Atlanta is the Southeast's largest H1B tech market with 11,000 FY2024 filings. The median H1B SWE wage is $142,000 -- 18% above the national median. Georgia has a 5.49% flat income tax, and Atlanta's cost of living is 42% below San Francisco -- making it the highest purchasing-power major tech city in the US relative to wages.
| Role | Median |
|---|---|
| SWE L3 | $118,000 |
| Senior SWE L4 | $152,000 |
| Staff SWE L5 | $188,000 |
| ML Engineer L4 | $158,000 |
| SWE Manager | $178,000 |
Source: DOL LCA disclosures, FY2024.
| Employer | Median Wage |
|---|---|
| NCR Atleos | $138,000 |
| Cox Enterprises | $142,000 |
| Equifax | $148,000 |
| Microsoft Atlanta | $162,000 |
| Google Atlanta | $172,000 |
| Delta Technology | $132,000 |