H-1B Economist Hiring Experiences Sharp Uptick, Driven by Key States and High Salaries
Explore H-1B visa filings for Economists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 94% |
| Average Salary | $139,494 |
| Salary Range | $60,403 - $300,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Cornerstone Research, Inc. |
| Primary Location | California |
Economists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 149 filings and an average salary of $167,624. The demand for H-1B Economists has seen a significant surge, with a dramatic increase in petitions filed in FY2025. California, New York, and Massachusetts are the leading states for H-1B Economist hiring, indicating concentrated opportunities in these regions. The average salary for H-1B Economists is substantial, reflecting the specialized skills and experience required for these roles. While the number of petitions is high, the number of employers filing is relatively low, suggesting a concentration of hiring within a few key organizations.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 94% |
| Average Salary | $139,494 |
| Median Salary | $136,508 |
| 25th Percentile | $101,015 |
| 75th Percentile | $165,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $60,403 |
| Maximum Salary | $300,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $80,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $101,015 |
| Median (50th) | $136,508 |
| 75th Percentile | $165,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $208,819 |
| Average | $139,494 |
| Sample Size | 99 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 79 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 9 |
| H-1B1 SINGAPORE | 7 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 5 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Research, Inc. | 13 | $172k |
| Amazon.com Services LLC | 6 | $191k |
| Econic Partners US LLC | 5 | $138k |
| TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. | 5 | $163k |
| Federal Express Corporation | 4 | $139k |
| The Brattle Group | 3 | $139k |
| Analysis Group, Inc. | 3 | $112k |
| Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System | 3 | $170k |
| Harvard University | 3 | $88k |
| Council for the New Energy Economics | 3 | $103k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 20 |
| Massachusetts | 17 |
| District of Columbia | 11 |
| New York | 10 |
| Illinois | 7 |
| Texas | 5 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 |
| Virginia | 3 |
| New Mexico | 3 |
| Colorado | 2 |
Focus your H-1B applications on states like California, New York, and Massachusetts, and highlight advanced analytical skills and experience in your resume to align with the high salary expectations for Economist roles.
The average H-1B salary for Economists is $167,624, with a median of $131,434. The 25th-75th percentile range is $91,000 to $170,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Economists include Cornerstone Research, Inc., Amazon.com Services LLC, Econic Partners US LLC, Analysis Group, Inc., National Economic Research Associates, Inc.. A total of 81 employers have filed for this role.
There are 149 H-1B filings on record for Economists positions. 95.3% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Economists positions are California (23), New York (22), Massachusetts (20), District of Columbia (16), Illinois (12).
Yes, Economists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 149 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Economists salaries range from $55,000 to $4,550,000. The median salary is $131,434.
The approval rate for Economists H-1B petitions is 95.3%. The number of H-1B petitions for Economists has grown exponentially from 5 in FY2023 to 131 in FY2025.
The average annual salary for H-1B Economists is $4,550,000, significantly higher than the median salary of $55,000.
Focus your H-1B applications on states like California, New York, and Massachusetts, and highlight advanced analytical skills and experience in your resume to align with the high salary expectations for Economist roles.
The top hiring states are CA (23 petitions), NY (22 petitions), and MA (20 petitions), accounting for a significant portion of the total.
The Economists occupation (SOC code 19-301100) 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.
Economists 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 Economists positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Economists positions show an average offered salary of $139,494, with a range from $60,403 at the entry level to $300,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (20 filings) and Massachusetts (17 filings).
Career outlook for Economists 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 Economists 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 Economists 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 Economists positions, the average offered salary of $139,494 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 24.8%, with 96% 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 Economists positions is 94%.
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. Economists 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 Economists H-1B filings is approximately 33 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Economists positions.