Santa Barbara, CA H-1B salaries — 1,584 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 124
- Filings · FY2025
- $106k
- Median base · FY2025
- $77k–$140k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- University of California at Santa Barbara
- Top sponsor · 729 all-time
Employers in Santa Barbara, CA have 1,584 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $106k across 124 filings, with the middle 50% between $77k and $140k. The biggest sponsors are University of California at Santa Barbara, Amazon.com Services, Sonos; the most-sponsored titles are Assistant Professor, Postdoctoral Scholar, Postdoctoral Scholar- Employee.
How much do H-1B workers in Santa Barbara, 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. $106k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Santa Barbara, CA changed?
148 certified filings in FY2016 → 103 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 103 | −17% | $101k |
| FY2025 | 124 | +9% | $106k |
| FY2024 | 114 | −20% | $96k |
| FY2023 | 143 | −13% | $88k |
| FY2022 | 165 | +7% | $85k |
| FY2021 | 154 | −6% | $79k |
| FY2020 | 164 | −6% | $82k |
| FY2019 | 174 | +17% | $88k |
| FY2018 | 149 | +2% | $85k |
| FY2017 | 146 | −1% | $70k |
| FY2016 | 148 | — | $72k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Santa Barbara, 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 | University of California at Santa Barbara | 729 | $73k |
| 2 | Amazon.com Services | 111 | $112k |
| 3 | Sonos | 52 | $100k |
| 4 | Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital | 32 | $119k |
| 5 | Green Hills Software | 21 | $120k |
| 6 | Impact Tech | 21 | $125k |
| 7 | Bright Market | 17 | $106k |
| 8 | Bruker Nano | 16 | $107k |
| 9 | A2z Development Center | 15 | $105k |
| 10 | Mayachitra | 14 | $112k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Santa Barbara, 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 | Assistant Professor | 132 | $109k |
| 2 | Postdoctoral Scholar | 116 | $69k |
| 3 | Postdoctoral Scholar- Employee | 94 | $64k |
| 4 | Lecturer | 55 | $71k |
| 5 | Assistant Project Scientist | 48 | $65k |
| 6 | Software Engineer | 47 | $100k |
| 7 | Project Scientist | 44 | $77k |
| 8 | Postdoctoral Scholar-Employee | 32 | $54k |
| 9 | Associate Specialist | 29 | $70k |
| 10 | Postdoctoral Scholar - Employee | 22 | $47k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Santa Barbara, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Santa Barbara, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Santa Barbara, CA is $106k (FY2025), from 124 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $67k and $117k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Santa Barbara, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Santa Barbara, CA are University of California at Santa Barbara, Amazon.com Services, Sonos.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Santa Barbara, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Santa Barbara, CA are Assistant Professor, Postdoctoral Scholar, Postdoctoral Scholar- Employee.
- 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 →