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Software Developers, R&D

SOC Code: 15-1296

Software Developers, R&D accounts for 23 H-1B LCA petitions across 4 employers with a 100% certification rate and an average salary of $104,744. The top state for this occupation is CA with 10 petitions. The leading sponsor is University of Michigan.

H-1B demand profile: Software Developers, R&D. Under U.S. Department of Labor standard occupational classification 15-1296, employers filed 23 Labor Condition Applications for Software Developers, R&D positions across 4 distinct H-1B sponsors. The DOL certified these petitions at a 100% rate, a measure of how cleanly the prevailing-wage and working-conditions attestations cleared preliminary review. That volume places Software Developers, R&D among the concrete, data-backed specialty occupations qualifying under the H-1B program’s bachelor’s-degree-plus-theoretical-knowledge standard.

Salary band for Software Developers, R&D. Offered wages on LCAs range from $78,660 at the floor to $155,738 at the ceiling, with an average of $104,744. These figures reflect what employers commit to pay sponsored workers, not market averages, each offer must meet or exceed the DOL prevailing wage (Level I through IV) for the worksite, so the distribution tracks wage-level geography, years of experience, and regional cost of labor more than it does any single employer’s pay philosophy.

Where and who sponsors Software Developers, R&D. The top sponsor is University of Michigan with 11 petitions at an average offered wage of $92,802, followed by Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab, Children's National Medical Center, Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Geographically, CA leads with 10 filings (avg $122,247), followed by MI, DC, OH. Taken together, the sponsor concentration and state footprint give a practical read on where demand for Software Developers, R&D actually clusters in the U.S. labor market, and how competitive pay for the role looks through the DOL’s H-1B lens.

23
Petitions
4
Employers
$104,744
Avg. Salary
100%
Certified
Certification Score: 5/5 , Based on 100% of 23 petitions certified by DOL

Top Employers for Software Developers, R&D

Companies that file the most H-1B petitions for this occupation

Employer Petitions Avg. Salary
University of Michigan 11 $92,802
Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab 9 $126,117
Children's National Medical Center 2 $82,909
Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory 1 $87,422

Compare University of Michigan vs Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab side-by-side →

Software Developers, R&D H-1B Petitions by State

Geographic distribution of H-1B filings for this occupation

CA
10 petitions
$122,247
MI
7 petitions
$92,488
DC
2 petitions
$82,909
OH
2 petitions
$102,000
IL
1 petitions
$85,954
IN
1 petitions
$83,451

Frequently Asked Questions

How many H-1B petitions have been filed for Software Developers, R&D?

There have been 23 H-1B LCA petitions filed for Software Developers, R&D (SOC 15-1296) across 4 employers, with a 100% certification rate.

What is the average H-1B salary for Software Developers, R&D?

The average H-1B salary for Software Developers, R&D is $104,744. Salaries range from $78,660 to $155,738.

Which employer sponsors the most H-1B visas for Software Developers, R&D?

University of Michigan is the top H-1B sponsor for Software Developers, R&D with 11 petitions at an average salary of $92,802. Other major sponsors include Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab, Children's National Medical Center, Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Which state has the most H-1B petitions for Software Developers, R&D?

CA has the most H-1B petitions for Software Developers, R&D with 10 filings at an average salary of $122,247. Other top states include MI, DC, OH.

Does Software Developers, R&D qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?

Yes. Software Developers, R&D appears in 23 approved LCA filings, confirming it qualifies as a specialty occupation under H-1B regulations. The role typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

How does the H-1B salary for Software Developers, R&D compare to national wages?

H-1B petitions for Software Developers, R&D show an average salary of $104,744, which reflects the prevailing wage employers must meet or exceed when sponsoring workers. For detailed national salary data by percentile, see WageDex.

Data Sources

H-1B visa petition data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Labor Condition Application (LCA) disclosure files. Data covers fiscal years 2023 through 2026. Salary figures reflect amounts listed on LCA petitions, not actual compensation paid.

Source: DOL Foreign Labor Performance Data

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system

Every figure on PlainVisa is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.