Software Engineers Lead H-1B Filings in FY2025 with 24,084 Applications and Wide Salary Disparities

Software Engineers Dominate H-1B Landscape

Software Engineer positions accounted for 24,084 H-1B visa filings in fiscal year 2025, representing one of the most sought-after job titles in the program. With 22,706 certified applications, the role achieved an impressive 94.3% approval rate, underscoring both employer demand and the position's qualification alignment with H-1B requirements.

Extreme Salary Variance Reveals Market Segmentation

The compensation data for Software Engineer positions reveals dramatic disparities across the industry. While the average salary stands at $478,410, the range spans from a minimum of $47,112 to an extraordinary maximum of $538,720,000. This extreme upper bound likely represents a data anomaly or equity compensation package, but the overall figures still illustrate significant wage stratification within the profession.

The average salary substantially exceeds the prevailing wage benchmark of $130,128, suggesting that employers are offering competitive compensation packages well above Department of Labor minimums—at least on average. However, this aggregated figure masks considerable variation among different employer categories.

Big Tech Versus Staffing Firms: A Tale of Two Markets

The top five employers for Software Engineer H-1B positions reveal distinct hiring patterns and compensation philosophies:

Meta Platforms, Inc. led all employers with 3,035 filings and an average salary of $332,153—more than 2.5 times the prevailing wage. Google LLC followed closely with 2,823 applications but offered substantially higher compensation at $463,811 average salary, reflecting intense competition for talent among leading technology companies.

In stark contrast, staffing and consulting firms occupy the middle tier. Mphasis Corporation filed 797 applications with an average salary of $120,460, while SKILLTUNE TECHNOLOGIES INC submitted 422 applications at $120,816 average compensation. These figures hover just below the prevailing wage, suggesting these firms operate on thinner margins and different business models than product-focused technology giants.

Intel Corporation rounded out the top five with 409 filings and $148,426 average salary, positioning itself between the staffing firms and the tech leaders.

Market Implications

The data illustrates a bifurcated market for Software Engineer talent in the H-1B program. Elite technology companies leverage significantly higher compensation to attract specialized talent, while staffing firms maintain volume hiring at more modest salary levels. This dual-track system raises questions about wage equity within the H-1B program, as workers in identical job classifications may experience vastly different compensation depending on their employer type.

For prospective H-1B applicants in software engineering, employer selection clearly correlates with earning potential. The nearly 4x salary difference between staffing firms and top tech companies emphasizes the importance of strategic job placement beyond simply securing visa sponsorship.

As software engineering continues dominating H-1B filings, these compensation patterns will likely influence both policy discussions around prevailing wage enforcement and employer recruitment strategies in an increasingly competitive talent market.