Software Developers, R&D H-1B Salaries (2026)
DOL occupation 15-1296 · common titles: Research Engineer, Senior Applications Engineer, Software Developer II, Research Software Engineer
Short answer
The median H-1B salary for software developers, r&d is $110,592 in FY2026 so far, across 91 certified filings. The middle half earn $95,987 – $139,059, and pay is up 7% since FY2024.
Median
$110,592
FY2026 so far
Filings
91
0.0% of all H-1B filings
Top 10%
$240,000+
90th percentile
Change since FY2024
+7%
$103,833 → $110,592
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 |
|---|---|---|
| California | 19 | $240,000 |
| Illinois | 11 | $88,800 |
FY2026 so far
Top employers for this job
| Employer | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Resolve AI, Inc. | 12 | $240,000 |
| University of Michigan | 7 | $105,000 |
| Brookhaven National Laboratory | 6 | $136,000 |
| Children's Hospital Corporation | 5 | $105,000 |
| University of Illinois | 5 | $83,200 |
| Ithaka Harbors, Inc. | 5 | $117,744 |
| The University of Chicago | 4 | $117,796 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 3 | $131,005 |
| Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. | 3 | $67,829 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 2 | $125,262 |
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Software Developers, R&D H-1B salary questions
What is the average H-1B salary for software developers, r&d?
The median is $110,592 across 91 certified H-1B filings in FY2026 so far. The middle half earn $95,987 to $139,059, and the top 10% earn $240,000 or more.
Which state pays H-1B software developers, r&d the most?
Among the 10 states with the most filings, California has the highest median at $240,000 (19 filings).
Which company sponsors the most H-1B software developers, r&d?
Resolve AI, Inc., with 12 certified filings in FY2026 so far at a median of $240,000.
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.