Staff Software Development Engineer H-1B salaries — 799 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 263
- Filings · FY2025
- $176k
- Median base · FY2025
- $153k–$196k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Tesla
- Top sponsor · 229 all-time
Staff Software Development Engineer: 799 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $176k across 263 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $153k and $196k. The biggest sponsors are Tesla, CVS Pharmacy, Fortinet; most filings are in Fremont, CA.
How much does a Staff Software 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. $176k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Staff Software Development Engineer sponsorship changed?
13 certified filings in FY2016 → 161 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 161 | −39% | $170k |
| FY2025 | 263 | +135% | $176k |
| FY2024 | 112 | +107% | $187k |
| FY2023 | 54 | −23% | $191k |
| FY2022 | 70 | +67% | $168k |
| FY2021 | 42 | +14% | $170k |
| FY2020 | 37 | +54% | $163k |
| FY2019 | 24 | +118% | $138k |
| FY2018 | 11 | −8% | $146k |
| FY2017 | 12 | −8% | $130k |
| FY2016 | 13 | — | $127k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Staff Software 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 | Tesla | 229 | $197k |
| 2 | CVS Pharmacy | 111 | $180k |
| 3 | Fortinet | 67 | $157k |
| 4 | Aetna Resources | 63 | $159k |
| 5 | CVS Shared Services Resources | 61 | $150k |
| 6 | Zscaler | 41 | $175k |
| 7 | Caremark | 41 | $151k |
| 8 | Risk Management Solutions | 15 | $169k |
| 9 | Procare Pharmacy | 15 | $150k |
| 10 | Infinera | 12 | $160k |
Where are H-1B Staff Software Development Engineer jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremont, CA | 131 | $194k |
| 2 | Sunnyvale, CA | 68 | $157k |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | 54 | $175k |
| 4 | Richardson, TX | 45 | $164k |
| 5 | Palo Alto, CA | 37 | $198k |
| 6 | Austin, TX | 31 | $184k |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | 29 | $135k |
| 8 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 25 | $160k |
| 9 | Woonsocket, RI | 24 | $164k |
| 10 | Santa Clara, CA | 19 | $170k |
Common questions about Staff Software Development Engineer H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Staff Software Development Engineer?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Staff Software Development Engineer is $176k (FY2025), from 263 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $150k and $194k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Staff Software Development Engineers?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Staff Software Development Engineer are Tesla, CVS Pharmacy, Fortinet.
- Where are most H-1B Staff Software Development Engineer jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Staff Software Development Engineer roles are Fremont, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, San Jose, CA.
- Does a certified LCA mean Staff Software 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 →