Explore H-1B visa filings for Research Engineer. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 51 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 51 |
| Approval Rate | 90% |
| Average Salary | $99,244 |
| Salary Range | $74,000 - $216,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Primary Location | Illinois |
| Total Filings | 51 |
| Approval Rate | 90% |
| Average Salary | $99,244 |
| Median Salary | $91,229 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,144 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,970 |
| Minimum Salary | $74,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $216,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $75,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $79,144 |
| Median (50th) | $91,229 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,970 |
| 90th Percentile | $125,000 |
| Average | $99,244 |
| Sample Size | 51 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 48 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 3 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 51 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | 7 | $95k |
| University Corporation for Atmospheric Research | 7 | $83k |
| The University of Chicago | 4 | $114k |
| Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory | 3 | $92k |
| Weill Cornell Medical College | 3 | $77k |
| Common Sense Machines, Inc. | 2 | $100k |
| The University of Southern California | 2 | $80k |
| Projexel, LLC | 2 | $100k |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | 2 | $88k |
| Halcyon Tech, Inc | 1 | $210k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 |
| California | 6 |
| Colorado | 6 |
| New York | 5 |
| Massachusetts | 4 |
| Texas | 3 |
| Maryland | 2 |
| Tennessee | 2 |
| New Jersey | 2 |
The average H-1B salary for Research Engineer is $99,244, with a median of $91,229. Salaries range from $74,000 to $216,000 across 51 DOL filings.
Top H-1B sponsors for Research Engineer include Carnegie Mellon University (7 filings), University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (7 filings), The University of Chicago (4 filings). A total of 28 companies sponsor this role.
The H-1B approval rate for Research Engineer positions is 90% across 51 filings recorded by the Department of Labor.
The states with the most H-1B filings for Research Engineer are Illinois (7 filings), Pennsylvania (7 filings), California (6 filings).
Most H-1B petitions for Research Engineer require at least a Bachelor's degree in a related field. Some positions may require a Master's degree or higher, depending on the employer and specialization level.
The Research Engineer occupation (SOC code 15-103700) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Research Engineer positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Research Engineer positions is Not Specified (51 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 51 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Research Engineer positions show an average offered salary of $99,244, with a range from $74,000 at the entry level to $216,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Illinois (7 filings) and Pennsylvania (7 filings).
Career outlook for Research Engineer professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Research Engineer role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Research Engineer roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Research Engineer positions, the average offered salary of $99,244 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 21.8%, with 65% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Research Engineer positions is 90%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Research Engineer positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Research Engineer H-1B filings is approximately 34 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Research Engineer positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Research Engineer, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.