Published April 6, 2026 · Updated quarterly
Best Cities for H1B Workers: Where the Jobs and Wages Are
H1B visa sponsorship is concentrated in specific metro areas. Our database covers 910 cities with H1B filings. The data shows clear clusters — a handful of cities account for the majority of H1B applications, and wages vary dramatically by location.
Top 20 Cities by H1B Volume
These cities have the most H1B labor condition applications — meaning the most employers filing for sponsored workers in these locations.
| # | City | Applications | Avg Wage | Approval Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 2,186 | $159,745 | 98.8% |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | 873 | $178,755 | 98.4% |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | 838 | $184,726 | 99.4% |
| 4 | Boston, MA | 793 | $119,739 | 98.5% |
| 5 | Austin, TX | 744 | $130,180 | 98.5% |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | 734 | $157,254 | 98.4% |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | 649 | $124,648 | 98.5% |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | 613 | $121,208 | 99.5% |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | 580 | $123,621 | 99.0% |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | 572 | $127,973 | 98.4% |
| 11 | Houston, TX | 560 | $107,600 | 98.0% |
| 12 | Plano, TX | 489 | $124,593 | 97.8% |
| 13 | Irving, TX | 470 | $123,327 | 98.1% |
| 14 | Santa Clara, CA | 438 | $174,614 | 98.9% |
| 15 | Sunnyvale, CA | 397 | $164,486 | 98.5% |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | 396 | $130,179 | 98.5% |
| 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | 358 | $119,558 | 97.5% |
| 18 | Jersey City, NJ | 338 | $140,949 | 97.9% |
| 19 | Cambridge, MA | 328 | $116,231 | 98.2% |
| 20 | Mountain View, CA | 325 | $192,195 | 98.5% |
Highest Paying Cities for H1B Workers
These cities offer the highest average wages for H1B positions (minimum 20 applications for statistical relevance). Note that wages do not account for cost of living — a higher wage in San Francisco may not go as far as a lower wage in a less expensive metro area.
| # | City | Avg Wage | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport, LA | $236,749 | 46 |
| 2 | San Mateo, CA | $232,596 | 93 |
| 3 | Los Gatos, CA | $215,469 | 36 |
| 4 | Oakland, CA | $196,050 | 58 |
| 5 | Cupertino, CA | $193,376 | 61 |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $192,195 | 325 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $184,726 | 838 |
| 8 | Long Island City, NY | $183,486 | 20 |
| 9 | Dublin, CA | $180,907 | 23 |
| 10 | Palo Alto, CA | $180,490 | 267 |
| 11 | Little Rock, AR | $179,963 | 55 |
| 12 | San Jose, CA | $178,755 | 873 |
| 13 | Bellevue, WA | $174,881 | 276 |
| 14 | Santa Clara, CA | $174,614 | 438 |
| 15 | Bothell, WA | $172,451 | 57 |
What This Means for Job Seekers
If you are an international worker seeking H1B sponsorship, these patterns matter:
- More applications = more opportunities. Cities with high filing volumes have more employers actively sponsoring — improving your chances of finding a match.
- Wages reflect local labor markets. The prevailing wage is set by occupation and geography, so employers in expensive metros must offer higher wages by regulation.
- Don't overlook smaller cities. Some smaller metros offer competitive wages with lower cost of living and potentially less competition for positions.
Browse individual city pages for detailed employer and role breakdowns in each location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on DOL labor certification data, the cities with the highest H1B filing volumes in our database of 141,363 applications are major tech and finance hubs. Check the table above for the current top 20.
Yes. The Department of Labor sets prevailing wages based on geographic location, so wages for the same role can differ by tens of thousands of dollars between cities. Our city pages show exact wage data for each location.
Focus on cities with high application volumes and multiple sponsoring employers in your field. Technology hubs tend to have the broadest selection of sponsors, but healthcare, finance, and consulting firms sponsor across many metro areas.
/methodology