Design Lead H-1B salaries — 212 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 57
- Filings · FY2025
- $99k
- Median base · FY2025
- $90k–$117k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- HCL America
- Top sponsor · 79 all-time
Design Lead: 212 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $99k across 57 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $90k and $117k. The biggest sponsors are HCL America, Manhattan Associates, Ideo; most filings are in San Francisco, CA.
How much does a Design Lead 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. $99k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Design Lead sponsorship changed?
21 certified filings in FY2016 → 18 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 18 | −68% | $98k |
| FY2025 | 57 | +58% | $99k |
| FY2024 | 36 | +71% | $95k |
| FY2023 | 21 | +133% | $118k |
| FY2022 | 9 | 0% | $106k |
| FY2021 | 9 | +29% | $127k |
| FY2020 | 7 | −42% | $118k |
| FY2019 | 12 | +9% | $101k |
| FY2018 | 11 | 0% | $104k |
| FY2017 | 11 | −48% | $90k |
| FY2016 | 21 | — | $100k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Design Leads?
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 | HCL America | 79 | $99k |
| 2 | Manhattan Associates | 17 | $111k |
| 3 | Ideo | 9 | $106k |
| 4 | Moonraft Innovation Labs | 9 | $70k |
| 5 | International Business Machines | 6 | $110k |
| 6 | Workandco International | 5 | $135k |
| 7 | Final Mile Consulting | 5 | $100k |
| 8 | Public Policy Lab | 4 | $94k |
| 9 | Chibydesign | 3 | $130k |
| 10 | Cyber-Dive | 2 | $74k |
Where are H-1B Design Lead jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | 18 | $140k |
| 2 | Santa Clara, CA | 17 | $141k |
| 3 | New York, NY | 14 | $110k |
| 4 | Atlanta, GA | 14 | $100k |
| 5 | Brooklyn, NY | 13 | $98k |
| 6 | Irvine, CA | 11 | $97k |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | 10 | $70k |
| 8 | Austin, TX | 8 | $103k |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | 7 | $105k |
| 10 | Round Lake, IL | 6 | $90k |
Common questions about Design Lead H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Design Lead?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Design Lead is $99k (FY2025), from 57 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $89k and $127k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Design Leads?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Design Lead are HCL America, Manhattan Associates, Ideo.
- Where are most H-1B Design Lead jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Design Lead roles are San Francisco, CA, Santa Clara, CA, New York, NY.
- Does a certified LCA mean Design Lead 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 →