Principal H-1B salaries — 930 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 149
- Filings · FY2025
- $250k
- Median base · FY2025
- $180k–$300k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- The Boston Consulting Group
- Top sponsor · 67 all-time
Principal: 930 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $250k across 149 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $180k and $300k. The biggest sponsors are The Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte Consulting LLP, A T Kearney; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Principal 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. $250k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal sponsorship changed?
39 certified filings in FY2016 → 130 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 130 | −13% | $230k |
| FY2025 | 149 | +43% | $250k |
| FY2024 | 104 | +14% | $253k |
| FY2023 | 91 | −10% | $249k |
| FY2022 | 101 | +68% | $225k |
| FY2021 | 60 | −13% | $225k |
| FY2020 | 69 | +13% | $215k |
| FY2019 | 61 | −9% | $189k |
| FY2018 | 67 | +14% | $165k |
| FY2017 | 59 | +51% | $210k |
| FY2016 | 39 | — | $170k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principals?
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 | The Boston Consulting Group | 67 | $225k |
| 2 | Deloitte Consulting LLP | 42 | $300k |
| 3 | A T Kearney | 40 | $240k |
| 4 | Boston Consulting Group | 39 | $253k |
| 5 | Kohlberg Kravis Roberts CO L P | 38 | $205k |
| 6 | Slalom | 34 | $169k |
| 7 | PwC US Consulting LLP | 31 | $529k |
| 8 | Oliver Wyman | 30 | $240k |
| 9 | Kkr Credit Advisors US | 24 | $205k |
| 10 | Apollo Management Holdings L P | 24 | $300k |
Where are H-1B Principal jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 301 | $230k |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | 66 | $215k |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | 59 | $240k |
| 4 | Menlo Park, CA | 39 | $230k |
| 5 | Boston, MA | 36 | $250k |
| 6 | Dallas, TX | 26 | $235k |
| 7 | Washington, DC | 22 | $230k |
| 8 | Palo Alto, CA | 19 | $182k |
| 9 | Houston, TX | 19 | $225k |
| 10 | San Jose, CA | 17 | $245k |
Common questions about Principal H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal is $250k (FY2025), from 149 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $166k and $255k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principals?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal are The Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte Consulting LLP, A T Kearney.
- Where are most H-1B Principal jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal roles are New York, NY, Chicago, IL, San Francisco, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal 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 →