Principal Software Development Engineer H-1B salaries — 883 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 152
- Filings · FY2025
- $200k
- Median base · FY2025
- $190k–$226k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Amazon.com Services
- Top sponsor · 367 all-time
Principal Software Development Engineer: 883 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $200k across 152 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $190k and $226k. The biggest sponsors are Amazon.com Services, Amazon Development Center U.S., Fortinet; most filings are in Seattle, WA.
How much does a Principal Software Development 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. $200k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Software Development Engineer sponsorship changed?
15 certified filings in FY2016 → 129 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 129 | −15% | $212k |
| FY2025 | 152 | +13% | $200k |
| FY2024 | 135 | −1% | $235k |
| FY2023 | 137 | +37% | $209k |
| FY2022 | 100 | +27% | $171k |
| FY2021 | 79 | +25% | $166k |
| FY2020 | 63 | +57% | $160k |
| FY2019 | 40 | +100% | $160k |
| FY2018 | 20 | +54% | $152k |
| FY2017 | 13 | −13% | $144k |
| FY2016 | 15 | — | $140k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Software Development 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 | Amazon.com Services | 367 | $212k |
| 2 | Amazon Development Center U.S. | 57 | $224k |
| 3 | Fortinet | 50 | $181k |
| 4 | Amazon Web Services | 39 | $190k |
| 5 | Expedia | 37 | $165k |
| 6 | Microsoft | 32 | $204k |
| 7 | Zscaler | 26 | $239k |
| 8 | Mastercard International | 22 | $127k |
| 9 | Workday | 18 | $165k |
| 10 | Nationstar Mortgage | 17 | $127k |
Where are H-1B Principal Software Development Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | 321 | $190k |
| 2 | Sunnyvale, CA | 100 | $185k |
| 3 | Bellevue, WA | 70 | $205k |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | 36 | $230k |
| 5 | Santa Clara, CA | 30 | $265k |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | 21 | $181k |
| 7 | Austin, TX | 19 | $164k |
| 8 | Redmond, WA | 18 | $190k |
| 9 | East Palo Alto, CA | 15 | $257k |
| 10 | Pleasanton, CA | 14 | $169k |
Common questions about Principal Software Development Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Software Development Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Software Development Engineer is $200k (FY2025), from 152 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $163k and $232k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Software Development Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Software Development Engineer are Amazon.com Services, Amazon Development Center U.S., Fortinet.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Software Development Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Software Development Engineer roles are Seattle, WA, Sunnyvale, CA, Bellevue, WA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Software Development 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 →