Software QA Engineer H-1B salaries — 2,746 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 167
- Filings · FY2025
- $104k
- Median base · FY2025
- $87k–$135k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Cisco Systems
- Top sponsor · 173 all-time
Software QA Engineer: 2,746 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $104k across 167 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $87k and $135k. The biggest sponsors are Cisco Systems, Innominds Software, Apple; most filings are in Santa Clara, CA.
How much does a Software QA 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. $104k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Software QA Engineer sponsorship changed?
309 certified filings in FY2016 → 130 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 130 | −22% | $103k |
| FY2025 | 167 | −1% | $104k |
| FY2024 | 168 | −12% | $101k |
| FY2023 | 192 | −18% | $94k |
| FY2022 | 233 | +20% | $93k |
| FY2021 | 194 | −10% | $90k |
| FY2020 | 215 | −37% | $91k |
| FY2019 | 343 | −30% | $90k |
| FY2018 | 489 | +60% | $90k |
| FY2017 | 306 | −1% | $77k |
| FY2016 | 309 | — | $69k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Software QA 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 | Cisco Systems | 173 | $130k |
| 2 | Innominds Software | 100 | $90k |
| 3 | Apple | 76 | $120k |
| 4 | Palo Alto Networks | 61 | $130k |
| 5 | Utis | 57 | $91k |
| 6 | IT Division | 57 | $61k |
| 7 | Enterprise IT Resources | 54 | $70k |
| 8 | Tesla | 48 | $116k |
| 9 | Tanvi IT Solutions | 40 | $92k |
| 10 | System Soft Technologies | 38 | $82k |
Where are H-1B Software QA Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara, CA | 165 | $125k |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | 158 | $111k |
| 3 | Mountain View, CA | 89 | $115k |
| 4 | Sunnyvale, CA | 87 | $124k |
| 5 | Cupertino, CA | 77 | $120k |
| 6 | Plano, TX | 65 | $76k |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | 62 | $118k |
| 8 | Fremont, CA | 56 | $115k |
| 9 | Milpitas, CA | 54 | $110k |
| 10 | New Brunswick, NJ | 51 | $93k |
Common questions about Software QA Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Software QA Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Software QA Engineer is $104k (FY2025), from 167 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $74k and $110k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Software QA Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Software QA Engineer are Cisco Systems, Innominds Software, Apple.
- Where are most H-1B Software QA Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Software QA Engineer roles are Santa Clara, CA, San Jose, CA, Mountain View, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Software QA 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 →