H-1B Wages: What Tech Companies Actually Pay

When a U.S. employer wants to hire a foreign worker on an H-1B visa, they must first file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor. The LCA certifies that the employer will pay at least the prevailing wage for the occupation and area. This data is public record — and it provides a fascinating window into what employers commit to pay.

How to Read LCA Data

Each LCA record lists the employer, occupation (by SOC code), state, and the wage offered. The wage must equal or exceed the prevailing wage as determined by the DOL or the employer's actual wage for the position — whichever is higher. This means LCA wages tend to be at or above the market rate.

Important caveats: LCA filings are certifications, not approved visas. An employer can file more LCAs than they intend to use. The USCIS H-1B cap (65,000 + 20,000 master's cap) limits actual approvals. An employer might file 500 LCAs expecting to use 200 after lottery attrition.

Tech Company Patterns

Large tech companies and consulting firms dominate H-1B filings. Software developer and computer systems analyst roles tend to show median LCA wages of $120,000–$180,000 at major tech firms — well above the OEWS national median for those occupations. Consulting companies (Infosys, Tata, Wipro) tend to show lower median wages, partly because they file across a wider range of positions and geographies.

Browse employer H-1B filings at our employers section.