Principal Systems Engineer H-1B salaries — 432 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 56
- Filings · FY2025
- $145k
- Median base · FY2025
- $128k–$164k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Fidelity Technology Group
- Top sponsor · 79 all-time
Principal Systems Engineer: 432 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $145k across 56 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $128k and $164k. The biggest sponsors are Fidelity Technology Group, Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments, Qualcomm Technologies; most filings are in Durham, NC.
How much does a Principal Systems 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. $145k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Systems Engineer sponsorship changed?
29 certified filings in FY2016 → 47 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 47 | −16% | $137k |
| FY2025 | 56 | +6% | $145k |
| FY2024 | 53 | +89% | $132k |
| FY2023 | 28 | −40% | $121k |
| FY2022 | 47 | +31% | $119k |
| FY2021 | 36 | +3% | $129k |
| FY2020 | 35 | −3% | $112k |
| FY2019 | 36 | +6% | $116k |
| FY2018 | 34 | +10% | $118k |
| FY2017 | 31 | +7% | $129k |
| FY2016 | 29 | — | $107k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Systems 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 | 79 | $107k |
| 2 | Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments | 31 | $128k |
| 3 | Qualcomm Technologies | 21 | $179k |
| 4 | Aricent Technologies Holdings | 21 | $120k |
| 5 | Medtronic | 14 | $129k |
| 6 | Covidien | 9 | $131k |
| 7 | U.S. Bank National Association | 9 | $132k |
| 8 | Boston Scientific | 9 | $142k |
| 9 | The Gap | 7 | $148k |
| 10 | Rockwell Collins | 7 | $120k |
Where are H-1B Principal Systems Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham, NC | 81 | $111k |
| 2 | San Diego, CA | 18 | $179k |
| 3 | Westlake, TX | 17 | $110k |
| 4 | Santa Clara, CA | 17 | $167k |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | 10 | $174k |
| 6 | Austin, TX | 9 | $140k |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | 9 | $148k |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | 9 | $106k |
| 9 | Boston, MA | 7 | $140k |
| 10 | Mounds View, MN | 6 | $130k |
Common questions about Principal Systems Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Systems Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Systems Engineer is $145k (FY2025), from 56 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $111k and $154k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Systems Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Systems Engineer are Fidelity Technology Group, Fidelity Technology Group LLC D B a Fidelity Investments, Qualcomm Technologies.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Systems Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Systems Engineer roles are Durham, NC, San Diego, CA, Westlake, TX.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Systems 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 →