Chief Engineer H-1B salaries — 113 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 11
- Filings · FY2025
- $160k
- Median base · FY2025
- $140k–$275k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Best Lighting Products
- Top sponsor · 4 all-time
Chief Engineer: 113 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $160k across 11 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $140k and $275k. The biggest sponsors are Best Lighting Products, Santa Cruz Gun Locks, Hisun Motors Corp U S A; most filings are in San Francisco, CA.
How much does a Chief Engineer make on an H-1B?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $160k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Chief Engineer sponsorship changed?
11 certified filings in FY2016 → 13 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 13 | +18% | $145k |
| FY2025 | 11 | −8% | $160k |
| FY2024 | 12 | +50% | $105k |
| FY2023 | 8 | +33% | $135k |
| FY2022 | 6 | −33% | $152k |
| FY2021 | 9 | +50% | $126k |
| FY2020 | 6 | −45% | $91k |
| FY2019 | 11 | 0% | $170k |
| FY2018 | 11 | −27% | $102k |
| FY2017 | 15 | +36% | $97k |
| FY2016 | 11 | — | $111k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Chief Engineers?
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 | Best Lighting Products | 4 | $141k |
| 2 | Santa Cruz Gun Locks | 4 | $58k |
| 3 | Hisun Motors Corp U S A | 4 | $65k |
| 4 | Vastek | 3 | $174k |
| 5 | VA Enterprises | 3 | $126k |
| 6 | Mcneilus Truck and Manufacturing | 3 | $137k |
| 7 | Lakhani Hospitality | 3 | $70k |
| 8 | American Sinopan | 2 | $84k |
| 9 | U.S. Bank National Association | 2 | $115k |
| 10 | Motus Labs | 2 | $170k |
Where are H-1B Chief Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | 4 | $175k |
| 2 | Webster, NH | 4 | $58k |
| 3 | Mckinney, TX | 4 | $65k |
| 4 | Troy, MI | 4 | $195k |
| 5 | Saipan, MP | 4 | $84k |
| 6 | Dodge Center, MN | 4 | $128k |
| 7 | Woburn, MA | 3 | $135k |
| 8 | San Diego, CA | 3 | $174k |
| 9 | Skokie, IL | 3 | $70k |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | 3 | $192k |
Common questions about Chief Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Chief Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Chief Engineer is $160k (FY2025), from 11 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $97k and $160k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Chief Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Chief Engineer are Best Lighting Products, Santa Cruz Gun Locks, Hisun Motors Corp U S A.
- Where are most H-1B Chief Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Chief Engineer roles are San Francisco, CA, Webster, NH, Mckinney, TX.
- Does a certified LCA mean Chief Engineer H-1B visas were 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 →