Lead Developer H-1B salaries — 1,818 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 138
- Filings · FY2025
- $142k
- Median base · FY2025
- $125k–$152k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Headstrong Services
- Top sponsor · 454 all-time
Lead Developer: 1,818 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $142k across 138 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $125k and $152k. The biggest sponsors are Headstrong Services, Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Epsilon Data Management; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Lead Developer 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. $142k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Lead Developer sponsorship changed?
218 certified filings in FY2016 → 54 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 54 | −61% | $144k |
| FY2025 | 138 | +13% | $142k |
| FY2024 | 122 | −1% | $127k |
| FY2023 | 123 | −20% | $137k |
| FY2022 | 154 | +17% | $125k |
| FY2021 | 132 | −10% | $118k |
| FY2020 | 147 | −34% | $114k |
| FY2019 | 224 | −15% | $105k |
| FY2018 | 262 | +7% | $105k |
| FY2017 | 244 | +12% | $88k |
| FY2016 | 218 | — | $90k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Lead Developers?
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 | Headstrong Services | 454 | $94k |
| 2 | Intercontinental Exchange Holdings | 64 | $137k |
| 3 | Epsilon Data Management | 59 | $132k |
| 4 | Transunion | 47 | $105k |
| 5 | Financial Industry Regulatory Authority | 43 | $157k |
| 6 | IBM | 33 | $90k |
| 7 | Nyse Market DE | 28 | $145k |
| 8 | Photon Infotech | 28 | $103k |
| 9 | IBM India Private | 27 | $78k |
| 10 | Office Depot | 23 | $97k |
Where are H-1B Lead Developer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 254 | $111k |
| 2 | Atlanta, GA | 89 | $127k |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | 81 | $103k |
| 4 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 51 | $87k |
| 5 | Irving, TX | 51 | $125k |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | 49 | $105k |
| 7 | Rockville, MD | 42 | $157k |
| 8 | Richardson, TX | 39 | $95k |
| 9 | Northbrook, IL | 37 | $98k |
| 10 | Boca Raton, FL | 32 | $96k |
Common questions about Lead Developer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Lead Developer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Lead Developer is $142k (FY2025), from 138 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $92k and $133k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Lead Developers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Lead Developer are Headstrong Services, Intercontinental Exchange Holdings, Epsilon Data Management.
- Where are most H-1B Lead Developer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Lead Developer roles are New York, NY, Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL.
- Does a certified LCA mean Lead Developer 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 →