Principal Data Engineer H-1B salaries — 857 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 185
- Filings · FY2025
- $143k
- Median base · FY2025
- $129k–$169k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Fidelity Technology Group
- Top sponsor · 116 all-time
Principal Data Engineer: 857 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $143k across 185 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $129k and $169k. The biggest sponsors are Fidelity Technology Group, Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments, Dfs Corporate Services; most filings are in Durham, NC.
How much does a Principal Data 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. $143k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Data Engineer sponsorship changed?
4 certified filings in FY2016 → 163 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 163 | −12% | $152k |
| FY2025 | 185 | +43% | $143k |
| FY2024 | 129 | −8% | $141k |
| FY2023 | 140 | +43% | $133k |
| FY2022 | 98 | +85% | $134k |
| FY2021 | 53 | +51% | $144k |
| FY2020 | 35 | +17% | $135k |
| FY2019 | 30 | +200% | $130k |
| FY2018 | 10 | 0% | $135k |
| FY2017 | 10 | +150% | $137k |
| FY2016 | 4 | — | $130k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Data 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 | Fidelity Technology Group | 116 | $121k |
| 2 | Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments | 113 | $136k |
| 3 | Dfs Corporate Services | 47 | $122k |
| 4 | Optum Services | 21 | $123k |
| 5 | Walmart Associates | 14 | $168k |
| 6 | Citizens Financial Group | 12 | $151k |
| 7 | Nyse Market DE | 10 | $144k |
| 8 | Caremark | 10 | $196k |
| 9 | Continental Casualty | 9 | $169k |
| 10 | Svb Financial Group | 8 | $137k |
Where are H-1B Principal Data Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham, NC | 148 | $131k |
| 2 | Westlake, TX | 70 | $128k |
| 3 | Riverwoods, IL | 42 | $126k |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | 29 | $168k |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | 25 | $167k |
| 6 | New York, NY | 24 | $196k |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 18 | $138k |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | 14 | $144k |
| 9 | San Jose, CA | 14 | $208k |
| 10 | Austin, TX | 13 | $145k |
Common questions about Principal Data Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Data Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Data Engineer is $143k (FY2025), from 185 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $126k and $168k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Data Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Data Engineer are Fidelity Technology Group, Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments, Dfs Corporate Services.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Data Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Data Engineer roles are Durham, NC, Westlake, TX, Riverwoods, IL.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Data 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 →