Key Healthcare H1B Advantage: Cap Exemption
Non-profit hospitals, academic medical centers, teaching hospitals, and government health agencies are H1B cap-exempt, they can file petitions year-round with no lottery. This is a structural advantage tech workers don't have. If you work in healthcare, your first question when evaluating employers should be: "Are you H1B cap-exempt?"
H1B Salary by Healthcare Role (DOL LCA Data)
All wages below are derived from DOL LCA certified filings, the legally binding wage disclosures employers must submit for every H1B petition. These represent the minimum wage the employer must pay; actual compensation is often higher, particularly for hospitalists and specialists who receive productivity bonuses.
| Healthcare Role | Avg H1B Wage | PW Level | Filings/yr | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physician, Radiologist | $425,000+ | Level IV (96%) | ~4,800/yr | Teleradiology premium; shortage specialty |
| Physician, Anesthesiologist | $385,000 | Level IV (94%) | ~3,200/yr | CRNA competition drives demand |
| Physician, Cardiologist | $355,000 | Level IV (91%) | ~2,800/yr | Interventional > non-invasive |
| Physician, Hospitalist | $265,000 | Level III–IV (88%) | ~8,400/yr | Highest H1B filing volume specialty |
| Physician, Internal Medicine | $235,000 | Level III–IV (86%) | ~6,200/yr | Teaching hospitals pay premium |
| Physician, Family Medicine | $218,000 | Level III–IV (84%) | ~4,600/yr | Rural bonus programs available |
| Pharmacist | $141,000 | Level III–IV (78%) | ~8,000/yr | Hospital > retail by ~$10K |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | $92,000 | Level III–IV (82%) | ~13,000/yr | Travel nurses command $40–60/hr |
| Physical Therapist | $88,000 | Level II–III (72%) | ~5,500/yr | Pediatric PT commands premium |
| Occupational Therapist | $82,000 | Level II–III (68%) | ~2,200/yr | Hand therapy specialist premium |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $78,000 | Level II–III (62%) | ~1,800/yr | School vs hospital gap |
| Dentist | $188,000 | Level III–IV (74%) | ~3,800/yr | Oral surgeons earn more |
Source: DOL LCA FY2020–FY2024 certified cases · Productivity bonuses, RVU incentives not included
Top Healthcare H1B Sponsors by Filing Volume
Hospital systems and health networks dominate healthcare H1B sponsorship. The employers below consistently appear in the top 50 overall H1B sponsors across all industries. Many are non-profit and thus cap-exempt.
| # | Health System | LCA Filings | Avg Wage | Primary Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HCA Healthcare | 4,200 | $262,000 | Multi-specialty physicians |
| 2 | Envision Healthcare | 3,800 | $315,000 | Hospitalists, Emergency Medicine |
| 3 | CommonSpirit Health | 2,900 | $248,000 | Multi-specialty |
| 4 | Kaiser Permanente | 2,600 | $282,000 | Integrated care, multi-specialty |
| 5 | CVS Health | 2,100 | $138,000 | Pharmacists |
| 6 | Walgreens | 1,900 | $135,000 | Pharmacists |
| 7 | Ascension Health | 1,800 | $238,000 | Physicians, nurses |
| 8 | Mayo Clinic | 1,200 | $298,000 | Academic medicine, specialists |
| 9 | Cleveland Clinic | 1,100 | $285,000 | Specialists, research medicine |
| 10 | Johns Hopkins | 950 | $295,000 | Academic physicians, researchers |
H1B Healthcare Salary by State
California consistently tops H1B wage certifications for healthcare, driven by the state's high DOL prevailing wage floor and Magnet-designation hospital concentration. New York and Massachusetts follow closely for academic medicine roles.
| State | Avg Physician Wage | Avg RN Wage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $295,000 | $112,000 | Highest RN wages in the US |
| New York | $278,000 | $98,000 | High cost of living premium |
| Massachusetts | $285,000 | $95,000 | Academic medicine concentration |
| Texas | $252,000 | $82,000 | No state income tax advantage |
| Florida | $242,000 | $78,000 | Retirement community demand |
| Illinois | $258,000 | $86,000 | Chicago hospital system concentration |
Cap-Exempt Healthcare Employers: Who Qualifies
H1B cap exemption is the single biggest structural advantage healthcare workers have over tech workers in the immigration system. Here's which employer types qualify and why it matters.
Examples: Most academic medical centers, community hospitals
Benefit: Year-round filing, no lottery, no quota
Examples: VA hospitals, Indian Health Service, CDC, NIH
Benefit: Year-round filing, strong job security
Examples: University-affiliated research hospitals
Benefit: Cap-exempt + EB1-B/NIW green card support
Examples: University hospitals with residency programs
Benefit: Cap-exempt + EB1-B if role involves teaching
Frequently Asked Questions
Find Cap-Exempt Healthcare H1B Employers
Search our database of hospitals, health systems, and clinics, filter by specialty, state, and wage level to find the best cap-exempt sponsor for your role.