H-1B Sociologist Hiring Shows Upward Trend with High Salary Offers
Explore H-1B visa filings for Sociologists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $96,193 |
| Salary Range | $60,382 - $180,856 |
| Top Sponsor | Norc |
| Primary Location | California |
Sociologists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 24 filings and an average salary of $106,624. H-1B visa sponsorship for Sociologists is highly concentrated, with Virginia, New Jersey, and New York being the top states. The number of H-1B petitions for Sociologists has seen a significant increase in recent fiscal years, particularly FY2025. The median salary offered to H-1B Sociologists is above the average for the role, indicating a demand for specialized skills.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $96,193 |
| Median Salary | $83,699 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,400 |
| Minimum Salary | $60,382 |
| Maximum Salary | $180,856 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,858 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 |
| Median (50th) | $83,699 |
| 75th Percentile | $114,400 |
| 90th Percentile | $155,000 |
| Average | $96,193 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 95 |
| H-1B1 CHILE | 2 |
| H-1B1 SINGAPORE | 2 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 1 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| NORC | 6 | $91k |
| The Trustees of Princeton University | 5 | $105k |
| University of Minnesota | 5 | $61k |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | 5 | $99k |
| The RAND Corporation | 3 | $76k |
| USA INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE | 3 | $74k |
| Open Philanthropy Project | 3 | $181k |
| ADVERTISING RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. | 2 | $150k |
| The Nature Conservancy | 2 | $175k |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 2 | $85k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 17 |
| Virginia | 15 |
| District of Columbia | 10 |
| Illinois | 9 |
| New York | 7 |
| New Jersey | 7 |
| Minnesota | 5 |
| Maryland | 3 |
| Colorado | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 3 |
Focus on developing specialized research and analytical skills in sociology, particularly those applicable to data-driven industries, and target employers in states with a higher concentration of H-1B sponsorships for this role.
The average H-1B salary for Sociologists is $106,624, with a median of $91,603. The 25th-75th percentile range is $74,580 to $150,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Sociologists include Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, The Nature Conservancy, ADVERTISING RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., The Trustees of Princeton University, George Mason University. A total of 20 employers have filed for this role.
There are 24 H-1B filings on record for Sociologists positions. 95.8% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Sociologists positions are Virginia (5), New Jersey (4), New York (3), Maryland (3), Colorado (2).
Yes, Sociologists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 24 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Sociologists salaries range from $60,466 to $175,000. The median salary is $91,603.
The approval rate for Sociologists H-1B petitions is 95.8%. The data shows a strong upward trend in H-1B petitions for Sociologists, especially in FY2025.
Virginia leads in H-1B sponsorship for this role, followed closely by New Jersey and New York.
Focus on developing specialized research and analytical skills in sociology, particularly those applicable to data-driven industries, and target employers in states with a higher concentration of H-1B sponsorships for this role.
The median salary for H-1B Sociologists ($106,624) is notably higher than the average salary ($91,603).
The Sociologists occupation (SOC code 19-304100) 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.
Sociologists 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 Sociologists positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Sociologists positions show an average offered salary of $96,193, with a range from $60,382 at the entry level to $180,856 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (17 filings) and Virginia (15 filings).
Career outlook for Sociologists 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 Sociologists 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 Sociologists 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 Sociologists positions, the average offered salary of $96,193 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 17.2%, with 86% 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 Sociologists positions is 92%.
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. Sociologists 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 Sociologists H-1B filings is approximately 34 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Sociologists positions.