Principal Engineer, Software Engineering H-1B salaries — 172 certified filings (FY2020–FY2026)
- 47
- Filings · FY2025
- $129k
- Median base · FY2025
- $126k–$133k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Rockwell Collins
- Top sponsor · 137 all-time
Principal Engineer, Software Engineering: 172 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2020. In FY2025 the median base salary was $129k across 47 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $126k and $133k. The biggest sponsors are Rockwell Collins, Hamilton Sundstrand, Arinc; most filings are in Cedar Rapids, IA.
How much does a Principal Engineer, Software Engineering 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. $129k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Engineer, Software Engineering sponsorship changed?
2 certified filings in FY2020 → 43 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 43 | −9% | $133k |
| FY2025 | 47 | +74% | $129k |
| FY2024 | 27 | −10% | $121k |
| FY2023 | 30 | +58% | $121k |
| FY2022 | 19 | +375% | $126k |
| FY2021 | 4 | +100% | $110k |
| FY2020 | 2 | — | $136k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Engineer, Software Engineerings?
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 | Rockwell Collins | 137 | $126k |
| 2 | Hamilton Sundstrand | 14 | $133k |
| 3 | Arinc | 10 | $128k |
| 4 | Nlx Holding | 2 | $112k |
| 5 | Stryker | 1 | $155k |
| 6 | Green Dot | 1 | $136k |
| 7 | Otis Elevator | 1 | $117k |
| 8 | Goodrich | 1 | $163k |
| 9 | Prog Leasing | 1 | $214k |
| 10 | Saviynt | 1 | $226k |
Where are H-1B Principal Engineer, Software Engineering jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 87 | $126k |
| 2 | Melbourne, FL | 35 | $129k |
| 3 | Rockford, IL | 13 | $133k |
| 4 | Annapolis, MD | 5 | $122k |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, UT | 4 | $111k |
| 6 | Wilsonville, OR | 3 | $135k |
| 7 | Morrisville, NC | 2 | $109k |
| 8 | Draper, UT | 2 | $111k |
| 9 | Oviedo, FL | 2 | $138k |
| 10 | Chandler, AZ | 2 | $116k |
Common questions about Principal Engineer, Software Engineering H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Engineer, Software Engineering?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Engineer, Software Engineering is $129k (FY2025), from 47 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $121k and $133k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Engineer, Software Engineerings?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Engineer, Software Engineering are Rockwell Collins, Hamilton Sundstrand, Arinc.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Engineer, Software Engineering jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Engineer, Software Engineering roles are Cedar Rapids, IA, Melbourne, FL, Rockford, IL.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Engineer, Software Engineering 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 (FY2020–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →