Work in United States
Jobs in United States
H-1B lottery, top-quartile pay, and nine cities of salary data — New York to Austin.
Editorial
Reviewed April 2026 (visa) and August 2026 (salary). Guidance only — not immigration legal advice. Market estimates, not job offers. How we source this
Work permit
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Mid software engineer · New York City
$163,500
Studio rent · New York City
$2,800/mo
Visa
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Most skilled foreign workers enter on an H-1B, which is capped and run as a registration lottery each spring. Employers file; you cannot self-sponsor. Alternatives include TN (Canada/Mexico), L-1 intracompany transfer, O-1 for extraordinary ability, and employment-based green cards that some firms start in parallel. OPT/STEM OPT is the usual bridge for F-1 graduates. Confirm current USCIS and Department of Labor rules before you resign.
English is the working language. No language test is required for the H-1B itself.
Job market
How hiring actually works
The US still pays the highest nominal tech salaries globally, concentrated in the Bay Area, New York, and Seattle. Competition is intense, visa-aware employers cluster in large tech, finance, and consultancies that already run immigration teams. Total compensation often includes equity that does not travel cleanly if you later leave the US.
Cities on this page: New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Chicago, Denver, Miami. Search on Global Job Scanner is account-gated; create a free account to run a live United States query.
Pay
Mid-level salaries, local currency
Same model as the salary checker (2025–2026 market estimates, Q1 2026 FX). Not an offer.
| City | Software Engineer | Product Manager | Data Scientist |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York CityUSD | $163,500 | $167,500 | $153,500 |
| San FranciscoUSD | $186,500 | $191,000 | $175,000 |
| SeattleUSD | $158,500 | $163,000 | $149,000 |
| BostonUSD | $147,000 | $151,000 | $138,000 |
| Los AngelesUSD | $135,500 | $139,000 | $127,500 |
| AustinUSD | $129,000 | $132,000 | $121,000 |
| ChicagoUSD | $124,000 | $127,500 | $116,500 |
| DenverUSD | $122,000 | $125,000 | $114,500 |
| MiamiUSD | $117,500 | $120,500 | $110,000 |
Compare New York City against another city · Rent and budget in the cost of living calculator
Questions
Before you book a one-way ticket
What visa do I need to work in United States?
H-1B Specialty Occupation. Most skilled foreign workers enter on an H-1B, which is capped and run as a registration lottery each spring. Employers file; you cannot self-sponsor. Alternatives include TN (Canada/Mexico), L-1 intracompany transfer, O-1 for extraordinary ability, and employment-based green cards that some firms start in parallel. OPT/STEM OPT is the usual bridge for F-1 graduates. Confirm current USCIS and Department of Labor rules before you resign.
What does a software engineer earn in United States?
A mid-level software engineer in New York City is about $163,500 in our 2026 model (local currency, market estimate — not an offer). Compare other roles in the table on this page or the salary checker.
Can I get by in English?
English is the working language. No language test is required for the H-1B itself.
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