Research Scientist H-1B salaries — 12,917 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 1,744
- Filings · FY2025
- $165k
- Median base · FY2025
- $80k–$193k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Meta Platforms
- Top sponsor · 2,093 all-time
Research Scientist: 12,917 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $165k across 1,744 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $80k and $193k. The biggest sponsors are Meta Platforms, Facebook, Google; most filings are in Menlo Park, CA.
How much does a Research Scientist 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. $165k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Research Scientist sponsorship changed?
656 certified filings in FY2016 → 1,796 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 1,796 | +3% | $182k |
| FY2025 | 1,744 | +17% | $165k |
| FY2024 | 1,494 | +14% | $131k |
| FY2023 | 1,313 | +5% | $125k |
| FY2022 | 1,249 | +14% | $118k |
| FY2021 | 1,100 | +9% | $106k |
| FY2020 | 1,013 | −4% | $106k |
| FY2019 | 1,055 | +28% | $81k |
| FY2018 | 824 | +22% | $81k |
| FY2017 | 673 | +3% | $75k |
| FY2016 | 656 | — | $77k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Research Scientists?
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 | Meta Platforms | 2,093 | $186k |
| 2 | 890 | $160k | |
| 3 | 685 | $192k | |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 497 | $78k |
| 5 | Intel | 409 | $131k |
| 6 | Nvidia | 327 | $168k |
| 7 | UT Southwestern Medical Center | 156 | $62k |
| 8 | Bytedance | 153 | $215k |
| 9 | University of Pittsburgh | 142 | $60k |
| 10 | The University of Virginia | 135 | $67k |
Where are H-1B Research Scientist jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | 1,323 | $184k |
| 2 | New York, NY | 960 | $169k |
| 3 | Cambridge, MA | 711 | $85k |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | 510 | $193k |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | 436 | $160k |
| 6 | Bellevue, WA | 391 | $188k |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 380 | $72k |
| 8 | Houston, TX | 319 | $72k |
| 9 | Santa Clara, CA | 317 | $164k |
| 10 | Sunnyvale, CA | 316 | $186k |
Common questions about Research Scientist H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Research Scientist?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Research Scientist is $165k (FY2025), from 1,744 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $72k and $177k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Research Scientists?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Research Scientist are Meta Platforms, Facebook, Google.
- Where are most H-1B Research Scientist jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Research Scientist roles are Menlo Park, CA, New York, NY, Cambridge, MA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Research Scientist 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 →