Research and Development Engineer H-1B salaries — 286 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 25
- Filings · FY2025
- $105k
- Median base · FY2025
- $90k–$115k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Ipsoft
- Top sponsor · 18 all-time
Research and Development Engineer: 286 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $105k across 25 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $90k and $115k. The biggest sponsors are Ipsoft, Savari, Fanuc America; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Research and 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. $105k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Research and Development Engineer sponsorship changed?
54 certified filings in FY2016 → 31 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 31 | +24% | $120k |
| FY2025 | 25 | −7% | $105k |
| FY2024 | 27 | +59% | $100k |
| FY2023 | 17 | +13% | $95k |
| FY2022 | 15 | +36% | $97k |
| FY2021 | 11 | −39% | $80k |
| FY2020 | 18 | −28% | $88k |
| FY2019 | 25 | −22% | $85k |
| FY2018 | 32 | +3% | $84k |
| FY2017 | 31 | −43% | $80k |
| FY2016 | 54 | — | $77k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Research and 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 | Ipsoft | 18 | $71k |
| 2 | Savari | 16 | $87k |
| 3 | Fanuc America | 16 | $105k |
| 4 | Kitware | 11 | $80k |
| 5 | University of California Los Angeles | 9 | $113k |
| 6 | Verotech Solutions | 9 | $77k |
| 7 | University of California Davis | 6 | $90k |
| 8 | Lucasfilm Entertainment | 6 | $127k |
| 9 | Quantronix | 5 | $82k |
| 10 | Global Engineering Research and Technologies | 4 | $65k |
Where are H-1B Research and Development Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 20 | $71k |
| 2 | Rochester Hills, MI | 16 | $105k |
| 3 | Farmington Hills, MI | 16 | $88k |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | 11 | $105k |
| 5 | Houston, TX | 11 | $96k |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | 7 | $127k |
| 7 | Carrboro, NC | 6 | $74k |
| 8 | San Jose, CA | 6 | $85k |
| 9 | Davis, CA | 6 | $90k |
| 10 | Irvine, CA | 6 | $102k |
Common questions about Research and Development Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Research and Development Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Research and Development Engineer is $105k (FY2025), from 25 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $75k and $105k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Research and Development Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Research and Development Engineer are Ipsoft, Savari, Fanuc America.
- Where are most H-1B Research and Development Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Research and Development Engineer roles are New York, NY, Rochester Hills, MI, Farmington Hills, MI.
- Does a certified LCA mean Research and 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 →