Santa Clara, CA H-1B salaries — 62,369 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 7,198
- Filings · FY2025
- $173k
- Median base · FY2025
- $146k–$203k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Nvidia
- Top sponsor · 6,629 all-time
Employers in Santa Clara, CA have 62,369 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $173k across 7,198 filings, with the middle 50% between $146k and $203k. The biggest sponsors are Nvidia, Intel, Palo Alto Networks; the most-sponsored titles are Software Engineer, Component Design Engineer, Senior Software Engineer.
How much do H-1B workers in Santa Clara, 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. $173k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Santa Clara, CA changed?
4,523 certified filings in FY2016 → 6,145 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 6,145 | −15% | $178k |
| FY2025 | 7,198 | +11% | $173k |
| FY2024 | 6,514 | +25% | $162k |
| FY2023 | 5,225 | −13% | $152k |
| FY2022 | 6,018 | +12% | $148k |
| FY2021 | 5,383 | +2% | $139k |
| FY2020 | 5,254 | −9% | $130k |
| FY2019 | 5,797 | +5% | $120k |
| FY2018 | 5,525 | +15% | $115k |
| FY2017 | 4,787 | +6% | $109k |
| FY2016 | 4,523 | — | $100k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Santa Clara, 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 | Nvidia | 6,629 | $172k |
| 2 | Intel | 4,979 | $131k |
| 3 | Palo Alto Networks | 3,178 | $169k |
| 4 | Servicenow | 2,858 | $144k |
| 5 | Applied Materials | 2,234 | $140k |
| 6 | Marvell Semiconductor | 1,749 | $130k |
| 7 | Amazon.com Services | 1,642 | $178k |
| 8 | Qualcomm Technologies | 1,346 | $151k |
| 9 | Advanced Micro Devices | 1,323 | $155k |
| 10 | Arista Networks | 1,039 | $132k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Santa Clara, 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 | 5,389 | $136k |
| 2 | Component Design Engineer | 1,723 | $127k |
| 3 | Senior Software Engineer | 1,243 | $150k |
| 4 | Software Developer | 801 | $111k |
| 5 | Software Development Engineer II | 751 | $181k |
| 6 | Staff Software Engineer | 615 | $160k |
| 7 | Hardware Engineer, Electronics | 564 | $166k |
| 8 | Process Engineer | 554 | $130k |
| 9 | Principal Software Engineer | 441 | $184k |
| 10 | Member of Technical Staff | 434 | $160k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Santa Clara, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Santa Clara, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Santa Clara, CA is $173k (FY2025), from 7,198 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $112k and $172k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Santa Clara, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Santa Clara, CA are Nvidia, Intel, Palo Alto Networks.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Santa Clara, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Santa Clara, CA are Software Engineer, Component Design Engineer, 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 →