Palo Alto, CA H-1B salaries — 35,542 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 3,131
- Filings · FY2025
- $180k
- Median base · FY2025
- $150k–$215k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Vmware
- Top sponsor · 5,512 all-time
Employers in Palo Alto, CA have 35,542 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $180k across 3,131 filings, with the middle 50% between $150k and $215k. The biggest sponsors are Vmware, Tesla, Amazon.com Services; the most-sponsored titles are Software Engineer, Member of Technical Staff, Senior Software Engineer.
How much do H-1B workers in Palo Alto, CA make?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $180k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Palo Alto, CA changed?
3,065 certified filings in FY2016 → 2,627 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 2,627 | −16% | $187k |
| FY2025 | 3,131 | +18% | $180k |
| FY2024 | 2,648 | +1% | $175k |
| FY2023 | 2,631 | −20% | $170k |
| FY2022 | 3,308 | +8% | $160k |
| FY2021 | 3,069 | −10% | $150k |
| FY2020 | 3,415 | −15% | $146k |
| FY2019 | 4,014 | +3% | $135k |
| FY2018 | 3,883 | +4% | $125k |
| FY2017 | 3,751 | +22% | $120k |
| FY2016 | 3,065 | — | $113k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Palo Alto, CA?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vmware | 5,512 | $155k |
| 2 | Tesla | 3,196 | $152k |
| 3 | Amazon.com Services | 1,509 | $179k |
| 4 | SAP Labs | 1,311 | $129k |
| 5 | Rivian Automotive | 787 | $180k |
| 6 | Ariba | 723 | $137k |
| 7 | Rubrik | 616 | $171k |
| 8 | JPMorgan Chase | 574 | $185k |
| 9 | A9 Com | 509 | $154k |
| 10 | Uber Technologies | 485 | $145k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Palo Alto, CA?
The most-filed job titles on certified LCAs in this city, all years (DOL titles, pay-grade codes stripped).
| # | Job title | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Software Engineer | 2,440 | $137k |
| 2 | Member of Technical Staff | 1,881 | $135k |
| 3 | Senior Software Engineer | 944 | $167k |
| 4 | Software Development Engineer II | 627 | $173k |
| 5 | Developer | 591 | $114k |
| 6 | Staff Engineer | 558 | $195k |
| 7 | Senior Member of Technical Staff | 544 | $174k |
| 8 | Senior Developer | 440 | $145k |
| 9 | Member of Technical Staff - Software Engineering | 366 | $120k |
| 10 | Data Scientist | 311 | $122k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Palo Alto, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Palo Alto, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Palo Alto, CA is $180k (FY2025), from 3,131 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $120k and $180k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Palo Alto, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Palo Alto, CA are Vmware, Tesla, Amazon.com Services.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Palo Alto, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Palo Alto, CA are Software Engineer, Member of Technical Staff, Senior Software Engineer.
- Does a certified LCA mean an H-1B visa was approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →