Santa Cruz, CA H-1B salaries — 1,077 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 127
- Filings · FY2025
- $146k
- Median base · FY2025
- $113k–$170k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- University of California Santa Cruz
- Top sponsor · 296 all-time
Employers in Santa Cruz, CA have 1,077 certified H-1B LCAs on record since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $146k across 127 filings, with the middle 50% between $113k and $170k. The biggest sponsors are University of California Santa Cruz, Joby Aero, Amazon.com Services; the most-sponsored titles are Assistant Professor, Software Development Engineer II, Postdoctoral Scholar.
How much do H-1B workers in Santa Cruz, 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. $146k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has H-1B hiring in Santa Cruz, CA changed?
52 certified filings in FY2016 → 101 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 101 | −20% | $159k |
| FY2025 | 127 | +3% | $146k |
| FY2024 | 123 | +23% | $146k |
| FY2023 | 100 | −18% | $134k |
| FY2022 | 122 | +31% | $121k |
| FY2021 | 93 | +6% | $110k |
| FY2020 | 88 | −21% | $109k |
| FY2019 | 111 | +14% | $102k |
| FY2018 | 97 | +54% | $93k |
| FY2017 | 63 | +21% | $98k |
| FY2016 | 52 | — | $85k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B workers in Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz | 296 | $92k |
| 2 | Joby Aero | 287 | $156k |
| 3 | Amazon.com Services | 155 | $160k |
| 4 | Plantronics | 39 | $98k |
| 5 | Amazon Corporate | 20 | $138k |
| 6 | Editorialist YX | 12 | $145k |
| 7 | Santa Cruz County Health Service Agency | 9 | $225k |
| 8 | Kindred Rehab Services | 8 | $87k |
| 9 | Duke Empirical | 7 | $75k |
| 10 | Cruz Foam | 6 | $150k |
What H-1B jobs get sponsored in Santa Cruz, 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 | 100 | $105k |
| 2 | Software Development Engineer II | 70 | $160k |
| 3 | Postdoctoral Scholar | 32 | $65k |
| 4 | Assistant Project Scientist | 31 | $77k |
| 5 | Software Development Engineer I | 27 | $135k |
| 6 | Software Engineer | 26 | $112k |
| 7 | Physical Therapist | 17 | $90k |
| 8 | Associate Project Scientist | 14 | $74k |
| 9 | Software Verification Engineer | 9 | $135k |
| 10 | Quality Assurance Engineer II | 9 | $160k |
Common questions about H-1B jobs in Santa Cruz, CA
- What is the median H-1B salary in Santa Cruz, CA?
- The median certified H-1B base salary in Santa Cruz, CA is $146k (FY2025), from 127 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $90k and $160k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B workers in Santa Cruz, CA?
- The top H-1B sponsors in Santa Cruz, CA are University of California Santa Cruz, Joby Aero, Amazon.com Services.
- What are the most common H-1B jobs in Santa Cruz, CA?
- The most-sponsored H-1B roles in Santa Cruz, CA are Assistant Professor, Software Development Engineer II, Postdoctoral Scholar.
- 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 →