Where you work matters just as much as what you do when it comes to your H1B salary. The same software engineering role can pay $105,000 in one state and $182,000 in another. The same data scientist position earns dramatically different compensation depending on whether the job is in California, Texas, or North Dakota. This article breaks down H1B salary by state across all 50 states, the top cities by pay, wage level breakdowns for the major states, and how salaries have trended year over year. Every number comes directly from Labor Condition Application filings submitted to the US Department of Labor.
UP Next: H1B Sponsors Paying Over $200,000 on Average: The Complete 2026 List.
National H1B Salary Baseline: 2025
Before looking at individual states, here is where the national picture stands for fiscal year 2025:
- National average H1B salary: $129,231
- Lowest salary filed nationally: $15,080
- Highest salary filed nationally: $500,000
- Total filings nationally: 589,307
- States with active H1B filings: 55 (including DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands)
That national average of $129,231 is the baseline against which every state should be measured. States above this figure are paying above the national norm. States below it are markets where H1B salaries lag the broader US average. As you will see, the gap between the top and bottom states is substantial.
Top 15 States by H1B Filing Volume
Understanding which states have the most H1B activity is the starting point for any job search strategy. Here are the 15 states with the highest filing volumes in 2025:
- California: 109,429 filings | Average salary $159,053 | 16,063 unique companies
- Texas: 89,583 filings | Average salary $118,390 | 14,087 unique companies
- New York: 49,667 filings | Average salary $141,864 | 10,872 unique companies
- Washington: 35,996 filings | Average salary $157,396 | 3,381 unique companies
- New Jersey: 28,924 filings | Average salary $125,791 | 6,224 unique companies
- Illinois: 24,919 filings | Average salary $117,071 | 5,508 unique companies
- Georgia: 22,089 filings | Average salary $115,784 | 4,855 unique companies
- North Carolina: 22,037 filings | Average salary $118,392 | 4,510 unique companies
- Massachusetts: 21,159 filings | Average salary $125,325 | 4,683 unique companies
- Florida: 19,811 filings | Average salary $113,667 | 5,996 unique companies
- Pennsylvania: 15,789 filings | Average salary $113,082 | 3,731 unique companies
- Virginia: 15,575 filings | Average salary $121,461 | 3,818 unique companies
- Michigan: 14,634 filings | Average salary $110,818 | 3,064 unique companies
- Ohio: 11,937 filings | Average salary $109,246 | 2,828 unique companies
- Arizona: 10,195 filings | Average salary $114,486 | 2,479 unique companies
Texas leads in diversity of sponsoring employers with 14,087 unique companies despite its lower average salary. In contrast, Washington has just 3,381 unique companies but pays an average of $157,396 — the second highest in the country. This reflects Washington’s concentration of sponsorship in a small number of very large, very high-paying technology companies like Amazon and Microsoft.
H1B Average Salary by State: All 50 States Ranked
Here is the complete ranking of every US state and territory by average H1B salary in 2025:
- West Virginia: $173,503 average | 613 filings | 129 companies
- California: $159,053 average | 109,429 filings | 16,063 companies
- Washington: $157,396 average | 35,996 filings | 3,381 companies
- Maine: $144,268 average | 476 filings | 152 companies
- New York: $141,864 average | 49,667 filings | 10,872 companies
- Delaware: $126,154 average | 2,722 filings | 721 companies
- Oregon: $125,845 average | 4,377 filings | 943 companies
- New Jersey: $125,791 average | 28,924 filings | 6,224 companies
- Massachusetts: $125,325 average | 21,159 filings | 4,683 companies
- Washington DC: $124,835 average | 2,898 filings | 1,083 companies
- Rhode Island: $122,696 average | 1,347 filings | 375 companies
- Louisiana: $122,677 average | 1,711 filings | 455 companies
- Virginia: $121,461 average | 15,575 filings | 3,818 companies
- Arkansas: $120,181 average | 4,255 filings | 731 companies
- Connecticut: $119,756 average | 6,233 filings | 1,407 companies
- Colorado: $119,548 average | 6,345 filings | 1,837 companies
- Nevada: $118,828 average | 2,050 filings | 755 companies
- North Carolina: $118,392 average | 22,037 filings | 4,510 companies
- Texas: $118,390 average | 89,583 filings | 14,087 companies
- Illinois: $117,071 average | 24,919 filings | 5,508 companies
- Alabama: $116,924 average | 1,913 filings | 616 companies
- Georgia: $115,784 average | 22,089 filings | 4,855 companies
- New Hampshire: $115,775 average | 1,610 filings | 526 companies
- Maryland: $115,184 average | 7,074 filings | 2,208 companies
- Arizona: $114,486 average | 10,195 filings | 2,479 companies
- Florida: $113,667 average | 19,811 filings | 5,996 companies
- Pennsylvania: $113,082 average | 15,789 filings | 3,731 companies
- Vermont: $112,004 average | 347 filings | 115 companies
- Wisconsin: $111,764 average | 4,230 filings | 1,096 companies
- Kentucky: $111,311 average | 2,337 filings | 686 companies
- Michigan: $110,818 average | 14,634 filings | 3,064 companies
- Minnesota: $109,542 average | 6,439 filings | 1,636 companies
- Indiana: $109,366 average | 6,129 filings | 1,498 companies
- Ohio: $109,246 average | 11,937 filings | 2,828 companies
- Tennessee: $109,030 average | 6,870 filings | 1,544 companies
- Idaho: $108,444 average | 1,062 filings | 205 companies
- Iowa: $108,299 average | 2,325 filings | 654 companies
- Hawaii: $107,973 average | 404 filings | 164 companies
- Missouri: $107,209 average | 6,293 filings | 1,644 companies
- Utah: $106,654 average | 3,410 filings | 983 companies
- South Carolina: $106,592 average | 3,316 filings | 1,111 companies
- New Mexico: $106,357 average | 1,275 filings | 283 companies
- Oklahoma: $105,010 average | 1,646 filings | 543 companies
- Mississippi: $103,662 average | 868 filings | 264 companies
- Nebraska: $103,555 average | 1,729 filings | 513 companies
- Montana: $102,843 average | 217 filings | 97 companies
- Kansas: $101,408 average | 2,256 filings | 819 companies
- Wyoming: $95,377 average | 241 filings | 82 companies
- South Dakota: $91,407 average | 503 filings | 135 companies
- Puerto Rico: $90,987 average | 140 filings | 74 companies
- North Dakota: $84,746 average | 546 filings | 171 companies
- Alaska: $83,912 average | 373 filings | 90 companies
- Guam: $62,737 average | 791 filings | 156 companies
- Virgin Islands: $61,767 average | 47 filings | 16 companies
- Northern Mariana Islands: $54,989 average | 145 filings | 51 companies
The Surprising State at the Top: West Virginia
The first thing most people notice when they see this ranking is West Virginia at number one with an average H1B salary of $173,503. That is higher than California. Higher than Washington. Higher than New York. With only 613 filings across 129 companies, this is clearly a case where a small number of very high-paying specialized positions drive the average up significantly.
Specifically, West Virginia’s H1B market is dominated by physician sponsorship at regional hospital systems. Medical specialists — particularly hospitalists, emergency physicians, and internists at health systems serving rural Appalachia — command salaries above $300,000. Because there are so few total filings, those physician salaries pull the state average well above even the most tech-heavy states. This is a useful reminder that average salary data always needs to be read alongside filing volume and industry context.
How the Top Five States Compare Year Over Year
Salary growth across the five largest H1B markets tells an important story about where compensation is accelerating fastest:
California
- 2022: $143,170 | 2023: $146,515 | 2024: $151,238 | 2025: $159,053 | 2026 so far: $172,217
Washington
- 2022: $141,356 | 2023: $145,754 | 2024: $152,596 | 2025: $157,396 | 2026 so far: $163,644
New York
- 2022: $129,219 | 2023: $133,003 | 2024: $136,282 | 2025: $141,864 | 2026 so far: $152,665
Massachusetts
- 2022: $114,568 | 2023: $116,540 | 2024: $120,082 | 2025: $125,325 | 2026 so far: $132,316
Texas
- 2022: $108,971 | 2023: $109,727 | 2024: $109,649 | 2025: $118,390 | 2026 so far: $126,690
Several important patterns emerge from this trend data. First, California has grown average H1B salary by nearly $16,000 in three years from 2022 to 2025. Second, Washington’s early 2026 average of $163,644 already exceeds its full-year 2025 figure of $157,396, suggesting continued upward momentum. Third, Texas was essentially flat from 2022 to 2024, hovering around $109,000, before jumping sharply to $118,390 in 2025. This suggests Texas employers significantly raised wages last year, possibly in response to the proposed DOL wage rule changes. Furthermore, New York’s 2026 early average of $152,665 represents a $10,801 jump over its full-year 2025 figure, indicating strong early-year hiring at higher pay levels.
H1B Wage Levels by State: Where the Filings Concentrate
Beyond average salaries, understanding how wage levels are distributed within each state reveals important differences in the types of roles being sponsored. Here is the breakdown for the eight major states:
California
- Level I: 16,701 filings | Average $105,267
- Level II: 33,476 filings | Average $146,917
- Level III: 21,298 filings | Average $178,599
- Level IV: 18,791 filings | Average $209,492
Texas
- Level I: 15,156 filings | Average $83,432
- Level II: 40,658 filings | Average $106,631
- Level III: 16,097 filings | Average $136,116
- Level IV: 14,243 filings | Average $168,000
New York
- Level I: 11,696 filings | Average $88,939
- Level II: 17,529 filings | Average $135,438
- Level III: 9,256 filings | Average $170,822
- Level IV: 7,974 filings | Average $208,139
Washington
- Level I: 5,684 filings | Average $116,195
- Level II: 13,907 filings | Average $145,940
- Level III: 9,034 filings | Average $175,500
- Level IV: 4,989 filings | Average $206,707
New Jersey
- Level I: 5,912 filings | Average $87,917
- Level II: 11,907 filings | Average $114,417
- Level III: 5,336 filings | Average $148,392
- Level IV: 3,820 filings | Average $184,346
Massachusetts
- Level I: 5,301 filings | Average $90,379
- Level II: 7,457 filings | Average $118,723
- Level III: 3,762 filings | Average $145,728
- Level IV: 3,127 filings | Average $174,567
Illinois
- Level I: 5,161 filings | Average $82,159
- Level II: 9,736 filings | Average $107,136
- Level III: 4,798 filings | Average $135,162
- Level IV: 4,008 filings | Average $163,513
Georgia
- Level I: 3,715 filings | Average $79,147
- Level II: 9,417 filings | Average $105,937
- Level III: 4,398 filings | Average $131,413
- Level IV: 3,481 filings | Average $154,957
Washington stands out in a very specific way. Its Level I average salary of $116,195 is the highest of any major state at that tier — nearly $11,000 more than California’s Level I average of $105,267. This means even entry-level H1B roles in Washington start significantly higher than in most other states. The reason is simple: Amazon and Microsoft set extremely high salary floors even for junior positions, pulling up the entire state’s Level I average.
Texas, by contrast, has the lowest Level I average at $83,432 among the eight states shown — reflecting the large volume of entry-level IT services and consulting roles filed by staffing firms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Additionally, Texas has by far the largest concentration of Level II filings with 40,658, reflecting the dominance of mid-level consulting roles in its H1B market.
Top 20 Cities by H1B Salary Nationally
At the city level, the salary picture becomes even more granular. Here are the top 20 US cities ranked by average H1B salary in 2025:
- Los Gatos, CA: Average $221,043 | 286 filings
- Bangor, ME: Average $213,994 | 110 filings
- Menlo Park, CA: Average $197,991 | 3,758 filings
- Redwood Shores, CA: Average $194,625 | 130 filings
- Mountain View, CA: Average $188,963 | 6,531 filings
- Shreveport, LA: Average $188,426 | 156 filings
- San Mateo, CA: Average $185,366 | 1,192 filings
- East Palo Alto, CA: Average $184,206 | 405 filings
- Palo Alto, CA: Average $183,326 | 3,552 filings
- Cupertino, CA: Average $180,725 | 3,575 filings
- San Francisco, CA: Average $176,884 | 11,933 filings
- Sammamish, WA: Average $175,491 | 152 filings
- Sunnyvale, CA: Average $175,047 | 10,569 filings
- Santa Clara, CA: Average $174,752 | 7,497 filings
- Burlingame, CA: Average $174,140 | 405 filings
- San Jose, CA: Average $173,357 | 11,087 filings
- Stockton, CA: Average $172,236 | 111 filings
- Belmont, CA: Average $170,177 | 102 filings
- Redwood City, CA: Average $169,074 | 967 filings
- Springfield, MA: Average $168,048 | 204 filings
Los Gatos leads all US cities at $221,043, driven by Netflix’s headquarters located there. Bangor, Maine appears at number two with an average of $213,994 — a surprising entry that, similar to West Virginia, is driven by specialist physician compensation at regional medical centers rather than technology employment. Shreveport, Louisiana at $188,426 is similarly driven by medical specialist sponsorship rather than tech.
Sammamish, Washington and Springfield, Massachusetts are the only non-California cities in the top 20 outside of Maine and Louisiana. Sammamish reflects the overflow of Amazon and Microsoft engineering talent settling in eastern King County suburbs. Springfield’s appearance reflects a concentration of healthcare and financial services sponsorship in western Massachusetts.
Top H1B Roles in California: The Benchmark State
Because California dominates in both volume and average salary, its role-level data provides the most useful national salary benchmark. Here are the top 50 H1B roles in California with their average salaries:
- Software Developers: 35,751 filings | Average $182,283
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: 4,536 filings | Average $162,534
- Data Scientists: 4,173 filings | Average $168,464
- IT Project Managers: 3,476 filings | Average $165,699
- Computer and Information Systems Managers: 3,457 filings | Average $234,937
- Software QA Analysts and Testers: 3,235 filings | Average $141,290
- Computer Systems Engineers and Architects: 2,820 filings | Average $132,521
- Accountants and Auditors: 2,325 filings | Average $112,788
- Mechanical Engineers: 2,304 filings | Average $145,517
- Business Intelligence Analysts: 2,256 filings | Average $147,171
- Electrical Engineers: 1,916 filings | Average $159,439
- Computer Programmers: 1,764 filings | Average $114,678
- Computer and Information Research Scientists: 1,701 filings | Average $205,541
- Operations Research Analysts: 1,671 filings | Average $140,644
- Market Research Analysts: 1,449 filings | Average $106,214
- Financial and Investment Analysts: 1,431 filings | Average $143,459
- Computer Systems Analysts: 1,401 filings | Average $133,684
- Industrial Engineers: 1,279 filings | Average $140,226
- Management Analysts: 1,084 filings | Average $140,389
- Sales Engineers: 884 filings | Average $161,300
- Database Administrators: 880 filings | Average $133,207
- Architectural and Engineering Managers: 858 filings | Average $211,450
- Biochemists and Biophysicists: 805 filings | Average $94,132
- Marketing Managers: 794 filings | Average $200,118
- Computer Hardware Engineers: 755 filings | Average $187,534
- Project Management Specialists: 731 filings | Average $146,266
- Civil Engineers: 715 filings | Average $109,611
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators: 689 filings | Average $122,799
- Graphic Designers: 630 filings | Average $135,394
- Manufacturing Engineers: 590 filings | Average $137,168
- Information Security Analysts: 577 filings | Average $167,518
- Validation Engineers: 563 filings | Average $127,737
- General and Operations Managers: 545 filings | Average $157,641
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists: 525 filings | Average $104,273
- Database Architects: 516 filings | Average $172,124
- Statisticians: 503 filings | Average $157,737
- Lawyers: 486 filings | Average $215,550
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists: 462 filings | Average $95,965
- Web and Digital Interface Designers: 428 filings | Average $156,098
- Computer Network Architects: 411 filings | Average $163,679
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval: 404 filings | Average $86,169
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers: 400 filings | Average $118,006
- Materials Engineers: 389 filings | Average $140,153
- Logisticians: 367 filings | Average $117,239
- Financial Managers: 346 filings | Average $212,131
- Information Security Engineers: 342 filings | Average $163,648
- Supply Chain Managers: 325 filings | Average $155,020
- Chemists: 301 filings | Average $114,269
- Financial Quantitative Analysts: 296 filings | Average $125,828
- Speech-Language Pathologists: 296 filings | Average $98,835
Within California’s role data, several standouts deserve attention. Lawyers average $215,550 across 486 filings, reflecting Big Law and technology legal practices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Furthermore, Architectural and Engineering Managers average $211,450 — indicating that engineering leadership at California’s largest technology and aerospace companies commands compensation above most individual contributor technical roles. Additionally, Database Architects averaging $172,124 and Information Security Analysts averaging $167,518 both significantly exceed the national average for those same roles, highlighting the California tech premium at the specialty level.
Key Insights From the State Salary Data
- California and Washington are in their own tier: Both states average above $157,000, while the next highest volume state — New York — averages $141,864. The gap between the top two states and the rest reflects the concentration of the highest-paying technology employers in those geographies.
- Volume and salary do not move together: Texas has the second-most filings nationally at 89,583 but ranks 19th in average salary at $118,390. Meanwhile, West Virginia ranks first in average salary at $173,503 with just 613 total filings. More filings does not mean higher pay. The composition of the sponsoring industry matters more than raw volume.
- 2025 was a breakout salary year for Texas: After three years of essentially flat average salaries hovering around $109,000, Texas jumped to $118,390 in 2025. This is the largest single-year salary increase in Texas H1B history based on the available trend data. The 2026 early figure of $126,690 suggests the trend is continuing.
- Washington’s entry-level floor is exceptional: Level I H1B salaries in Washington average $116,195 — higher than the overall H1B average in 30 other states. Even the most junior H1B roles in Washington pay more than the full-range average in states like Georgia, Illinois, and North Carolina.
- Bangor, Maine and Shreveport, Louisiana are physician anomalies: Both cities appear in the top 20 nationally by average salary despite having minimal technology presence. Regional hospital systems sponsoring specialist physicians at $250,000 to $400,000 pull small-volume city averages far above what pure tech markets show. This reinforces that state and city salary data always needs industry context.
- The Southeast lags but is catching up: Georgia averages $115,784, North Carolina $118,392, and Florida $113,667. All three are below the national average but have large filing volumes reflecting genuine H1B activity. As technology investment in cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Miami accelerates, these averages are likely to rise in coming years.
- California’s 2026 trajectory is steep: The early 2026 average of $172,217 in California is $13,164 above the full-year 2025 figure. If this pace continues, California’s 2026 full-year average could approach or exceed $165,000, which would represent the largest annual salary increase in the state’s H1B history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the highest average H1B salary?
West Virginia leads all states at $173,503 average, driven by specialist physician sponsorship at regional hospital systems. Among high-volume states, California follows at $159,053, Washington at $157,396, and New York at $141,864.
Which state has the most H1B filings?
California leads with 109,429 filings in 2025, followed by Texas at 89,583 and New York at 49,667. Together, these three states account for roughly 42% of all H1B filings nationally.
How much does state location affect H1B salary?
Significantly. The same software developer role averages $182,283 in California but would typically be filed at prevailing wages well below that in states like Georgia or Florida. Location directly determines the prevailing wage floor used in the LCA, which sets the legal minimum an employer must pay. Moving from a low-wage state to California or Washington for the same role can mean a salary difference of $40,000 to $60,000 annually.
Which state has the best combination of volume and salary?
Washington offers the best combination for technology professionals. It has the second-highest average salary at $157,396 while maintaining 35,996 filings. Moreover, even its entry-level roles average $116,195 nationally. California has higher volume and similar pay but also significantly higher cost of living, which offsets some of the nominal salary advantage.
Are H1B salaries increasing in every state?
Based on trend data for the five largest states, yes. California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas have all seen consistent salary growth every year from 2022 through 2025. Texas was the exception from 2022 to 2024 when its average was essentially flat, but it jumped sharply in 2025 and continues growing in 2026.
Final Thoughts
Where you work is one of the most powerful salary levers available to H1B workers. The data makes this clear. A $40,000 to $60,000 salary difference for the same role in different states is not unusual. When evaluating job offers, state location should sit alongside company approval rate, wage level classification, and total compensation as a key factor in your decision.
At the same time, salary is only one dimension. Cost of living in California and Washington is significantly higher than in Texas, Georgia, or North Carolina. A $118,000 average in Texas may represent comparable or better purchasing power than $159,000 in California, depending on your specific city and lifestyle. Use the salary data as your starting benchmark, then factor in cost of living and total compensation before drawing conclusions about which offer is genuinely better.
Data source: Labor Condition Application filings submitted to the US Department of Labor for fiscal year 2025. State salary figures reflect all certified LCA filings with a worksite in that state. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.