H-1B Physicist Hiring Shows Minimal Activity with Emerging FY2025 Interest
Explore H-1B visa filings for Physicists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 100% |
| Average Salary | $95,905 |
| Salary Range | $58,000 - $190,995 |
| Top Sponsor | Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab |
| Primary Location | California |
Physicists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 9 filings and an average salary of $83,777. The demand for Physicists on H-1B visas is currently low, with only 9 petitions filed. The average salary for H-1B Physicists is $81,994, with a median of $63,750. The highest reported salary is $118,000, indicating a wide salary range. The majority of petitions (8 out of 9) were filed for FY2025, suggesting a recent uptick in interest.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 100% |
| Average Salary | $95,905 |
| Median Salary | $90,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,853 |
| 75th Percentile | $115,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $58,000 |
| Maximum Salary | $190,995 |
| 10th Percentile | $61,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,853 |
| Median (50th) | $90,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $115,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $140,782 |
| Average | $95,905 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
How do H-1B salaries for Physicists 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 | $61,000 | $80,020 | -24% |
| 25th | $78,853 | $117,450 | -33% |
| Median | $90,000 | $166,290 | -46% |
| 75th | $115,000 | $210,260 | -45% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. H-1B data from DOL LCA filings.
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | 75 | $100k |
| University of Michigan | 10 | $73k |
| Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory | 10 | $79k |
| CI Physics LLC | 2 | $105k |
| SpectraDynamics Inc. | 1 | $120k |
| The Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health | 1 | $191k |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | 1 | $72k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 85 |
| Michigan | 10 |
| Illinois | 2 |
| Colorado | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Nevada | 1 |
Focus on developing specialized skills and networking within research institutions or tech companies that have a demonstrated need for physics expertise, as the H-1B market for this role is currently very limited.
The average H-1B salary for Physicists is $83,777, with a median of $81,994. The 25th-75th percentile range is $75,000 to $89,124.
Top H-1B sponsors for Physicists include University of Michigan, Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. A total of 3 employers have filed for this role.
There are 9 H-1B filings on record for Physicists positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Physicists positions are Michigan (5), California (3), Nevada (1).
Yes, Physicists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 9 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Physicists salaries range from $63,750 to $118,000. The median salary is $81,994.
The approval rate for Physicists H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The total number of H-1B petitions for Physicists is extremely small, making it difficult to establish strong trends.
The average salary is significantly higher than the median, suggesting a few high earners are skewing the average.
Focus on developing specialized skills and networking within research institutions or tech companies that have a demonstrated need for physics expertise, as the H-1B market for this role is currently very limited.
Geographically, petitions are concentrated in a few states, with Michigan and California appearing most frequently.
The Physicists occupation (SOC code 19-2012) 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.
Physicists 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 Physicists positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Physicists positions show an average offered salary of $95,905, with a range from $58,000 at the entry level to $190,995 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (85 filings) and Michigan (10 filings). According to BLS data, there are approximately 21,340 workers employed in this occupation across the United States.
Career outlook for Physicists 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 Physicists 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 Physicists 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 Physicists positions, the average offered salary of $95,905 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 20.9%, with 89% 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 Physicists positions is 100%.
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. Physicists 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 Physicists H-1B filings is approximately 35 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Physicists positions.
| City | State | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Menlo Park | California | 84 |
| Ann Arbor | Michigan | 10 |
| Normal | Illinois | 1 |
| Louisville | Colorado | 1 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | 1 |
| Melno Park | California | 1 |
| Urbana | Illinois | 1 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | 1 |