H-1B Salary by Industry: FAANG vs Consulting vs Finance vs Healthcare (2026 Data)

Why Your H-1B Salary Depends More on Industry Than Your Skills

Two software engineers with identical qualifications -- same degree, same years of experience, same technical stack -- can earn wildly different salaries on an H-1B visa. The difference often comes down to one factor: the industry their employer operates in.

Analysis of the latest Department of Labor LCA (Labor Condition Application) data reveals salary gaps of $60,000 to $100,000+ between industries for the same job title. Understanding these disparities is critical for H-1B workers evaluating job offers, negotiating compensation, and -- under the wage-based selection system -- calculating their lottery odds.

This guide breaks down H-1B salaries across five major industry sectors using 2026 filing data: FAANG/Big Tech, consulting and IT staffing, finance and banking, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

Industry Salary Overview: The Big Picture

Before diving into each sector, here is a high-level comparison of H-1B salary ranges across industries based on LCA filings:

The gap between the highest-paying sector (FAANG at $175K median) and the lowest (consulting at $105K median) is a staggering $70,000 per year. Over a six-year H-1B period, that difference compounds to more than $420,000 in cumulative earnings.

You can explore salary data for specific companies across all these industries at h1bdatahub.com/companies.

FAANG and Big Tech: $160,000 - $205,000

The FAANG companies (now sometimes called MAANG after Meta's rebrand from Facebook) and their Big Tech peers consistently post the highest H-1B salaries in the country. This tier includes Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google/Alphabet, Microsoft, and a growing cohort of companies like Nvidia, Salesforce, and Uber.

Salary Breakdown by Company

Why Big Tech Pays So Much

The salary premium in Big Tech comes down to business fundamentals:

High revenue per employee: Google generates over $1.5 million in revenue per employee. When each worker creates that much value, companies can afford to pay $200K+ salaries.

Talent competition: These companies compete fiercely for the same pool of engineers, driving compensation upward.

Software margins: Software products have near-zero marginal costs. Once built, each additional user costs almost nothing to serve, creating enormous profit margins that fund high salaries.

Total compensation structure: LCA filings only capture base salary. Actual total compensation at FAANG companies (including RSUs and bonuses) often reaches $300K-$500K+ for senior roles.

Prevailing Wage Comparison

Most FAANG H-1B filings are at Level 3 or Level 4 prevailing wages, meaning they significantly exceed the minimum required wage for the occupation and geography. This is a key advantage under the wage-based lottery system, where higher wage levels receive selection priority.

Search for any Big Tech company's complete H-1B filing history at h1bdatahub.com/search.

Consulting and IT Staffing: $95,000 - $115,000

The consulting and IT staffing sector is one of the largest users of the H-1B program by volume, yet it sits at the bottom of the salary spectrum. Companies like Cognizant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Accenture file thousands of LCAs annually.

Salary Breakdown by Company

Why Consulting Salaries Are Lower

Client billing model: IT staffing firms bill clients an hourly rate for each consultant placed. The margin between what the client pays and what the worker earns is the company's profit. Higher worker salaries directly reduce margins.

Volume strategy: These firms sponsor thousands of H-1B workers at moderate salaries rather than fewer workers at high salaries.

Third-party placement: Many H-1B workers at these firms are placed at client sites. The staffing company acts as an intermediary, adding a layer that reduces the salary reaching the worker.

Level 1 and Level 2 filings: A significant portion of consulting firm LCAs are filed at Level 1 (entry) or Level 2 (qualified) prevailing wages. This has historically drawn scrutiny from USCIS and puts these filings at a disadvantage under wage-based selection.

The Wage-Level Distribution Problem

This distribution means consulting workers face significantly lower selection odds under the wage-based system. A Level 1 filing may have a selection rate below 10%, while Level 4 filings could exceed 60%.

Finance and Banking: $140,000 - $180,000

Wall Street and the broader financial services industry are major H-1B sponsors, particularly for quantitative analysts, software engineers building trading platforms, and risk management professionals.

Salary Breakdown by Company

The Finance Salary Spectrum

Finance H-1B salaries vary dramatically depending on the type of firm:

Quantitative hedge funds (Citadel, Two Sigma, DE Shaw, Jane Street) pay salaries comparable to or exceeding Big Tech, with total compensation often surpassing $400K for experienced hires.

Investment banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley) offer strong base salaries in the $150K-$180K range with significant bonuses that are not captured in LCA data.

Commercial and retail banks (Wells Fargo, Bank of America) pay moderately, typically $140K-$165K.

Fintech companies (Stripe, Square, Plaid) often align more closely with Big Tech compensation.

Why Finance Pays Well

Financial firms generate enormous revenue per employee. A single quantitative trader can generate hundreds of millions in profit. The industry's willingness to pay reflects the direct link between talent and revenue in finance. Additionally, finance competes with Big Tech for the same pool of engineers and quantitative professionals, forcing salaries upward.

Healthcare: $100,000 - $150,000

Healthcare is a diverse H-1B sector spanning hospitals, health systems, medical device companies, and health IT firms. Salaries here reflect the sector's mix of high-revenue specialties and budget-constrained institutions.

Salary Breakdown by Employer Type

Key Observations in Healthcare

Physician residents are among the lowest-paid H-1B workers relative to their qualifications. Resident salaries ($60,000-$75,000) reflect the training structure of medical education, not market compensation.

Attending physicians on H-1B visas, however, can earn $250,000-$500,000+ depending on specialty, making them some of the highest-paid H-1B workers overall.

Healthcare IT roles are growing rapidly, with salaries approaching tech-sector levels at companies like Epic Systems.

Many healthcare positions, particularly at academic medical centers, are cap-exempt, meaning they do not count against the annual H-1B cap.

Pharmaceuticals and Biotech: $130,000 - $160,000

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector offers strong H-1B salaries, particularly for scientists and engineers involved in drug development, clinical research, and regulatory affairs.

Salary Breakdown by Company

Why Pharma Sits in the Middle

Pharmaceutical companies pay well, but not at Big Tech levels. Here is why:

Long development cycles: Drug development takes 10-15 years from discovery to market. Revenue generation is delayed compared to tech.

Regulatory overhead: Significant resources go toward compliance, clinical trials, and FDA submissions rather than direct compensation.

Geographic distribution: Many pharma roles are in lower-cost-of-living areas (New Jersey, North Carolina, Indianapolis) compared to Silicon Valley or New York, resulting in lower nominal salaries.

Strong but not extreme margins: Pharma companies are profitable, but their margins generally fall below those of pure software companies.

How Industry Choice Affects Your H-1B Lottery Odds

Under the wage-based selection system implemented for the H-1B lottery, the prevailing wage level of your LCA filing directly impacts your selection probability. Since different industries tend to file at different wage levels, your industry choice has a measurable effect on lottery success.

Estimated Selection Rates by Wage Level (FY2027)

This wage-based system has fundamentally shifted the H-1B landscape. Workers at consulting firms filing at Level 1 or Level 2 now face a fraction of the selection odds compared to Big Tech workers filing at Level 3 or Level 4.

Strategic Implications

If you are currently at a consulting or IT staffing firm earning $100K, consider the following:

Moving to a direct employer in tech, finance, or pharma could increase your salary by $50K-$100K AND dramatically improve your lottery odds.

Negotiating a higher wage level with your current employer can improve selection chances, though the employer controls the LCA filing.

Targeting cap-exempt employers (universities, nonprofit research institutions) eliminates lottery risk entirely, though salaries may be lower.

The Prevailing Wage Gap: Who Pays Above and Below

An important metric is how each industry's actual H-1B salaries compare to the prevailing wage set by the Department of Labor for the occupation and location.

Big Tech companies pay an average of 42% above prevailing wage, while consulting firms hover at just 8% above the minimum. This disparity has drawn Congressional attention and was a primary motivator behind the shift to wage-based selection.

What This Means for Your Career Strategy

Understanding industry salary differences is essential for making informed career decisions on an H-1B visa. Here are key takeaways:

If maximizing compensation is your priority, target FAANG/Big Tech or quantitative finance roles. These industries offer the highest base salaries, the best total compensation (including equity), and the strongest lottery odds under wage-based selection.

If stability and work-life balance matter more, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies offer competitive salaries with generally more predictable work schedules than finance or Big Tech. Many pharma roles are in areas with lower cost of living, increasing purchasing power.

If you are currently in consulting, understand that the wage-based lottery system has made this path significantly more difficult. Consider transitioning to a direct employer in your area of expertise. An H-1B transfer does not require going through the lottery again.

If lottery risk keeps you up at night, look into cap-exempt positions at universities and nonprofit research institutions. The salary may be lower, but the certainty is invaluable.

Explore real salary data for any H-1B employer across all industries at h1bdatahub.com/search, or browse the top sponsoring companies at h1bdatahub.com/companies.

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Disclaimer: The salary figures in this article are based on analysis of publicly available Department of Labor LCA disclosure data. Actual compensation may vary based on location, experience, role, and individual negotiation. LCA data reflects base salary only and does not include bonuses, equity, or other compensation. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For the most current data, visit h1bdatahub.com/search.