H-1B wage levels: Software Developers in San Jose, CA (2026-27)
For Software Developers (SOC 15-1252) in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, an H-1B salary of $152,797 a year reaches wage Level I (1 lottery entry), $187,075 Level II (2 entries), $221,374 Level III (3) and $255,653 Level IV (4), according to the Department of Labor wage file for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 (read on 7 November 2026).
Level II (2 lottery entries) from: $187,075 a year
Source: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026). Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Not legal or immigration advice. This page reports the Department of Labor wage file and the DHS rule as we read them. The level on a registration also depends on the job duties, the SOC code and the place of work chosen for the job, and the employer attests to it. Check with USCIS and the Department of Labor, and ask an immigration lawyer about your own case.
The four levels
| Wage level | Yearly salary from | to | Hourly from | Lottery entries | DHS estimated chance* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | $152,797 | up to $187,074 | $73.46 | 1 | 15.29% |
| Level II | $187,075 | up to $221,373 | $89.94 | 2 | 30.58% |
| Level III | $221,374 | up to $255,652 | $106.43 | 3 | 45.87% |
| Level IV | $255,653 | and above | $122.91 | 4 | 61.16% |
| Below Level I | under $152,797 | – | – | 1 if the wage comes from another legitimate source | – |
Yearly salary = hourly wage × 2,080 hours, rounded to the dollar (OFLC). *DHS estimate in the final rule for a combined pool with its FY 2020–2024 assumptions, not the chance for the next lottery: how the odds work.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); Federal Register, Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (final rule, 90 FR 60864, 29 December 2025). Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
Compared with the US and the other main areas
Across the United States, Software Developers earn a mean wage of $148,100 a year (median $135,980, BLS OEWS May 2025). In San Jose, CA Level I starts at $152,797, 3% above the US mean, and Level II at $187,075, 26% above it. OFLC's average wage for this occupation in the area is $106.59 an hour ($221,707 a year at 2,080 hours).
87,350 people work as software developers in this area (OEWS May 2025). Of the 10 areas with an area page for this occupation, San Jose, CA has the highest Level II threshold.
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 87,350 | $152,797 | $187,075 | $221,374 | $255,653 | 1 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 121,000 | $109,845 | $137,717 | $165,589 | $193,461 | 1 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 92,770 | $111,613 | $143,104 | $174,595 | $206,086 | 1 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 69,060 | $102,086 | $127,462 | $152,838 | $178,214 | 1 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 69,030 | $137,093 | $165,131 | $193,149 | $221,187 | 1 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 67,030 | $95,202 | $116,896 | $138,590 | $160,285 | 1 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 55,540 | $106,787 | $134,202 | $161,637 | $189,051 | 1 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 42,310 | $114,275 | $138,237 | $162,198 | $186,160 | 1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 40,370 | $92,789 | $117,083 | $141,398 | $165,693 | 1 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 36,300 | $91,915 | $113,776 | $135,658 | $157,518 | 1 |
Yearly salary from which each level starts. Jobs: people employed in the occupation in the area (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Geo level 1 = wage computed from the area itself; 2 = area plus contiguous areas; 3 = statewide; 4 = national (OFLC). Tap a column heading to sort.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC), wage data file 2026-27 (OFLC_Wages_2026-27.zip, updated 1 July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Read on 7 November 2026. U.S. government data, public domain.
How the level is chosen
The level is “the highest Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) wage level that the beneficiary’s proffered wage equals or exceeds for the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code in the area(s) of intended employment”. If the job is in several places, the lowest level counts; if the salary is a range, the lowest salary counts. OFLC computes these wages from the area itself (Geo level 1). The rule in full.
Questions people ask
What is the H-1B Level II salary range for software developers in San Jose, CA?
From $187,075 to $221,373 a year: from $221,374 the job is Level III. Level II gives 2 lottery entries.
What salary is H-1B wage Level IV for software developers in San Jose, CA?
$255,653 a year or more ($122.91 an hour × 2,080). Level IV gives 4 lottery entries.
What is the H-1B wage level for a software engineer in San Jose?
If the job is classified as Software Developers (SOC 15-1252), the levels in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA start at $152,797 (I), $187,075 (II), $221,374 (III) and $255,653 (IV) a year. The employer chooses the SOC code that matches the duties of the job.
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