Forward Deployed Engineer H-1B salaries — 228 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 37
- Filings · FY2025
- $153k
- Median base · FY2025
- $135k–$180k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Palantir Technologies
- Top sponsor · 93 all-time
Forward Deployed Engineer: 228 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $153k across 37 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $135k and $180k. The biggest sponsors are Palantir Technologies, Salesforce, C3 AI; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Forward Deployed 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. $153k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Forward Deployed Engineer sponsorship changed?
11 certified filings in FY2016 → 123 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 123 | +232% | $160k |
| FY2025 | 37 | +429% | $153k |
| FY2024 | 7 | +600% | $140k |
| FY2023 | 1 | −86% | $145k |
| FY2022 | 7 | +75% | $145k |
| FY2021 | 4 | +33% | $125k |
| FY2020 | 3 | −75% | $145k |
| FY2019 | 12 | +33% | $130k |
| FY2018 | 9 | −36% | $147k |
| FY2017 | 14 | +27% | $108k |
| FY2016 | 11 | — | $115k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Forward Deployed 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 | Palantir Technologies | 93 | $145k |
| 2 | Salesforce | 14 | $163k |
| 3 | C3 AI | 10 | $134k |
| 4 | Northslope Technologies | 8 | $140k |
| 5 | Labelbox | 7 | $190k |
| 6 | Baseten Labs | 4 | $214k |
| 7 | Innovaccer | 4 | $145k |
| 8 | Qurrent | 4 | $160k |
| 9 | Cresta Intelligence | 4 | $190k |
| 10 | Element Analytics | 4 | $143k |
Where are H-1B Forward Deployed Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 105 | $145k |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 36 | $170k |
| 3 | Palo Alto, CA | 16 | $125k |
| 4 | Redwood City, CA | 8 | $125k |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | 7 | $180k |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | 5 | $140k |
| 7 | Houston, TX | 4 | $143k |
| 8 | Jersey City, NJ | 4 | $210k |
| 9 | Mountain View, CA | 3 | $185k |
| 10 | Brooklyn, NY | 3 | $200k |
Common questions about Forward Deployed Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Forward Deployed Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Forward Deployed Engineer is $153k (FY2025), from 37 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $135k and $175k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Forward Deployed Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Forward Deployed Engineer are Palantir Technologies, Salesforce, C3 AI.
- Where are most H-1B Forward Deployed Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Forward Deployed Engineer roles are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, Palo Alto, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Forward Deployed 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.
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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 →