H-1B Mechanical Engineer Hiring Shows Strong Growth, Dominated by Key States
Explore H-1B visa filings for Mechanical Engineers. 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 | $138,497 |
| Salary Range | $70,000 - $278,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Tesla, Inc. |
| Primary Location | California |
Mechanical Engineers is one of the H-1B visa categories with 1,936 filings and an average salary of $411,486. The vast majority of H-1B Mechanical Engineer positions are concentrated in California, Michigan, and Texas. There's a significant upward trend in H-1B Mechanical Engineer applications, particularly in recent fiscal years. The average salary for H-1B Mechanical Engineers is substantial, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in this field.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 95% |
| Average Salary | $138,497 |
| Median Salary | $132,142 |
| 25th Percentile | $100,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $160,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $70,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $278,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $92,206 |
| 25th Percentile | $100,000 |
| Median (50th) | $132,142 |
| 75th Percentile | $160,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $210,000 |
| Average | $138,497 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla, Inc. | 13 | $142k |
| Nevada Gold Mines LLC | 9 | $107k |
| Rivian Automotive, LLC | 4 | $201k |
| Quality Mechanical Repair LLC | 3 | $188k |
| Deep Sky USA Corporation | 3 | $125k |
| Veenus Infotechs Corporation | 3 | $86k |
| Planet Innovation, Inc. | 2 | $151k |
| Blacktail R, LLC | 2 | $93k |
| Supashock USA Inc. | 2 | $138k |
| PSCORP INTERNATIONAL LLC | 2 | $130k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 42 |
| Nevada | 14 |
| Texas | 10 |
| Ohio | 5 |
| New York | 4 |
| Montana | 3 |
| Utah | 3 |
| Michigan | 3 |
| Indiana | 3 |
| Louisiana | 2 |
Focus your H-1B Mechanical Engineer job search on states like California and Michigan, and highlight specialized skills that align with the high demand indicated by recent application trends.
The average H-1B salary for Mechanical Engineers is $411,486, with a median of $109,131. The 25th-75th percentile range is $92,300 to $134,200.
Top H-1B sponsors for Mechanical Engineers include Apple Inc., Cummins Inc., Tesla, Inc., HCL AMERICA INC, L&T Technology Services Limited. A total of 965 employers have filed for this role.
There are 1,936 H-1B filings on record for Mechanical Engineers positions. 98.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Mechanical Engineers positions are California (443), Michigan (317), Texas (169), Illinois (104), Ohio (95).
Yes, Mechanical Engineers is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 1,936 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Mechanical Engineers salaries range from $47,445 to $236,572,960. The median salary is $109,131.
The approval rate for Mechanical Engineers H-1B petitions is 98.0%. California leads significantly in H-1B Mechanical Engineer job postings.
The number of H-1B Mechanical Engineer applications has surged dramatically from FY2023 to FY2025.
Focus your H-1B Mechanical Engineer job search on states like California and Michigan, and highlight specialized skills that align with the high demand indicated by recent application trends.
The total number of Mechanical Engineers hired on H-1B visas is a fraction of the total applications, indicating a competitive market.
The Mechanical Engineers occupation (SOC code 17-214100) 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.
Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Mechanical Engineers positions show an average offered salary of $138,497, with a range from $70,000 at the entry level to $278,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (42 filings) and Nevada (14 filings).
Career outlook for Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers positions, the average offered salary of $138,497 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 22.5%, 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 Mechanical Engineers 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. Mechanical Engineers 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 Mechanical Engineers H-1B filings is approximately 24 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Mechanical Engineers positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Mechanical Engineers, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.