Research Software Engineer H-1B salaries — 154 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 15
- Filings · FY2025
- $112k
- Median base · FY2025
- $95k–$135k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- IBM
- Top sponsor · 33 all-time
Research Software Engineer: 154 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $112k across 15 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $95k and $135k. The biggest sponsors are IBM, The Trustees of Princeton University, University of Illinois; most filings are in Yorktown Heights, NY.
How much does a Research Software 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. $112k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Research Software Engineer sponsorship changed?
5 certified filings in FY2016 → 18 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 18 | +20% | $100k |
| FY2025 | 15 | +15% | $112k |
| FY2024 | 13 | −24% | $181k |
| FY2023 | 17 | +6% | $89k |
| FY2022 | 16 | 0% | $112k |
| FY2021 | 16 | −27% | $114k |
| FY2020 | 22 | +22% | $101k |
| FY2019 | 18 | +64% | $100k |
| FY2018 | 11 | +267% | $100k |
| FY2017 | 3 | −40% | $87k |
| FY2016 | 5 | — | $120k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Research Software 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 | IBM | 33 | $139k |
| 2 | The Trustees of Princeton University | 12 | $112k |
| 3 | University of Illinois | 12 | $83k |
| 4 | International Business Machines | 10 | $114k |
| 5 | Ford Motor | 8 | $89k |
| 6 | University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development | 5 | $105k |
| 7 | Arizona State University | 5 | $77k |
| 8 | Grammarly | 5 | $223k |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology | 4 | $112k |
| 10 | The Children S Hospital of Philadelphia | 3 | $74k |
Where are H-1B Research Software Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yorktown Heights, NY | 27 | $130k |
| 2 | Princeton, NJ | 13 | $112k |
| 3 | Urbana, IL | 12 | $83k |
| 4 | Cambridge, MA | 11 | $105k |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | 8 | $181k |
| 6 | Bellevue, WA | 5 | $102k |
| 7 | Dearborn, MI | 5 | $89k |
| 8 | Chesterfield, MO | 5 | $81k |
| 9 | Mountain View, CA | 4 | $120k |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | 4 | $73k |
Common questions about Research Software Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Research Software Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Research Software Engineer is $112k (FY2025), from 15 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $89k and $133k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Research Software Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Research Software Engineer are IBM, The Trustees of Princeton University, University of Illinois.
- Where are most H-1B Research Software Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Research Software Engineer roles are Yorktown Heights, NY, Princeton, NJ, Urbana, IL.
- Does a certified LCA mean Research Software 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 →