Materials Engineer H-1B Hiring Extremely Limited
Explore H-1B visa filings for Materials Engineer. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 27 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 27 |
| Approval Rate | 96% |
| Average Salary | $88,052 |
| Salary Range | $50,000 - $180,000 |
| Top Sponsor | University of Michigan |
| Primary Location | Michigan |
Materials Engineer is one of the H-1B visa categories with 2 filings and an average salary of $83,015. The "Materials Engineer" role shows a very low volume of H-1B applications, indicating limited demand or a niche market. With only 2 petitions filed in FY2025, the competition is likely to be extremely low for H-1B candidates. The available salary data suggests a median salary of $103,200, which is competitive for engineering roles.
| Total Filings | 27 |
| Approval Rate | 96% |
| Average Salary | $88,052 |
| Median Salary | $80,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,740 |
| Minimum Salary | $50,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $180,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $53,435 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,000 |
| Median (50th) | $80,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $103,740 |
| 90th Percentile | $140,000 |
| Average | $88,052 |
| Sample Size | 27 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 26 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 1 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 27 |
How do H-1B salaries for Materials Engineer compare to the overall U.S. workforce? Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024 OEWS) compared to H-1B LCA filings.
| Percentile | H-1B Salary | U.S. Domestic (BLS) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $53,435 | $68,040 | -21% |
| 25th | $60,000 | $85,820 | -30% |
| Median | $80,000 | $108,310 | -26% |
| 75th | $103,740 | $138,370 | -25% |
| 90th | $140,000 | $172,000 | -19% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. H-1B data from DOL LCA filings.
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan | 7 | $60k |
| SILTRONIC CORPORATION | 2 | $104k |
| TEXAS A&M ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION | 2 | $52k |
| Core Health and Fitness, LLC | 2 | $77k |
| Kappes, Cassiday & Associates | 1 | $103k |
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | 1 | $74k |
| Nordson MEDICAL Design and Development, Inc. | 1 | $78k |
| Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | 1 | $180k |
| Coth Technologies Inc | 1 | $87k |
| Crafco, Inc. | 1 | $110k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 7 |
| California | 5 |
| Texas | 4 |
| Oregon | 2 |
| Massachusetts | 2 |
| Nevada | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 |
| Maryland | 1 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| Washington | 1 |
Focus on specialized materials science skills and target employers in Michigan and Nevada, as these appear to be the primary locations for H-1B hiring in this role.
The average H-1B salary for Materials Engineer is $83,015, with a median of $103,200. The 25th-75th percentile range is $62,830 to $103,200.
Top H-1B sponsors for Materials Engineer include University of Michigan, Kappes, Cassiday & Associates. A total of 2 employers have filed for this role.
There are 2 H-1B filings on record for Materials Engineer positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Materials Engineer positions are Michigan (1), Nevada (1).
Yes, Materials Engineer is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 2 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Materials Engineer salaries range from $62,830 to $103,200. The median salary is $103,200.
The approval rate for Materials Engineer H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The total number of petitions (2) is exceptionally small, making it difficult to draw broad trends.
The data is heavily concentrated in specific states (MI, NV), suggesting geographical limitations.
Focus on specialized materials science skills and target employers in Michigan and Nevada, as these appear to be the primary locations for H-1B hiring in this role.
The salary range appears broad, with a median of $103,200 and a lower end at $62,830.
The Materials Engineer occupation (SOC code 17-2131) 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.
Materials 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 Materials Engineer positions is Not Specified (27 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 27 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Materials Engineer positions show an average offered salary of $88,052, with a range from $50,000 at the entry level to $180,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Michigan (7 filings) and California (5 filings). According to BLS data, there are approximately 22,770 workers employed in this occupation across the United States.
Career outlook for Materials 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 Materials 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 Materials 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 Materials Engineer positions, the average offered salary of $88,052 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 9.9%, 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 Materials Engineer positions is 96%.
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. Materials 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 Materials Engineer H-1B filings is approximately 32 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Materials Engineer positions.
| City | State | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | Michigan | 6 |
| PORTLAND | Oregon | 2 |
| COLLEGE STATION | Texas | 2 |
| Lake Forest | California | 2 |
| Reno | Nevada | 1 |
| Menlo Park | California | 1 |
| Easton | Pennsylvania | 1 |
| Austin | Texas | 1 |
| Frederick | Maryland | 1 |
| Chandler | Arizona | 1 |
Other H-1B job categories related to Materials Engineer, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.