H-1B Hiring for Software Developers, R&D Experiences Significant Uptick in FY2025
Explore H-1B visa filings for Software Developers, R&D. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 95% |
| Average Salary | $122,842 |
| Salary Range | $36,000 - $350,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Resolve AI, Inc. |
| Primary Location | California |
Software Developers, R&D is one of the H-1B visa categories with 38 filings and an average salary of $104,281. H-1B hiring for Software Developers, R&D shows a significant surge in FY2025, indicating strong future demand. The average salary offered is competitive, aligning closely with the median salary, suggesting fair compensation practices. Geographic concentration is low, with only a few states showing a notable number of hires, implying opportunities across various locations.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 95% |
| Average Salary | $122,842 |
| Median Salary | $106,517 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,600 |
| 75th Percentile | $134,676 |
| Minimum Salary | $36,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $350,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $70,007 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,600 |
| Median (50th) | $106,517 |
| 75th Percentile | $134,676 |
| 90th Percentile | $240,000 |
| Average | $122,842 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Resolve AI, Inc. | 10 | $276k |
| National Radio Astronomy Observatory | 6 | $94k |
| University of Illinois | 5 | $82k |
| University of Utah | 5 | $78k |
| The University of Chicago | 4 | $106k |
| University of Wisconsin System | 4 | $74k |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC | 3 | $105k |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 3 | $126k |
| University of Michigan | 3 | $109k |
| The University of Southern California | 3 | $93k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 22 |
| Illinois | 10 |
| Massachusetts | 7 |
| New York | 6 |
| Texas | 5 |
| Wisconsin | 5 |
| Utah | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 |
| Michigan | 4 |
| Washington | 4 |
Focus on demonstrating advanced R&D skills and experience, as the surge in FY2025 suggests a high demand for specialized talent in this field.
The average H-1B salary for Software Developers, R&D is $104,281, with a median of $107,994. The 25th-75th percentile range is $79,290 to $124,069.
Top H-1B sponsors for Software Developers, R&D include UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY), University of Utah, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Illinois, University of Washington. A total of 26 employers have filed for this role.
There are 38 H-1B filings on record for Software Developers, R&D positions. 97.4% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Software Developers, R&D positions are California (4), Pennsylvania (3), Tennessee (3), Utah (3), Massachusetts (3).
Yes, Software Developers, R&D is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 38 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Software Developers, R&D salaries range from $62,941 to $160,008. The median salary is $107,994.
The approval rate for Software Developers, R&D H-1B petitions is 97.4%. The number of H-1B applications for Software Developers, R&D has dramatically increased from 2 in FY2024 to 33 in FY2025.
The average salary (SA: 104281) is slightly lower than the median salary (SM: 107994), which could be due to entry-level positions or specific skill sets.
Focus on demonstrating advanced R&D skills and experience, as the surge in FY2025 suggests a high demand for specialized talent in this field.
The data shows a very low number of rejected applications (D: 0) and withdrawn applications (W: 1), suggesting a high success rate for this role.
The Software Developers, R&D occupation (SOC code 15-129600) 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.
Software Developers, R&D 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 Software Developers, R&D positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Software Developers, R&D positions show an average offered salary of $122,842, with a range from $36,000 at the entry level to $350,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (22 filings) and Illinois (10 filings).
Career outlook for Software Developers, R&D 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 Software Developers, R&D 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 Software Developers, R&D 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 Software Developers, R&D positions, the average offered salary of $122,842 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 19.6%, with 74% 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 Software Developers, R&D positions is 95%.
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. Software Developers, R&D 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 Software Developers, R&D H-1B filings is approximately 34 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Software Developers, R&D positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Software Developers, R&D, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.