Explore H-1B visa filings for Research Investigator. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 27 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 27 |
| Approval Rate | 89% |
| Average Salary | $79,919 |
| Salary Range | $47,025 - $156,557 |
| Top Sponsor | University of Maryland College Park |
| Primary Location | Virginia |
| Total Filings | 27 |
| Approval Rate | 89% |
| Average Salary | $79,919 |
| Median Salary | $72,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,500 |
| Minimum Salary | $47,025 |
| Maximum Salary | $156,557 |
| 10th Percentile | $50,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 |
| Median (50th) | $72,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $101,500 |
| 90th Percentile | $140,000 |
| Average | $79,919 |
| Sample Size | 26 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 25 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 2 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 27 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland College Park | 3 | $89k |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | 3 | $93k |
| University of Colorado | 3 | $73k |
| University of California, Berkeley | 2 | $73k |
| BLISSWAY Inc. | 2 | $140k |
| University of Michigan | 1 | $80k |
| BYTEDANCE INC. | 1 | $117k |
| Old Dominion University Research Foundation | 1 | $50k |
| Tesla, Inc. | 1 | $157k |
| The University of Southern California | 1 | $68k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Virginia | 7 |
| California | 6 |
| Colorado | 5 |
| Maryland | 3 |
| Michigan | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Missouri | 1 |
| Kentucky | 1 |
| New York | 1 |
| Arkansas | 1 |
The average H-1B salary for Research Investigator is $79,919, with a median of $72,000. Salaries range from $47,025 to $156,557 across 27 DOL filings.
Top H-1B sponsors for Research Investigator include University of Maryland College Park (3 filings), Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (3 filings), University of Colorado (3 filings). A total of 19 companies sponsor this role.
The H-1B approval rate for Research Investigator positions is 89% across 27 filings recorded by the Department of Labor.
The states with the most H-1B filings for Research Investigator are Virginia (7 filings), California (6 filings), Colorado (5 filings).
Most H-1B petitions for Research Investigator 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 Investigator occupation (SOC code 17-206300) 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 Investigator 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 Investigator positions is Not Specified (27 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 27 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Research Investigator positions show an average offered salary of $79,919, with a range from $47,025 at the entry level to $156,557 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Virginia (7 filings) and California (6 filings).
Career outlook for Research Investigator 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 Investigator 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 Investigator 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 Investigator positions, the average offered salary of $79,919 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 57.7%, with 85% 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 Investigator positions is 89%.
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 Investigator 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 Investigator H-1B filings is approximately 28 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Research Investigator positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Research Investigator, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.