Computer Hardware Engineers vs Software Developers
Side-by-side H-1B prevailing-wage comparison using the same DOL LCA data that drives every page on H1B Report. Quartiles, hiring geography, top sponsors and yearly wage drift.
Key metrics
Wage figures are offered annual wage; volume is total LCA count.
| Metric | Computer Hardware Engineers | Software Developers |
|---|---|---|
| Median wage | $123,784▲ | $102,000 |
| P25 wage | $91,104▲ | $84,000 |
| P75 wage | $156,800▲ | $130,000 |
| Wage spread (P75 − P25) | $65,696 | $46,000 |
| Total filings | 16,393 | 2,765,226▲ |
| Wage samples | 16,375 | 2,760,334 |
| Rank | #57 | #1▲ |
Median wage by year
Year-over-year drift of the typical offered wage.
Computer Hardware Engineers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| FY2010 | $81k |
| FY2011 | $79k |
| FY2012 | $80k |
| FY2013 | $89k |
| FY2014 | $90k |
| FY2015 | $94k |
| FY2016 | $100k |
| FY2017 | $104k |
| FY2018 | $115k |
| FY2019 | $120k |
| FY2020 | $133k |
| FY2021 | $140k |
| FY2022 | $150k |
| FY2023 | $153k |
| FY2024 | $160k |
| FY2025 | $162k |
| FY2026 | $175k |
Software Developers
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| FY2010 | $80k |
| FY2011 | $80k |
| FY2012 | $81k |
| FY2013 | $82k |
| FY2014 | $82k |
| FY2015 | $82k |
| FY2016 | $84k |
| FY2017 | $90k |
| FY2018 | $93k |
| FY2019 | $96k |
| FY2020 | $103k |
| FY2021 | $112k |
| FY2022 | $115k |
| FY2023 | $120k |
| FY2024 | $124k |
| FY2025 | $133k |
| FY2026 | $143k |
Top 5 hiring states — Computer Hardware Engineers
Top 5 sponsors — Computer Hardware Engineers
Top 5 sponsors — Software Developers
- 1Microsoft Corporation39,778
- 2COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS US CORP36,791
- 3Google LLC27,510
- 4TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED24,056
- 5IBM India Private Limited19,957
Swap an entity
Replace either occupation above without losing the comparison. 2-way for now; 3+ comparison coming soon.
Swap A: Computer Hardware Engineers
Or browse the full occupation index.