Physicists
SOC Code: 19-2012
Physicists accounts for 160 H-1B LCA petitions across 9 employers with a 100% certification rate and an average salary of $91,937. The top state for this occupation is CA with 126 petitions. The leading sponsor is Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab.
H-1B demand profile: Physicists. Under U.S. Department of Labor standard occupational classification 19-2012, employers filed 160 Labor Condition Applications for Physicists positions across 9 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 Physicists among the concrete, data-backed specialty occupations qualifying under the H-1B program’s bachelor’s-degree-plus-theoretical-knowledge standard.
Salary band for Physicists. Offered wages on LCAs range from $49,339 at the floor to $190,995 at the ceiling, with an average of $91,937. 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 Physicists. The top sponsor is Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab with 82 petitions at an average offered wage of $100,166, followed by Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, University of Michigan, Texas A&m University. Geographically, CA leads with 126 filings (avg $96,255), followed by MI, TX, IL. Taken together, the sponsor concentration and state footprint give a practical read on where demand for Physicists actually clusters in the U.S. labor market, and how competitive pay for the role looks through the DOL’s H-1B lens.
Top Employers for Physicists
Companies that file the most H-1B petitions for this occupation
| Employer | Petitions | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab | 82 | $100,166 |
| Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory | 44 | $88,967 |
| University of Michigan | 22 | $71,229 |
| Texas A&m University | 5 | $55,948 |
| CI Physics LLC | 2 | $105,000 |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | 2 | $72,000 |
| Space Science Institute | 1 | $70,000 |
| SpectraDynamics Inc | 1 | $120,000 |
| The Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority d/b/a Atrium Health | 1 | $190,995 |
Physicists H-1B Petitions by State
Geographic distribution of H-1B filings for this occupation
H-1B Guides
Learn more about the H-1B visa process and salary data
Step-by-step guide from LCA filing to work authorization
Understanding prevailing wage levels I through IV
How to read and interpret DOL LCA disclosure data
Compare salaries by occupation, state, and wage level
Frequently Asked Questions
How many H-1B petitions have been filed for Physicists?
There have been 160 H-1B LCA petitions filed for Physicists (SOC 19-2012) across 9 employers, with a 100% certification rate.
What is the average H-1B salary for Physicists?
The average H-1B salary for Physicists is $91,937. Salaries range from $49,339 to $190,995.
Which employer sponsors the most H-1B visas for Physicists?
Leland Stanford Jr Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab is the top H-1B sponsor for Physicists with 82 petitions at an average salary of $100,166. Other major sponsors include Stanford University/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, University of Michigan, Texas A&m University.
Which state has the most H-1B petitions for Physicists?
CA has the most H-1B petitions for Physicists with 126 filings at an average salary of $96,255. Other top states include MI, TX, IL.
Does Physicists qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes. Physicists appears in 160 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 Physicists compare to national wages?
H-1B petitions for Physicists show an average salary of $91,937, 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
Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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.