Mechanical Engineers, R&D H-1B Salaries (2026)
DOL occupation 17-2144 · common titles: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Research Scientist, Research Associate, Mechanical Engineer I
Short answer
The median H-1B salary for mechanical engineers, r&d is $98,202 in FY2026 so far, across 133 certified filings. The middle half earn $75,000 – $125,099, and pay is up 11% since FY2024.
Median
$98,202
FY2026 so far
Filings
133
0.0% of all H-1B filings
Top 10%
$146,505+
90th percentile
Change since FY2024
+11%
$88,500 → $98,202
FY2026 so far · number of filings by salary
Salary distribution
Darker bars hold the middle 50% of filings. Bars are $20k wide; the first and last bars include everything below and above.
DOL prevailing-wage level
Median pay by experience level
Median salary and number of filings at each wage level.
FY2026 so far
By state
| State | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 16 | $127,200 |
| New York | 15 | $140,733 |
| Colorado | 14 | $98,040 |
| Massachusetts | 13 | $95,285 |
| Illinois | 12 | $92,274 |
| Texas | 12 | $104,607 |
| California | 11 | $104,000 |
FY2026 so far
Top employers for this job
| Employer | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Ut-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | 15 | $128,221 |
| Brookhaven National Laboratory | 13 | $140,733 |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC | 12 | $98,708 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 11 | $95,285 |
| UChicago Argonne LLC | 10 | $94,486 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 7 | $140,000 |
| University of Michigan | 6 | $72,084 |
| Southwest Research Institute | 6 | $104,607 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | 5 | $112,000 |
| Transportation Research Center, Inc. | 5 | $99,673 |
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Mechanical Engineers, R&D H-1B salary questions
What is the average H-1B salary for mechanical engineers, r&d?
The median is $98,202 across 133 certified H-1B filings in FY2026 so far. The middle half earn $75,000 to $125,099, and the top 10% earn $146,505 or more.
Which state pays H-1B mechanical engineers, r&d the most?
Among the 10 states with the most filings, New York has the highest median at $140,733 (15 filings).
Which company sponsors the most H-1B mechanical engineers, r&d?
Ut-Battelle, LLC (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), with 15 certified filings in FY2026 so far at a median of $128,221.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification LCA disclosure data, decisions through Jun 30, 2026. Salaries are annualized base wages from the filing and exclude bonus and stock. A certified LCA is not an approved H-1B petition. Updated Oct 4, 2026.