Observed wage sample
985 annual wage observations currently match this role, with a middle range from $140,000 to $200,000.
Role salary
H-1B salary signals for Software Engineer
Use this page to understand wage patterns in official LCA filings for a role. Compare medians with cities and employers before drawing conclusions.
Median
$175,748
Middle range
$140,000 - $200,000
Observations
985
The median H-1B LCA wage for Software Engineer is $175,748 per year ($140,000–$200,000 middle range across 985 annual wage observations in FY2026 Q2 DOL LCA disclosure data). This is an observed filing aggregate, not total compensation or a legal wage-level determination.
Page updated: .
Observed wage range
Wage values from matching LCA rows that state an annual pay unit.
Median $175,748
$62,005$500,000
15 of 1,000 matching rows with a wage figure are excluded (15 stating an hourly, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly unit) — DOL publishes the pay unit per row, and the figures are not interchangeable, so they are excluded rather than converted.
Observed by wage level
What each wage level paid for Software Engineer
A wage level sets the prevailing-wage floor on a filing. This table reports the yearly prevailing wages DOL actually accepted at each level on the imported LCA rows matching this role — the filing population, not a published national salary.
DOL OES wage levels I – IV
Across 31,728 imported DOL labor condition applications for Software Engineer that state both an OES wage level and a yearly prevailing wage, this is the prevailing wage DOL accepted at each level. Median accepted prevailing wage runs from $98,509 at Level I to $163,550 at Level IV. Retrieved from official US Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data on 2026-07-23.
Wage observations
31,728
Levels published
4 of 4
Yearly prevailing wages only
Median at the top level
$163,550
| Wage level | Filings | Lowest | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 2,505 | $27,360 | $85,467 | $98,509 | $117,749 | $178,818 |
| Level II | 12,583 | $40,227 | $106,579 | $114,754 | $149,240 | $248,643 |
| Level III | 8,385 | $68,910 | $130,707 | $154,606 | $180,710 | $13,497,100 |
| Level IV | 8,255 | $74,318 | $152,131 | $163,550 | $212,202 | $388,918 |
Which occupation these levels belong to
Most of these filings — 28,450 of the 32,827 levelled rows — were filed under SOC code 15-1252.00 (Software Developers). That matters because a wage level is a percentile of the OEWS wage distribution for one SOC occupation and one area of intended employment, so these figures describe that occupation as filed, not every job that shares the title.
How much of this role’s data carries a wage level
32,827 of 40,225 imported LCA rows matching Software Engineer (82%) record an OES wage level of I through IV. A further 0 were marked N/A by the filer and 7,398 carry no wage-level field, which Form ETA-9035 Section F expects: an employer completes only one prevailing-wage source and only the OES option has a level. Of the levelled rows, 31,728 state their prevailing wage as a yearly figure and are the ones aggregated here — hourly, weekly, and monthly rows are excluded rather than converted. These counts cover every matching imported row, not the most recent 1,000 sampled for the wage range higher up the page.
These are observed prevailing wages on imported DOL labor condition applications matching Software Engineer, not a published wage for the role. DOL publishes the level figures per SOC occupation code and area of intended employment, and a job-title match can span more than one occupation, so read the spread rather than any single number as the answer. A prevailing wage is also a floor: the employer's offered wage on the same filing can be higher, and a certified LCA is a Department of Labor record rather than proof that USCIS approved a petition.
Salary query context
How to read Software Engineer H-1B salary results
For searches like "Software Engineer H-1B salary" or "H-1B salary database", start with the observed LCA wage range, then compare employer and worksite context before treating a number as representative.
Employer comparison
Start with Flexible Finance, then open employer pages to compare counts, roles, worksites, source periods, and caveats together.
Worksite context
Sunnyvale, CA is the largest observed worksite cluster for this role in the imported LCA rows.
LCA wage fields
LCA wage data behind Software Engineer salary signals
For searches like "Software Engineer H-1B salary", "H-1B salary data", or "LCA H-1B wage level", treat the role aggregate as a summary and use row-level source fields for closer research.
Annualized wage sample
The median and middle range are computed from imported annual LCA wage observations that match this role. They are useful for H-1B salary research, but they are not total compensation.
Prevailing-wage context
Official LCA rows can include offered wage, prevailing wage, wage unit, SOC code, employer, and worksite fields. Compare those source fields before reading any salary as a wage level or legal minimum.
Row-level lookup
Use the LCA database lookup when you need to inspect filings behind a role by employer, job title, SOC code, city, or state instead of relying on the aggregate role page alone.
Need the filing rows behind this role? Search the LCA and PERM database lookup by role, employer, SOC code, city, or state.
Employers
Top employer matches
Open an employer to see counts, roles, worksites, source freshness, and caveats together.
Flexible FinanceSenior Software Engineer, Backend, Consumer Product$213,512Meta PlatformsSoftware Engineer$194,230Chai ResearchSoftware Engineer$264,514Citrix SystemsPrincipal Systems Software Engineer$289,933GoogleSoftware Engineer$281,000IntelSoftware Engineer$139,540GoogleSoftware Engineer$200,000GoogleSoftware Engineer$285,000
Cities
Common locations
Latest source period: FY2026 Q2
Sunnyvale, CA108
Mountain View, CA92
New York, NY73
San Francisco, CA50
Redmond, WA45
Menlo Park, CA44
Kirkland, WA32
Seattle, WA29
Related searches
Role and city pages
City pages help separate national role signals from local wage markets.
Compare roles
Other H-1B salary pages
Related role pages built from the same DOL LCA wage fields. Use them to compare medians across job families before drawing role-specific conclusions.
Senior Software Engineer salaryData Engineer salaryData Scientist salaryData Analyst salaryMachine Learning Engineer salaryBusiness Analyst salary
Looking for state-level activity instead? Browse H-1B sponsor pages by state or open the full salary hub.
Primary source
Where this wage signal comes from
Wage values on this page are derived from DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, the official US Department of Labor disclosure dataset for Labor Condition Applications. See About data and Source status for caveats and import freshness.
DOL OFLC performance pageLast verified: .
LCA and PERM rows are filing signals, not USCIS approvals, green-card approvals, legal advice, or outcome predictions.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the H-1B salary for Software Engineer?
The Software Engineer H-1B salary page summarizes annual wage values from imported Department of Labor LCA rows, including median, middle range, employer matches, common worksites, and source period.
What does the H-1B salary range for Software Engineer represent?
The salary range is computed from imported DOL LCA wage fields where annual wage data is available. It may not represent total compensation or every worker at an employer.
How should I use H-1B salary database results for Software Engineer?
Use the observed LCA wage rows as research context, then compare employer pages and worksites before drawing conclusions. The data is not a legal minimum-salary determination or a guarantee about any individual role.
Can I use this page for H-1B wage level research for Software Engineer?
Use it as a starting point only. LCA rows can include offered wage, prevailing-wage, wage-unit, SOC-code, and worksite fields, but this page is an aggregate salary view rather than a legal wage-level or minimum-salary determination.
Why can wage fields vary across official records?
DOL disclosure rows can contain wage ranges, prevailing wages, different wage units, and different worksites. VisaSignal normalizes cautiously and keeps source caveats visible.
Does an LCA certification mean an H-1B petition was approved?
No. A DOL-certified LCA is not the same as USCIS H-1B petition approval. It is an official labor-condition filing signal that should be interpreted with that limit.
Does a PERM certification mean a green card was approved?
No. PERM certification is one step in an employment-based green card process. It does not mean a green card, I-140 petition, or adjustment of status was approved.
Can this data prove an employer will sponsor a candidate?
No. Official filing history can show recent activity, roles, worksites, and wage signals, but it does not guarantee future sponsorship or predict legal outcomes.