Table of Contents
- 1. H1B Software Engineer Salary Overview
- 2. H1B Software Engineer Salary by State
- 3. H1B Software Engineer Salary by City
- 4. DOL Wage Levels and Lottery Odds
- 5. Which Companies Pay the Most?
- 6. Salary Trend FY2020–FY2024
- 7. Consulting vs Product Companies
- 8. How to Negotiate Your H1B Salary
- 9. Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Average H1B Software Engineer Salary?
The average H1B software engineer salary is $148,000/year, based on 963,000 certified Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) filed by H-1B sponsors from FY2020 through FY2024. The median — a better measure than average since it isn't skewed by outliers — sits at $135,000.
To put that in perspective: the median H1B software engineer earns more than 94% of all US workers. And with the wage-weighted H1B lottery now in effect, the salary level your employer files at directly determines your lottery selection probability.
H1B Software Engineer Salary Percentiles (FY2024 LCA Data)
| Percentile | DOL Level | Annual Salary | H1B Lottery Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (Bottom) | Level I | $92,000 | ~15% |
| 25th | Level I–II | $115,000 | ~22% |
| 50th (Median) | Level III | $135,000 | ~45% |
| 75th | Level III–IV | $178,000 | ~52% |
| 90th (Top) | Level IV | $215,000 | ~61% |
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure Data FY2020–FY2024, H1BVisaJobs.com analysis. Lottery odds based on USCIS wage-weighted selection (effective FY2027 cap season).
One critical insight from the data: the jump from 50th to 75th percentile is $43,000 per year — and it translates to roughly a 7-percentage-point improvement in your H1B lottery selection odds. The financial case for targeting a Level IV employer has never been stronger.
Which State Pays the Highest H1B Software Engineer Salary?
Washington state leads with an average H1B software engineer salary of $182,000 — 23% above the national average — driven almost entirely by Amazon and Microsoft headquarters filings in Bellevue and Redmond. California follows at $175,000, with its massive concentration of Big Tech companies in the Bay Area.
Texas and Illinois file large volumes but pay below the national average — reflecting a higher share of IT consulting firms that file at Level I–II wages. If you're comparing two offers, the state isn't just a cost-of-living question; it's a proxy for what type of employer is sponsoring you.
H1B Software Engineer Average Salary by State (LCA Data, 963,000 Filings)
Indigo = above national average. Grey = below. % vs national avg of $148,000. Source: DOL LCA Disclosure FY2020–FY2024.
| State | Avg Wage | Median | LCA Filings | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (WA) | $182,000 | $170,000 | 38,400 | +23% |
| California (CA) | $175,000 | $162,000 | 94,200 | +18% |
| New York (NY) | $168,000 | $155,000 | 42,100 | +14% |
| Massachusetts (MA) | $170,000 | $158,000 | 28,500 | +15% |
| New Jersey (NJ) | $158,000 | $148,000 | 31,200 | +7% |
| Virginia (VA) | $155,000 | $145,000 | 26,800 | +5% |
| Texas (TX) | $145,000 | $135,000 | 58,600 | -2% |
| Illinois (IL) | $140,000 | $130,000 | 24,300 | -5% |
| North Carolina (NC) | $138,000 | $128,000 | 18,900 | -7% |
| Georgia (GA) | $135,000 | $125,000 | 17,400 | -9% |
| Florida (FL) | $130,000 | $122,000 | 15,200 | -12% |
| Colorado (CO) | $148,000 | $138,000 | 12,800 | +0% |
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure Data FY2020–FY2024. Only states with 10,000+ certified filings shown.
The data reveals a clear coastal premium. The four highest-paying states (WA, MA, CA, NY) are all coastal tech hubs. Even controlling for cost of living, the nominal wage advantage in these states is significant enough to push LCA filings into higher prevailing wage levels — improving lottery odds alongside absolute compensation.
H1B Software Engineer Salary by City — Where Do the Numbers Stack Up
City-level LCA data shows even sharper disparities than state averages. San Francisco leads all metros at $198,000, nearly $50,000 above the national median. This is primarily driven by FAANG and late-stage startup filings — companies that almost exclusively file at Level III and Level IV.
H1B Software Engineer Salary by Major City
| Metro Area | Avg H1B Wage | Median |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $198,000 | $182,000 |
| Seattle, WA | $192,000 | $178,000 |
| New York, NY | $178,000 | $164,000 |
| Boston, MA | $175,000 | $162,000 |
| Austin, TX | $158,000 | $148,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $145,000 | $136,000 |
| Raleigh, NC | $142,000 | $133,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $138,000 | $130,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $140,000 | $132,000 |
| Denver, CO | $152,000 | $143,000 |
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure Data, certified H-1B cases FY2020–FY2024, worksite city field.
Austin stands out as a high-growth market. Texas has no state income tax, and Austin's average of $158,000 beats Illinois and Georgia — reflecting the post-2020 migration of tech companies (Tesla, Oracle, Apple's second campus). For H1B applicants comparing offers, the after-tax differential between Austin and San Francisco is significantly narrower than the nominal gap.
To explore live city-level LCA data for your specific role and location, use the interactive H1B software engineer salary tool →
How Do DOL Wage Levels Affect H1B Lottery Odds for Software Engineers?
The Department of Labor assigns four prevailing wage levels to every H-1B LCA, based on the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey for that job title and geographic area. Your wage level directly determines your H1B lottery selection probability under the wage-weighted system effective for the FY2027 cap season.
Our analysis of 963,000 software engineer LCA filings shows that 70% are filed at Level III or above — making software engineering one of the strongest H1B occupations for lottery success. Here's the breakdown:
H1B Software Engineer PW Level Distribution (963,000 filings)
Level I
8%
15% lottery
Level II
22%
28% lottery
Level III
38%
45% lottery
Level IV
32%
61% lottery
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure FY2020–FY2024. Lottery odds from USCIS wage-weighted selection framework.
The 32% at Level IV is the key number. These are petitions from companies like Meta, Google, and Apple paying $178,000+. With a 61% selection rate, a Level IV software engineer petition is nearly four times more likely to clear the lottery than a Level I filing. This is why your choice of employer matters as much as your technical skills for immigration outcomes.
Practically speaking: if you have competing offers from a consulting firm at $100K (Level II) and a product company at $160K (Level III), the product company offer isn't just better compensation — it's roughly a 17-percentage-point improvement in your lottery odds. That's the "hidden salary" most H1B applicants overlook.
Which Companies Pay the Most for H1B Software Engineers?
Meta pays the highest average H1B software engineer salary at $228,000, followed by Google at $212,000. But these companies file a fraction of the total petitions. The sheer volume comes from IT consulting firms — Infosys, TCS, and Cognizant together account for over 80,000 filings, all at average wages between $88K and $95K.
This creates a tale of two H1B markets: the product-company tier (Big Tech + high-growth startups) with Level III–IV wages and strong lottery odds, and the consulting tier with Level I–II wages, much lower lottery odds, and frequent third-party placement arrangements that introduce additional legal complexity.
Top H1B Software Engineer Employers — Salary vs. Volume (LCA Data)
| Employer | Avg H1B Wage | Total Filings | % at Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $175,000 | 45,200 | 42% |
| Infosys | $95,000 | 38,600 | 8% |
| Microsoft | $185,000 | 22,400 | 48% |
| TCS | $90,000 | 21,800 | 6% |
| Cognizant | $92,000 | 20,500 | 7% |
| $212,000 | 18,200 | 61% | |
| Wipro | $88,000 | 14,300 | 5% |
| IBM | $115,000 | 13,800 | 22% |
| Meta | $228,000 | 8,100 | 68% |
| Apple | $198,000 | 6,500 | 55% |
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure FY2020–FY2024. Green = average above national average. Employers with 5,000+ certified SWE filings shown.
One nuance worth noting: IT consulting firms like Infosys and TCS have high filing volumes partly because they serve as H1B vehicles for client-site placements. The actual day-to-day work happens at client companies, but the prevailing wage is set by the consulting firm's LCA — which is typically filed at a lower level than the end-client would pay directly.
For H1B strategy, use the H1B employer database to filter by approval rate, average wage, and wage level distribution before deciding where to apply.
How Has H1B Software Engineer Salary Trended Over Five Years?
H1B software engineer wages have grown at a compound annual rate of 3.9% from FY2020 to FY2024 — meaningfully above general US wage inflation (3.1% CAGR over the same period). The acceleration post-FY2021 reflects two forces: the remote-work era premium for tech talent, and a structural shift in which employers are filing — as more Big Tech companies increased headcount after the pandemic, the overall average was pulled upward.
H1B Software Engineer Avg Salary Trend — FY2020 to FY2024
| Fiscal Year | Avg Wage | YoY Change | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $128,000 | — | 148,000 |
| FY2021 | $134,000 | +5% | 165,000 |
| FY2022 | $142,000 | +6% | 192,000 |
| FY2023 | $149,000 | +5% | 218,000 |
| FY2024 | $155,000 | +4% | 241,000 |
Source: DOL LCA Disclosure Data. Filings = certified H-1B LCAs with "software engineer" or closely related titles. CAGR FY2020–FY2024: 3.9%.
The FY2025 data (currently being collected) is expected to show a slight moderation in average wage growth due to Big Tech layoffs in late 2023–2024, while simultaneously showing a higher share of Level III–IV filings as companies become more selective about which H1B petitions to pursue.
Consulting vs. Product Company H1B — What Does the LCA Data Actually Show
The single most impactful H1B salary decision you'll make is whether to work at a product company (tech company where engineering is the core product) or an IT consulting/staffing firm. The LCA data makes this stark:
Product / FAANG
Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft
IT Consulting / Staffing
Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant
Beyond salary and lottery odds, there's a third dimension the data highlights: career trajectory. Product company H1B filings overwhelmingly list roles like "Software Engineer III" and "Senior Software Engineer" — positions that build specialized, promotable skills. Consulting filings more often list generic titles like "Programmer Analyst" or "IT Analyst," which can make it harder to demonstrate progressive responsibility when applying for PERM/green card.
This doesn't mean consulting jobs are unviable paths — for cap-exempt employers or international transfers, they can work well. But if you're entering the H1B lottery, the data is clear: the employer you choose determines your odds as much as your skills.
How Do You Negotiate Your H1B Software Engineer Salary?
H1B visa holders can absolutely negotiate salary — and the LCA data gives you more negotiating ammunition than most candidates realize. When an employer files an LCA, they declare a specific prevailing wage level and a salary that must meet or exceed it. Here's how to use this information:
Know the prevailing wage for your role and location
The DOL's iCERT database (and our LCA tool) shows exactly what prevailing wage Level I–IV means for "Software Engineer" in your metro. If an employer offers $120K for a San Francisco SE role, that's Level II prevailing wage — you can point to the data showing the median is $162K in that market.
Request Level III minimum
Negotiate for at least Level III prevailing wage. This isn't just about money — it's about lottery odds. A Level III filing at $135K gives you roughly 45% lottery selection odds vs 22% at Level II. Framing the ask in terms of your immigration strategy is legitimate and understood by most H1B-experienced HR teams.
Cite competitor LCA data specifically
"Microsoft's median H1B software engineer salary in Seattle is $185K" is a verifiable, concrete data point from DOL filings. Saying "market rate" is vague. Citing exact LCA data is specific and demonstrates you know the landscape.
Total compensation, not just base
H1B prevailing wage calculations use base salary only — not bonuses, equity, or benefits. But your total compensation matters enormously. Amazon's average H1B SWE base of $175K comes with RSUs that typically add another $80K–$150K/year at current valuations.
One common misconception: employers sometimes tell H1B candidates that salary is "fixed" due to the LCA. This is misleading. The LCA sets a floor (the prevailing wage), not a ceiling. You can always negotiate above it, and an employer can amend the LCA if they increase your salary after hire.
H1B Software Engineer Salary — Frequently Asked Questions
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Sumit Patel
SMIEEE · FBCS · FIETE | 16+ years data engineering | 30+ peer-reviewed papers
Sumit built H1BVisaJobs.com's LCA data pipeline, processing 10GB+ of DOL disclosure records to surface actionable wage intelligence for H1B applicants. This analysis is based on every certified H-1B LCA filed with the Department of Labor from FY2020 through FY2024.