Which company sponsors the most H1B visas in Ohio?

Cleveland Clinic is the largest H1B sponsor in Ohio with 532 petitions filed in FY2024-2025, followed closely by The Ohio State University with 454. Both are Cleveland and Columbus-based institutions with consistent, reliable sponsorship records.

What is the average H1B salary in Ohio?

H1B salaries in Ohio vary by sector. Cleveland Clinic leads with an average prevailing wage of $187,383, reflecting physician-level compensation. Eaton Corporation is at $140,492. Nationwide Insurance reports $127,566. University and smaller hospital roles tend to be lower, around $72,000 to $97,000.

Is Ohio good for H1B workers?

Yes. Ohio has a strong H1B market anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, and research institutions. Cleveland is one of the top medical research cities in the country. Columbus has a growing tech and finance presence. The cost of living is among the lowest of any major H1B state.

Does Cleveland Clinic sponsor H1B visas?

Yes. Cleveland Clinic filed 532 H1B petitions in FY2024-2025 with a 98.9% approval rate and an average prevailing wage of $187,383. It is the largest H1B sponsor in Ohio and one of the most active hospital-based sponsors in the country.

H1B

Top H1B Sponsor Companies in Ohio in 2026

June 23, 2026 Alex Atkins

Cleveland Clinic pays its H1B workers an average prevailing wage of $187,383. That is higher than every tech employer, every consulting firm, and every bank on Ohio’s top 30 H1B sponsor list. Most people think of Ohio as a manufacturing state. The data says it is, in practice, a healthcare and research state, and Cleveland Clinic sits at the very top of it.

Must See: Top H1B Sponsor Companies in North Carolina in 2026.

Why H1B Applicants Are Paying Attention To Ohio Right Now

Ohio does not come up first when people are planning an H1B job search. That is understandable, and it is also an opportunity.

The state has a genuinely diverse H1B employer base that most candidates overlook. Cleveland is home to one of the most respected medical institutions in the world. Columbus has built a real technology and financial services presence over the past decade, with companies like Nationwide Insurance, Worldpay, and Cardinal Health all headquartered there. Cincinnati adds another layer through Eaton Corporation, University of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

What makes Ohio particularly interesting in 2026 is the cost of living advantage. Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are all dramatically cheaper than coastal tech hubs. A salary of $118,000 at Huntington National Bank in Columbus goes meaningfully further than the same salary would in New York or San Francisco. For someone building a long-term financial foundation while on H1B status, that gap matters more than most candidates initially realize.

The approval rates here tell a reassuring story too. Most Ohio employers in this dataset cleared 97% or above. The exceptions are worth knowing about, and we will get to those specifically.

What The Numbers Actually Show

Here are Ohio’s top H1B sponsors ranked by total filings for FY2024-2025:

Cleveland Clinic – 532 filings, 526 approvals, 6 denials, 98.9% approval rate, avg wage $187,383
The Ohio State University – 454 filings, 446 approvals, 8 denials, 98.2% approval rate, avg wage $97,658
SLK America Inc – 319 filings, 315 approvals, 4 denials, 98.7% approval rate, avg wage $94,705
ERP Analysts Inc – 311 filings, 307 approvals, 4 denials, 98.7% approval rate
The Huntington National Bank – 230 filings, 229 approvals, 1 denial, 99.6% approval rate, avg wage $118,515
Cardinal Health Inc – 229 filings, 229 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate
Strategic Systems Inc – 202 filings, 201 approvals, 1 denial, 99.5% approval rate, avg wage $85,736
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center – 197 filings, 196 approvals, 1 denial, 99.5% approval rate, avg wage $114,345
OhioHealth Corp – 166 filings, 163 approvals, 3 denials, 98.2% approval rate
Case Western Reserve University – 163 filings, 163 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate, avg wage $74,902
The Sherwin-Williams Company – 153 filings, 152 approvals, 1 denial, 99.3% approval rate, avg wage $119,547
Battelle Memorial Institute – 149 filings, 148 approvals, 1 denial, 99.3% approval rate, avg wage $118,541
Progressive Casualty Insurance Company – 136 filings, 135 approvals, 1 denial, 99.3% approval rate, avg wage $124,409
Eaton Corporation – 132 filings, 132 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate, avg wage $140,492
University of Cincinnati – 124 filings, 124 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate, avg wage $92,889
The Kroger Co – 107 filings, 107 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate
Health Carousel LLC – 105 filings, 102 approvals, 3 denials, 97.1% approval rate, avg wage $101,392
Worldpay LLC – 89 filings, 89 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate
USACS Medical Group Ltd – 87 filings, 87 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate
Goken America LLC – 82 filings, 80 approvals, 2 denials, 97.6% approval rate
Nationwide Insurance – 79 filings, 78 approvals, 1 denial, 98.7% approval rate, avg wage $127,566
Ohio University – 76 filings, 76 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate, avg wage $72,179
Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital – 76 filings, 75 approvals, 1 denial, 98.7% approval rate
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center – 74 filings, 74 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate, avg wage $79,589
DevFi Inc – 73 filings, 72 approvals, 1 denial, 98.6% approval rate
First Solar Inc – 70 filings, 70 approvals, 0 denials, 100% approval rate
University Hospitals Medical Group Inc – 69 filings, 68 approvals, 1 denial, 98.6% approval rate
OCLC Inc – 68 filings, 66 approvals, 2 denials, 97.1% approval rate
Kettering Medical Center – 66 filings, 59 approvals, 7 denials, 89.4% approval rate, avg wage $65,546
Medpace Inc – 64 filings, 61 approvals, 3 denials, 95.3% approval rate

Source: USCIS public disclosure records, FY2024-2025. Wage data from DOL LCA filings where available.

Here is what this data is really telling us.

The healthcare dominance in Ohio is striking compared to other states we have covered. Cleveland Clinic, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, OhioHealth, Case Western Reserve, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, University Hospitals Cleveland, University Hospitals Medical Group, USACS Medical Group, and Kettering Medical Center all appear on this list. That is nine distinct healthcare employers among the top 30. No other state in our series comes close to this concentration of hospital and medical research sponsorship activity.

Cleveland Clinic’s average wage of $187,383 is the headline number, and it reflects the physician and specialist roles that dominate the institution’s H1B filings. The 98.9% approval rate across 532 petitions is excellent for a healthcare employer at this scale. Cleveland Clinic has one of the most well-run immigration programs of any US hospital system, and the data backs that up.

Sherwin-Williams is one of the more unexpected names here. Most people think of paint when they hear the name. But Sherwin-Williams runs a substantial technology and data science operation from its Cleveland headquarters, and the average prevailing wage of $119,547 reflects serious corporate compensation for those roles. The 99.3% approval rate is clean. This is exactly the kind of employer that savvy candidates target when they want strong sponsorship without competing against thousands of other H1B applicants chasing the same well-known tech names.

Eaton Corporation deserves similar attention. A 100% approval rate, an average wage of $140,492, and 132 filings from a global power management company based in Dublin, Ohio. Eaton sponsors primarily for electrical engineering, software, and industrial technology roles. If you are an engineer who has been overlooking industrial technology companies in favor of pure software employers, Eaton’s numbers here are worth reconsidering.

Kroger with a 100% approval rate is another retail giant running a major technology operation from its Cincinnati headquarters. Like Home Depot in Georgia, Costco in Washington, and PetSmart in Arizona, Kroger’s presence here is a reminder that some of the cleanest H1B sponsorship records in any state belong to companies whose primary brand has nothing to do with technology.

First Solar is one of the more distinctive employers on this list. Based in Perrysburg, Ohio, First Solar is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the United States. With 70 filings and a perfect 100% approval rate, they are an active and reliable sponsor for engineering talent in a sector that is genuinely growing. Clean energy is not a category that shows up on most H1B state lists, and Ohio’s First Solar is worth noting for candidates in that field.

The Standouts: Best and Worst Ohio H1B Sponsors

Cleveland Clinic. The anchor employer for the entire state. Five hundred and thirty-two filings, 98.9% approval rate, and the highest average wage on the list at $187,383. For a physician, researcher, or clinical specialist weighing Ohio against other options, Cleveland Clinic combines world-class medical reputation with one of the most reliable H1B sponsorship operations among any hospital system in the country.

Eaton Corporation. A perfect 100% approval rate and $140,492 average wage across 132 filings. For example, if you are an electrical engineer or power systems specialist considering Eaton versus a more traditional software company, the combination of strong pay, clean sponsorship record, and genuine engineering depth makes Eaton a stronger option than most candidates give it credit for.

Progressive Casualty Insurance Company. The 99.3% approval rate and $124,409 average wage reflect Progressive’s substantial technology and data science operation in Mayfield Village. Progressive is one of the most data-driven insurance companies in the country, and its technology roles pay competitively. Another name that rarely appears on H1B target lists but probably should.

Kettering Medical Center. The lowest approval rate on this list at 89.4%, with 7 denials out of 66 filings. The average wage of $65,546 is also the lowest on the list by a significant margin. Kettering is a smaller hospital system in Dayton, and both the approval rate and the wage figure warrant careful attention before accepting any offer here. Ask your immigration attorney specifically about the role classification and what comparable petitions from this employer have looked like recently.

Medpace Inc. A 95.3% approval rate is the second weakest on this list. Medpace is a contract research organization in Cincinnati, sponsoring for clinical research roles. The rate is not disqualifying on its own, but it stands out in a state where most employers are clearing 97% or above.

What This Means If You Are Job Hunting Right Now

If you are a physician or medical researcher, Ohio is genuinely one of the best states in the country to target. The combination of Cleveland Clinic, Cincinnati Children’s, OhioHealth, Nationwide Children’s, and University Hospitals gives you multiple world-class options within the same state, all with strong approval records.

If you are in technology or engineering, look seriously at Sherwin-Williams, Eaton, Progressive, and Battelle. All four have excellent approval records, pay well, and face far less competition from other H1B candidates than the usual tech company suspects. Battelle in particular, the large nonprofit research and development organization, sponsors at a consistent rate with strong results and handles technically complex work that attracts serious candidates.

If you are in fintech or financial technology, Huntington National Bank, Nationwide Insurance, Worldpay, and Cardinal Health are all active Ohio sponsors with clean records. Columbus has been building a genuine fintech identity, and the data here supports that narrative.

The cost of living advantage in Ohio is real and worth factoring into your thinking. An $118,000 salary in Columbus puts you in a fundamentally different financial position than the same number in New York or San Francisco. For candidates building savings, paying down student loans, or planning ahead for green card costs, that difference compounds meaningfully over time.

What This Data Does Not Tell You

Wage data is missing for several employers including Cardinal Health, ERP Analysts, OhioHealth, and Worldpay. This is a dataset matching limitation. Cardinal Health in particular is a Fortune 500 company known for competitive corporate compensation.

The healthcare employer count in this dataset is unusually high compared to other states we have covered. Some of those entries, particularly the multiple University Hospitals entities and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital research institute, likely represent related organizations within the same health system. Consider the broader health system affiliations when evaluating options rather than treating each entity as a fully independent employer.

Kettering Medical Center’s 89.4% rate across 66 filings involves a small enough sample size that a few additional denials or approvals could shift the number meaningfully. That said, a rate this low even at small scale is worth taking seriously before committing to any offer.

The Bottom Line

Ohio’s H1B market in 2026 is defined by healthcare depth, industrial engineering strength, and a cost of living that makes the wages go further than almost anywhere else in our state series.

Cleveland Clinic anchors the list in both volume and compensation. But the real story is the breadth below it: Eaton, Sherwin-Williams, Progressive, Battelle, Worldpay, and First Solar all represent serious employers with excellent sponsorship records that most H1B candidates never consider.

Ohio will not make the top of anyone’s H1B dream list. But for candidates who look past the obvious, it rewards that effort with strong approval rates, competitive pay, and a cost of living that makes every dollar go further.

Reviewed and edited by the H1BTrack editorial team. Data verified against USCIS public disclosure records and DOL LCA filings as of June 2026.

Data sourced from publicly available USCIS and Department of Labor records. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Always verify current information at uscis.gov before making any decisions.