Principal QA Engineer H-1B salaries — 231 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 29
- Filings · FY2025
- $132k
- Median base · FY2025
- $119k–$152k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Ruckus Wireless
- Top sponsor · 25 all-time
Principal QA Engineer: 231 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $132k across 29 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $119k and $152k. The biggest sponsors are Ruckus Wireless, Informatica, Adp Technology Services; most filings are in Sunnyvale, CA.
How much does a Principal QA 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. $132k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal QA Engineer sponsorship changed?
13 certified filings in FY2016 → 8 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 8 | −72% | $146k |
| FY2025 | 29 | +71% | $132k |
| FY2024 | 17 | +13% | $136k |
| FY2023 | 15 | −59% | $135k |
| FY2022 | 37 | +61% | $116k |
| FY2021 | 23 | +35% | $134k |
| FY2020 | 17 | −15% | $125k |
| FY2019 | 20 | −39% | $120k |
| FY2018 | 33 | +74% | $120k |
| FY2017 | 19 | +46% | $114k |
| FY2016 | 13 | — | $105k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal QA 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 | Ruckus Wireless | 25 | $124k |
| 2 | Informatica | 20 | $135k |
| 3 | Adp Technology Services | 19 | $118k |
| 4 | Fidelity Technology Group | 19 | $113k |
| 5 | Nisum Technologies | 13 | $108k |
| 6 | Palo Alto Networks | 9 | $164k |
| 7 | Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments | 9 | $119k |
| 8 | Arris Global Services | 7 | $114k |
| 9 | Upgrade | 6 | $148k |
| 10 | Rubicon Global Holdings | 5 | $120k |
Where are H-1B Principal QA Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale, CA | 25 | $127k |
| 2 | Durham, NC | 21 | $113k |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | 20 | $123k |
| 4 | Redwood City, CA | 18 | $136k |
| 5 | Santa Clara, CA | 12 | $149k |
| 6 | Westlake, TX | 10 | $120k |
| 7 | San Jose, CA | 9 | $161k |
| 8 | Alpharetta, GA | 9 | $118k |
| 9 | Washington, DC | 8 | $120k |
| 10 | Austin, TX | 7 | $124k |
Common questions about Principal QA Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal QA Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal QA Engineer is $132k (FY2025), from 29 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $113k and $145k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal QA Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal QA Engineer are Ruckus Wireless, Informatica, Adp Technology Services.
- Where are most H-1B Principal QA Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal QA Engineer roles are Sunnyvale, CA, Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal QA 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.
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 →