H-1B Demand for Mechanical Engineers, R&D Surges, Especially in FY2025
Explore H-1B visa filings for Mechanical Engineers, 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 | 99% |
| Average Salary | $87,044 |
| Salary Range | $48,500 - $243,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Primary Location | Massachusetts |
Mechanical Engineers, R&D is one of the H-1B visa categories with 73 filings and an average salary of $85,159. Hiring for Mechanical Engineers, R&D has seen a significant surge in recent fiscal years, particularly in FY2025. The number of job postings is slightly higher than the number of petitions filed, indicating a robust demand. The average salary offered is very close to the median salary, suggesting competitive compensation. The vast majority of positions are for full-time employment.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 99% |
| Average Salary | $87,044 |
| Median Salary | $81,120 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $95,913 |
| Minimum Salary | $48,500 |
| Maximum Salary | $243,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,004 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,000 |
| Median (50th) | $81,120 |
| 75th Percentile | $95,913 |
| 90th Percentile | $119,370 |
| Average | $87,044 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 98 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 2 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 15 | $80k |
| UChicago Argonne, LLC | 9 | $92k |
| WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY | 8 | $75k |
| UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY) | 6 | $121k |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 5 | $93k |
| Transportation Research Center, Inc. | 5 | $87k |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC | 5 | $98k |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 4 | $60k |
| University of Connecticut | 3 | $74k |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | 3 | $130k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 22 |
| Illinois | 11 |
| Kansas | 8 |
| Tennessee | 7 |
| Ohio | 6 |
| Texas | 6 |
| Colorado | 6 |
| Washington | 4 |
| Georgia | 4 |
| New York | 4 |
Focus your H-1B applications on states like Illinois, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Kansas, and highlight your R&D experience to align with the increasing demand, especially for upcoming fiscal years.
The average H-1B salary for Mechanical Engineers, R&D is $85,159, with a median of $84,968. The 25th-75th percentile range is $68,307 to $93,361.
Top H-1B sponsors for Mechanical Engineers, R&D include UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY), WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UChicago Argonne, LLC, Battelle Memorial Institute. A total of 31 employers have filed for this role.
There are 73 H-1B filings on record for Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions. 98.6% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions are Illinois (10), Tennessee (9), Massachusetts (8), Kansas (8), Washington (5).
Yes, Mechanical Engineers, R&D is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 73 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Mechanical Engineers, R&D salaries range from $48,500 to $161,575. The median salary is $84,968.
The approval rate for Mechanical Engineers, R&D H-1B petitions is 98.6%. The data shows a dramatic increase in H-1B filings for Mechanical Engineers, R&D, with FY2025 leading significantly.
The number of job postings (73) is slightly higher than the number of petitions (72), suggesting a healthy market.
Focus your H-1B applications on states like Illinois, Tennessee, Massachusetts, and Kansas, and highlight your R&D experience to align with the increasing demand, especially for upcoming fiscal years.
The average salary ($85,159) is marginally above the median salary ($84,968), indicating competitive pay.
The Mechanical Engineers, R&D occupation (SOC code 17-214400) 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, 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 Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions show an average offered salary of $87,044, with a range from $48,500 at the entry level to $243,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in Massachusetts (22 filings) and Illinois (11 filings).
Career outlook for Mechanical Engineers, 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 Mechanical Engineers, 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 Mechanical Engineers, 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 Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions, the average offered salary of $87,044 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 31.9%, with 92% 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, R&D positions is 99%.
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, 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 Mechanical Engineers, R&D H-1B filings is approximately 30 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Mechanical Engineers, R&D positions.
| City | State | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Massachusetts | 15 |
| Lemont | Illinois | 9 |
| Wichita | Kansas | 8 |
| Oak Ridge | Tennessee | 6 |
| East Liberty | Ohio | 5 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | 4 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | 4 |
| Storrs | Connecticut | 3 |
| Ames | Iowa | 3 |
| Golden | Colorado | 3 |
Other H-1B job categories related to Mechanical Engineers, R&D, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.