Postdoctoral Research Fellow H-1B salaries — 2,746 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 308
- Filings · FY2025
- $64k
- Median base · FY2025
- $61k–$70k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- University of Michigan
- Top sponsor · 1,159 all-time
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2,746 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $64k across 308 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $61k and $70k. The biggest sponsors are University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; most filings are in Ann Arbor, MI.
How much does a Postdoctoral Research Fellow 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. $64k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Postdoctoral Research Fellow sponsorship changed?
236 certified filings in FY2016 → 255 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 255 | −17% | $66k |
| FY2025 | 308 | +4% | $64k |
| FY2024 | 295 | +8% | $62k |
| FY2023 | 273 | +35% | $58k |
| FY2022 | 202 | −8% | $55k |
| FY2021 | 220 | +6% | $55k |
| FY2020 | 208 | −34% | $53k |
| FY2019 | 316 | +32% | $52k |
| FY2018 | 239 | +23% | $50k |
| FY2017 | 194 | −18% | $49k |
| FY2016 | 236 | — | $48k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Postdoctoral Research Fellows?
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 Michigan | 1,159 | $56k |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University | 406 | $60k |
| 3 | University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | 135 | $54k |
| 4 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | 112 | $55k |
| 5 | The Johns Hopkins University | 98 | $54k |
| 6 | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 64 | $72k |
| 7 | Memorial Sloan-kettering Cancer Center | 63 | $52k |
| 8 | University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | 55 | $56k |
| 9 | Harvard University | 49 | $68k |
| 10 | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center | 40 | $50k |
Where are H-1B Postdoctoral Research Fellow jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor, MI | 1,133 | $56k |
| 2 | Baltimore, MD | 510 | $58k |
| 3 | Oklahoma City, OK | 134 | $54k |
| 4 | Houston, TX | 118 | $55k |
| 5 | Boston, MA | 108 | $65k |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | 102 | $65k |
| 7 | New York, NY | 70 | $52k |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | 55 | $56k |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | 37 | $64k |
| 10 | Fairfax, VA | 25 | $71k |
Common questions about Postdoctoral Research Fellow H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Postdoctoral Research Fellow is $64k (FY2025), from 308 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $52k and $63k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Postdoctoral Research Fellows?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Postdoctoral Research Fellow are University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
- Where are most H-1B Postdoctoral Research Fellow jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Postdoctoral Research Fellow roles are Ann Arbor, MI, Baltimore, MD, Oklahoma City, OK.
- Does a certified LCA mean Postdoctoral Research Fellow 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 →