New York Commands 39,169 H-1B Filings for FY2025, Led by Consulting and Tech Giants
New York processed 39,169 H-1B visa applications in FY2025 with a 92% certification rate, establishing itself as a major hub for skilled foreign talent. Ernst & Young led all employers with 1,555 filings, while an average salary of $518,836 reflects the metro area's concentration of high-value professional services and technology roles.
New York Maintains Position as Premier H-1B Destination
New York secured its status as one of America's top destinations for H-1B visa talent in FY2025, with 39,169 total filings and 36,063 certifications—a robust 92% approval rate. The city's substantial visa volume underscores its continued appeal to multinational corporations seeking specialized foreign talent across finance, technology, and professional services sectors.
Salary Data Reveals Premium Compensation Landscape
The average H-1B salary in New York reached $518,836 for FY2025, significantly exceeding national averages and reflecting the city's concentration of senior-level positions and high-value industries. However, this figure warrants careful interpretation given the reported salary range spanning from $30,000 to $936 million—with the maximum likely representing a data anomaly or unique compensation structure that skews the mean considerably higher.
For professionals considering H-1B opportunities in New York, these elevated salaries must be contextualized against the metro area's notoriously high cost of living. Housing costs, transportation, and general expenses in New York consistently rank among the nation's highest, making salary considerations paramount for visa holders evaluating employment offers.
Big Four Consulting and Tech Dominate Employer Rankings
Ernst & Young U.S. LLP topped all employers with 1,555 H-1B filings, highlighting the significant demand for skilled foreign professionals in management consulting and professional services. The employer landscape reveals a notable split between traditional consulting firms and technology powerhouses, with Google LLC (1,086 filings), Amazon.com Services LLC (1,063 filings), and Meta Platforms, Inc. (957 filings) collectively representing substantial technology sector demand.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. rounded out the top five with 692 filings, reinforcing New York's enduring position as the nation's financial capital and a major destination for specialized banking and financial services talent.
Industry Composition Spans Professional Services and Technology
Analysis of NAICS codes reveals a diverse industrial base, though one entry appears corrupted in the data. Custom Computer Programming Services (NAICS 541511) led identifiable sectors with 2,943 filings, followed by Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150) with 1,703 filings. Legal services (541110) contributed 1,221 applications, while Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310) accounted for 1,213 filings, reflecting New York's substantial higher education infrastructure.
This industry distribution illustrates New York's economic complexity, where technology, finance, legal services, and academia converge to create sustained demand for specialized international talent.
Outlook and Implications
New York's FY2025 H-1B data confirms the metro area's continued reliance on skilled foreign professionals to fuel growth across its most competitive sectors. The strong certification rate and diversity of major employers suggest a mature, well-established visa processing ecosystem capable of supporting both established corporations and growing technology firms seeking global talent in one of the world's most dynamic business centers.