Where You Work Determines What You Earn
Location has always mattered for salaries, but for H1B visa holders, the city you choose can mean a $70,000+ difference in annual compensation. Our 2026 analysis of H1B filings across 200+ US cities reveals exactly where the money flows.
The Top 20 Highest-Paying H1B Cities
Tier 1: The $170K+ Club
| Rank | City | State | Median H1B Salary | vs. National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | CA | $175,000 | +10.5% |
| 2 | Cupertino | CA | $172,500 | +9.0% |
| 3 | Menlo Park | CA | $171,000 | +8.1% |
| 4 | Palo Alto | CA | $170,500 | +7.8% |
| 5 | Mountain View | CA | $170,200 | +7.6% |
Tier 2: The $155K-$170K Range
| Rank | City | State | Median H1B Salary | vs. National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Seattle | WA | $168,000 | +6.2% |
| 7 | San Jose | CA | $167,000 | +5.6% |
| 8 | Sunnyvale | CA | $165,500 | +4.6% |
| 9 | Redmond | WA | $164,000 | +3.7% |
| 10 | New York | NY | $161,817 | +2.3% |
Tier 3: The $145K-$155K Range
| Rank | City | State | Median H1B Salary | vs. National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Boston | MA | $155,000 | -2.0% |
| 12 | San Diego | CA | $152,000 | -3.9% |
| 13 | Los Angeles | CA | $150,000 | -5.2% |
| 14 | Austin | TX | $148,000 | -6.4% |
| 15 | Denver | CO | $147,000 | -7.1% |
| 16 | Washington | DC | $146,500 | -7.4% |
| 17 | Chicago | IL | $145,000 | -8.4% |
| 18 | Raleigh | NC | $144,000 | -9.0% |
| 19 | Portland | OR | $143,000 | -9.6% |
| 20 | Atlanta | GA | $142,000 | -10.2% |
State-by-State Analysis
Top 10 States by Average H1B Salary
| Rank | State | Average H1B Salary | Total Petitions | Top City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $189,747 | 28,456 | Seattle |
| 2 | California | $169,004 | 142,367 | San Francisco |
| 3 | New York | $161,817 | 35,123 | New York City |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $158,234 | 24,567 | Boston |
| 5 | New Jersey | $154,890 | 18,234 | Jersey City |
| 6 | Colorado | $152,345 | 12,456 | Denver |
| 7 | Texas | $148,567 | 45,678 | Austin |
| 8 | Illinois | $146,234 | 19,876 | Chicago |
| 9 | Virginia | $145,678 | 15,234 | Arlington |
| 10 | Georgia | $143,456 | 13,567 | Atlanta |
The Bottom 10 States
| Rank | State | Average H1B Salary | % Below National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Kentucky | $112,345 | -28.5% |
| 42 | Alabama | $111,234 | -29.2% |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $110,567 | -29.6% |
| 44 | Arkansas | $109,876 | -30.1% |
| 45 | Iowa | $108,234 | -31.2% |
| 46 | South Dakota | $106,567 | -32.3% |
| 47 | North Dakota | $105,890 | -32.7% |
| 48 | Montana | $104,234 | -33.7% |
| 49 | Wyoming | $102,567 | -34.8% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $98,456 | -37.4% |
The 90th Percentile: Where Top Earners Live
For H1B workers earning at the 90th percentile, location matters even more:
| City | 90th Percentile Salary | Notable Employers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $249,300 | Salesforce, Twitter, Uber |
| Menlo Park | $245,000 | Meta, VC firms |
| Mountain View | $242,000 | Google, Intuit |
| Cupertino | $238,000 | Apple |
| Seattle | $235,000 | Amazon, Microsoft |
| New York | $225,000 | Finance + Big Tech |
| Palo Alto | $223,000 | Tesla, HPE, startups |
Cost of Living Adjusted Analysis
Raw salary numbers don't tell the whole story. Here's how salaries look after COL adjustment:
Best "Bang for Your Buck" H1B Cities
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adjusted Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $148,000 | 95.2 | $155,462 |
| Raleigh, NC | $144,000 | 91.8 | $156,862 |
| Denver, CO | $147,000 | 105.4 | $139,469 |
| Atlanta, GA | $142,000 | 96.1 | $147,762 |
| Dallas, TX | $138,000 | 93.4 | $147,751 |
Worst Value Despite High Salaries
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adjusted Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $175,000 | 179.2 | $97,656 |
| New York | $161,817 | 187.2 | $86,441 |
| San Jose | $167,000 | 162.3 | $102,896 |
| Boston | $155,000 | 152.4 | $101,706 |
Industry Concentration by City
Different cities specialize in different industries, affecting both salary and job availability:
Tech Hub Cities
Finance Centers
Healthcare/Biotech
Emerging H1B Hotspots (2024-2026 Growth)
These cities saw the fastest growth in H1B filings:
| City | 2024 Filings | 2026 Filings | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami, FL | 4,234 | 7,892 | +86% |
| Phoenix, AZ | 5,678 | 9,234 | +63% |
| Nashville, TN | 2,345 | 3,789 | +62% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 1,890 | 2,987 | +58% |
| Charlotte, NC | 3,456 | 5,234 | +51% |
What This Means for Your Career
For Tech Workers:
For Finance Professionals:
For Healthcare/Biotech:
Conclusion
The H1B salary landscape varies dramatically by geography. While San Francisco leads in raw numbers ($175K median), cities like Austin and Raleigh offer better purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments.
For H1B visa holders, the smartest approach is evaluating offers holistically — considering salary, cost of living, career growth opportunities, and quality of life.
Explore your city's H1B data: Use our state directory or search by city to find detailed salary information for your target location.
Analysis based on 5M+ H1B filings from U.S. Department of Labor (FY2020-2026). Cost of living data from Bureau of Economic Analysis.