H-1B Software Engineer Salary in California (2024)
Prevailing wages, top employers, and LCA data for H-1B software engineers in California.
Key Notes for California
LCA Density
California accounts for roughly 30% of all H-1B LCA filings for software engineers — the highest of any state by a wide margin.
Wage Floor
DOL Level I wage for SWE in San Jose MSA is approximately $106,000 — most H-1B positions are filed at Level III or IV.
Cost of Living
High CoL offsets headline wages. Effective purchasing power in SF/SJ is comparable to a $95K salary in Austin or $105K in Seattle.
Cap-Exempt Pathway
Several Bay Area universities and non-profits are cap-exempt sponsors — an alternative for those who miss the lottery.
Top H-1B Employers
- Apple
- Meta
- Netflix
- Salesforce
- Adobe
- Intuit
- Qualcomm
- Broadcom
Top Cities in California
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Mountain View
- Sunnyvale
- Menlo Park
- Cupertino
- Irvine
- San Diego
- Los Angeles
- Redwood City
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the prevailing wage for H-1B software engineers in California?
DOL prevailing wages for SWE (SOC 15-1252) in California range from ~$106K (Level I, San Jose) to ~$185K (Level IV). Most H-1B petitions are filed at Level III or IV, with median LCA wages around $148,000 in 2024.
Which California cities have the most H-1B software engineer jobs?
San Jose, San Francisco, and Mountain View lead in volume. The Santa Clara County cluster (Google, Apple, Meta HQs) alone accounts for ~40% of California SWE H-1B filings.
Can an H-1B software engineer work remotely from California for an out-of-state employer?
Yes, but the employer must file a new LCA for the California work location at California prevailing wages — which are typically higher than other states. Failure to file a location-specific LCA is a compliance violation.
Do California state income taxes significantly affect H-1B SWE take-home pay?
Yes. California's top marginal rate is 13.3% (plus 1% mental health surcharge above $1M). At $148K, effective state tax is roughly 8–9%, reducing take-home pay by ~$12K–14K/yr compared to Washington or Texas (no state income tax).
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