(REDMOND, WA) Microsoft’s latest H-1B visa salary filings for 2025 show strong base pay across engineering, data, and product roles even after a year of deep cuts across tech. The disclosures, reported by Bloomberg and drawn from required visa filings, point to six-figure wages for many Microsoft hires on H-1B visas, with top-end pay in Redmond reaching into the mid-$200,000s for senior technical roles.
The data covers base pay only and excludes bonuses or stock grants, offering a rare window into how one of the world’s most valuable tech companies is pricing talent amid restructuring and a tight market for advanced AI and software skills.
Headline pay bands by role and location
At the high end, a Software Engineer in Redmond can earn up to $284,000, while a Principal Software Engineer in Redmond is listed between $214,000 and $275,000. A Senior Software Engineer in Redmond sits between $162,500 and $240,000.
Outside Washington, Microsoft’s filings show:
– $187,000 to $210,000 for Software Engineers in Mountain View
– $162,000 to $185,000 in New York City
In data roles:
– Data Scientist II (Redmond): $121,200 to $160,000
– Data Scientist (Mountain View): up to $274,500
Product and management roles:
– Product Manager II (Redmond): $122,800 to $167,000
– Principal Product Manager (Redmond): $250,000
These figures reflect only the base salary listed in visa paperwork and do not include equity, cash bonuses, or relocation support. Analysis by VisaVerge.com shows Microsoft’s disclosures are consistent with broader big-tech filings that emphasize strong base pay to retain critical talent during change.
Other notable roles from the filings
- Manager, Software Engineering (Redmond): $182,000 to $205,000
- Business Program Manager (Redmond): $120,000 to $144,000
- Market Research Analyst (Redmond): $135,000
- Content Architect (Redmond): $114,000
- Senior Content Designer (San Francisco): $168,000
- Account Executive (Bellevue): $155,000
These figures reflect only base salary disclosed in H-1B paperwork; they exclude bonuses, equity, and relocation assistance.
LinkedIn (Microsoft subsidiary) — a bay-area AI premium
Microsoft’s subsidiary LinkedIn files its own H-1B petitions and reported competitive wages as well. For example:
– Staff Software Engineer, Machine Learning (Sunnyvale): up to $336,000 in base pay.
This illustrates the high price point for advanced AI skills near Silicon Valley’s core.
What’s driving Microsoft’s pay ranges
- Location effects: Redmond, Mountain View, New York, San Francisco, and Bellevue track local competition and cost of living. Redmond remains Microsoft’s engineering core, while Mountain View reflects Bay Area competition and New York reflects demand in finance and media hubs.
- Seniority and role scope: Moving from Engineer → Senior → Principal shows large step-ups in base pay. Shifts from technical roles into product leadership and engineering management bring higher bands tied to team scope and business impact.
- Compliance floor: The wages disclosed are floor disclosures for compliance; actual offers can vary within the ranges based on experience, specialized skills, and internal leveling.
Why H-1B filings reveal base pay
Employers must file a Labor Condition Application (ETA-9035) with the U.S. Department of Labor and attest they will pay at least the required wage for the role and location. That wage anchors the base pay figure disclosed in visa paperwork.
After LCA certification, the employer files Form I-129 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to request H-1B classification for the worker. When companies describe base pay in filings, they typically exclude bonuses and equity because those can vary widely and are not guaranteed.
Useful official resources:
– Department of Labor LCA: DOL LCA (ETA-9035)
– USCIS Form I-129: USCIS Form I-129
– USCIS H-1B specialty occupations info: USCIS H-1B Specialty Occupations
Why base pay matters for international job seekers
- It sets the floor for earnings, useful for rental applications, loan approvals, and family planning.
- A stronger base helps cushion against stock swings or smaller bonuses in a soft year.
- Base salary often determines retirement contributions and benefits tied to salary.
In short, the base provides stability during industry shifts.
Practical steps for candidates and employers
For prospective H-1B hires:
1. Confirm wage level and role match on the certified LCA.
2. Ensure the wages in the LCA align with the offer letter’s base pay.
3. If the role changes or the worker relocates, check whether the employer must update filings.
For employers:
– Keep careful records to meet Department of Labor audit requests.
– Ensure each H-1B worker is paid at least the required wage for the area and role.
For existing H-1B employees:
– Verify that a new worksite is covered by an existing LCA or that a new one will be filed before relocation.
Summary of core Microsoft figures (from filings)
- Software Engineer, Redmond, WA: up to $284,000
- Software Engineer, Mountain View, CA: $187,000 to $210,000
- Software Engineer, New York, NY: $162,000 to $185,000
- Senior Software Engineer, Redmond, WA: $162,500 to $240,000
- Principal Software Engineer, Redmond, WA: $214,000 to $275,000
- Data Scientist II, Redmond, WA: $121,200 to $160,000
- Data Scientist, Mountain View, CA: up to $274,500
- Product Manager II, Redmond, WA: $122,800 to $167,000
- Principal Product Manager, Redmond, WA: $250,000
- Manager, Software Engineering, Redmond, WA: $182,000 to $205,000
- Business Program Manager, Redmond, WA: $120,000 to $144,000
- Market Research Analyst, Redmond, WA: $135,000
- Content Architect, Redmond, WA: $114,000
- Senior Content Designer, San Francisco, CA: $168,000
- Account Executive, Bellevue, WA: $155,000
Total compensation vs. base pay
While these bands are eye-catching, they do not capture total compensation. In big tech, total pay usually includes:
– Annual bonus targets
– Time-vested stock awards
These can lift overall earnings well above base salary, but they fluctuate with company performance and market conditions. Maintaining strong base pay helps with retention when equity values dip.
H-1B wage rules and practical implications
- The H-1B program does not mandate a single nationwide salary for a job title. Employers must meet or exceed the prevailing wage for each specific job, level, and location.
- Employers choose a wage level that matches the worker’s experience and duties, then show they will pay that figure or more. For many H-1B professionals, this creates a clear, documented floor for pay.
Final takeaways
- Microsoft’s 2025 H-1B filings show a continued emphasis on strong base pay, especially for senior engineering, data, and product roles.
- Location, seniority, and role scope drive meaningful differences in listed base salary bands.
- For H-1B candidates and employees, these filings provide clear reference points for negotiating base pay, planning budgets, and understanding compliance obligations.
In a year when many are watching the bottom line, the story is direct: base salary remains the anchor.
This Article in a Nutshell
Microsoft’s 2025 H-1B visa disclosures show robust base salaries across engineering, data science, and product roles, even amid widespread tech layoffs. The filings—limited to base pay and excluding bonuses or stock—reveal top-end base salaries such as $284,000 for Software Engineers in Redmond and up to $336,000 for a LinkedIn Staff ML Engineer in Sunnyvale. Location, seniority, role scope, and prevailing-wage compliance drive the ranges. For H-1B candidates and employees, the disclosed base salary provides a documented floor useful for negotiations, rental and loan applications, and financial planning. Employers must ensure LCA and I-129 filings match actual offers and update filings when job duties or worksites change.
