Research Instructor H-1B salaries — 359 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 32
- Filings · FY2025
- $74k
- Median base · FY2025
- $70k–$84k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- University of Pittsburgh
- Top sponsor · 104 all-time
Research Instructor: 359 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $74k across 32 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $70k and $84k. The biggest sponsors are University of Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt University, University of Nebraska Medical Center; most filings are in Pittsburgh, PA.
How much does a Research Instructor 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. $74k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Research Instructor sponsorship changed?
20 certified filings in FY2016 → 21 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 21 | −34% | $76k |
| FY2025 | 32 | −14% | $74k |
| FY2024 | 37 | +6% | $70k |
| FY2023 | 35 | −3% | $65k |
| FY2022 | 36 | −10% | $65k |
| FY2021 | 40 | +14% | $59k |
| FY2020 | 35 | 0% | $60k |
| FY2019 | 35 | −8% | $56k |
| FY2018 | 38 | +27% | $54k |
| FY2017 | 30 | +50% | $54k |
| FY2016 | 20 | — | $60k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Research Instructors?
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 | University of Pittsburgh | 104 | $60k |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University | 37 | $62k |
| 3 | University of Nebraska Medical Center | 36 | $50k |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | 35 | $65k |
| 5 | University of Colorado | 22 | $60k |
| 6 | University of Colorado Denver | 16 | $67k |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 12 | $65k |
| 8 | Georgetown University | 10 | $75k |
| 9 | Medical University of South Carolina and Affiliates | 10 | $66k |
| 10 | Cincinnati Children S Hospital Medical Center | 9 | $102k |
Where are H-1B Research Instructor jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh, PA | 104 | $60k |
| 2 | Nashville, TN | 72 | $62k |
| 3 | Aurora, CO | 38 | $60k |
| 4 | Omaha, NE | 37 | $50k |
| 5 | Chapel Hill, NC | 12 | $65k |
| 6 | Charleston, SC | 12 | $66k |
| 7 | Washington, DC | 10 | $75k |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | 10 | $70k |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | 8 | $60k |
| 10 | St. Louis, MO | 8 | $62k |
Common questions about Research Instructor H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Research Instructor?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Research Instructor is $74k (FY2025), from 32 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $55k and $71k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Research Instructors?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Research Instructor are University of Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt University, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
- Where are most H-1B Research Instructor jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Research Instructor roles are Pittsburgh, PA, Nashville, TN, Aurora, CO.
- Does a certified LCA mean Research Instructor 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 →