA disclosures by sponsored job title, FY2020-FY2026.
Median Sponsored Wages by State
Location has a direct and significant effect on H-1B sponsored wages. The table below shows median sponsored wages for every state and territory in the dataset, ranked from highest to lowest. These figures should be considered alongside cost of living differences when comparing opportunities across locations.
# | State | LCA Filings | Median Sponsored Wage |
1 | Washington | 216,367 | $143,700 |
2 | California | 690,727 | $143,336 |
3 | New York | 274,180 | $119,837 |
4 | West Virginia | 2,886 | $113,705 |
5 | Massachusetts | 135,327 | $109,990 |
6 | New Jersey | 188,844 | $108,529 |
7 | Delaware | 17,137 | $106,184 |
8 | North Carolina | 132,562 | $105,000 |
9 | Oregon | 30,000 | $104,913 |
10 | Virginia | 97,221 | $104,000 |
11 | Colorado | 38,452 | $103,412 |
12 | Texas | 487,487 | $103,106 |
13 | Washington DC | 17,923 | $102,000 |
14 | Georgia | 134,713 | $101,962 |
15 | Rhode Island | 10,369 | $100,006 |
16 | Arizona | 62,925 | $100,000 |
17 | Maryland | 48,692 | $100,000 |
18 | Idaho | 5,287 | $100,000 |
19 | New Hampshire | 9,464 | $99,944 |
20 | Nevada | 9,641 | $99,840 |
21 | Connecticut | 43,022 | $97,490 |
22 | Arkansas | 23,179 | $96,970 |
23 | Illinois | 161,309 | $96,054 |
24 | Minnesota | 45,472 | $95,888 |
25 | Pennsylvania | 105,085 | $95,705 |
26 | Florida | 109,979 | $95,000 |
27 | Michigan | 97,706 | $94,806 |
28 | Ohio | 78,212 | $93,000 |
29 | Maine | 2,901 | $92,102 |
30 | Utah | 20,136 | $91,517 |
31 | Tennessee | 40,525 | $91,000 |
32 | Missouri | 40,990 | $90,000 |
33 | Wisconsin | 28,968 | $90,000 |
34 | Nebraska | 11,131 | $90,000 |
35 | Hawaii | 1,891 | $89,274 |
36 | South Carolina | 19,060 | $88,695 |
37 | Kansas | 13,950 | $87,402 |
38 | Indiana | 35,395 | $87,296 |
39 | Alabama | 10,584 | $87,152 |
40 | Iowa | 15,403 | $86,840 |
41 | Kentucky | 15,798 | $86,400 |
42 | Vermont | 1,712 | $86,258 |
43 | Louisiana | 9,883 | $84,720 |
44 | Oklahoma | 8,920 | $82,677 |
45 | New Mexico | 6,934 | $82,181 |
46 | Wyoming | 1,032 | $81,432 |
47 | Mississippi | 4,805 | $79,120 |
48 | Alaska | 1,362 | $76,546 |
49 | Montana | 1,283 | $72,800 |
50 | South Dakota | 2,498 | $70,346 |
51 | North Dakota | 2,807 | $70,000 |
52 | Guam | 3,524 | $54,808 |
Source: VisaViz analysis of DOL LCA disclosures by worksite state, FY2020-FY2026.
Key State Wage Observations
Washington state and California both exceed $140,000 median sponsored wage, driven by the concentration of major technology company headquarters. West Virginia appears unusually high at $110,047 for a lower-filing state, reflecting a small number of high-wage specialist filings that pull up the median. Florida ($94,120) and Indiana ($85,446) represent the lower end of major market wages, while North Dakota ($69,254), South Dakota ($69,576), and Guam ($53,685) sit at the bottom of the table, driven by the specific role mix in those locations rather than a general market condition.
How to Use Salary Data in Your Job Search and Negotiations
Use LCA wages as a floor, not a ceiling
The median figures in this dataset represent what employers have committed to paying on legal filings.
Total compensation including equity, bonuses, and benefits will typically exceed the LCA base wage figure. Use the LCA wage as a floor when benchmarking an offer, not as the complete picture of compensation.
Cross-reference employer wage data before accepting an offer
If your prospective employer appears in the highest-paying employers table, you have a concrete benchmark for what that company typically pays. If the offer you have received is significantly below the employer's median sponsored wage for your role type, that is a reasonable basis for a compensation conversation.
Factor the state wage differential into relocation decisions
The gap between Washington state ($143,700) and Indiana ($85,446) represents over $55,000 in median sponsored wage. For candidates weighing multiple locations, this difference should be modelled against cost of living to determine real purchasing power, particularly for candidates earlier in their career where the compound effect of a higher starting wage is most significant.
The 30.8% wage growth since 2020 is a negotiating signal
Sponsored wages have grown significantly faster than general wage inflation since 2020. If you are negotiating a sponsored offer in 2025 or 2026, the upward trend in the data supports a case for compensation at or above the current year median rather than the historical average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are H-1B salaries higher than typical market salaries?
H-1B sponsored roles tend to cluster in specialty occupations that already command above-average wages, which is partly why the overall median of $110,000 across all filings exceeds the broader US median wage. However, the LCA wage reflects the minimum the employer has committed to paying, and total compensation packages for sponsored roles at major technology companies typically include equity and bonuses that can significantly exceed the base LCA figure.
Q: Can an employer pay me less than what they stated on the LCA?
No. The LCA wage is a legal commitment. An employer who pays a sponsored worker below the LCA wage is in violation of Department of Labor regulations and can face significant penalties. If you believe you are being paid below your LCA wage, you have the right to file a complaint with the DOL Wage and Hour Division.
Q: Why do IT consulting firms pay lower sponsored wages than technology companies?
IT consulting firms typically sponsor workers at wage Level I or Level II, reflecting entry-level to qualified positions. Large technology companies like Meta, Google, and Apple tend to sponsor at Level III and Level IV, reflecting experienced and senior roles. The wage level classification, combined with the geographic distribution of sponsored roles, drives the gap between the two employer types.
Q: How do I find the LCA wage for a specific role at a specific employer?
VisaViz allows you to search by employer and job title to see historical LCA wage data for specific role and employer combinations. This gives you a much more precise benchmark than category-level medians when preparing for a salary negotiation.
Q: Has the median H-1B wage increased in recent years?
Yes, consistently. The median sponsored wage has risen from $96,595 in 2020 to $126,300 in 2026, a 30.8% increase over six years. The 2026 partial year figure shows the year-on-year growth of 5.2%, suggesting continued upward momentum in sponsored compensation.
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