San Diego, CA H-1B salaries — 45,806 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 4,806
- Filings · FY2025
- $130k
- Median base · FY2025
- $115k–$159k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Qualcomm Technologies
- Top sponsor · 10,125 all-time
Employers in San Diego, CA have 45,806 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $130k across 4,806 filings, with the middle 50% between $115k and $159k. The biggest sponsors are Qualcomm Technologies, Apple, Amazon.com Services; the most-sponsored titles are Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer, Staff Software Engineer.
How much do H-1B workers in San Diego, 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. $130k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in San Diego, CA changed?
3,707 certified filings in FY2016 → 2,925 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 2,925 | −39% | $140k |
| FY2025 | 4,806 | +10% | $130k |
| FY2024 | 4,350 | −15% | $123k |
| FY2023 | 5,146 | −6% | $120k |
| FY2022 | 5,501 | +25% | $119k |
| FY2021 | 4,401 | +19% | $113k |
| FY2020 | 3,696 | −3% | $109k |
| FY2019 | 3,826 | −3% | $97k |
| FY2018 | 3,931 | +12% | $91k |
| FY2017 | 3,517 | −5% | $85k |
| FY2016 | 3,707 | — | $87k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in San Diego, 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 | Qualcomm Technologies | 10,125 | $120k |
| 2 | Apple | 1,903 | $156k |
| 3 | Amazon.com Services | 1,026 | $145k |
| 4 | Illumina | 877 | $105k |
| 5 | Intuit | 831 | $130k |
| 6 | Qualcomm Innovation Center | 789 | $119k |
| 7 | Servicenow | 781 | $112k |
| 8 | Qualcomm | 739 | $106k |
| 9 | Asml US | 643 | $113k |
| 10 | Tata Consultancy Services | 582 | $73k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in San Diego, 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 | 2,120 | $101k |
| 2 | Senior Software Engineer | 1,328 | $114k |
| 3 | Staff Software Engineer | 753 | $130k |
| 4 | Software Developer | 741 | $97k |
| 5 | Programmer Analyst | 372 | $68k |
| 6 | Senior Asics Engineer | 364 | $109k |
| 7 | Asics Engineer | 324 | $105k |
| 8 | Staff Asics Engineer | 275 | $130k |
| 9 | Senior Hardware Engineer | 274 | $105k |
| 10 | Systems Test Engineer | 269 | $97k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in San Diego, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in San Diego, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in San Diego, CA is $130k (FY2025), from 4,806 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $90k and $136k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in San Diego, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in San Diego, CA are Qualcomm Technologies, Apple, Amazon.com Services.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in San Diego, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in San Diego, CA are Software Engineer, Senior Software Engineer, Staff 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.
Keep exploring
Calculate your H-1B lottery odds →orCheck out the insights →
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 →