What Physicists earn on H1B by wage level
The DOL assigns each filing one of four wage levels by experience. The gap from entry (Level I) to senior (Level IV) is $113,852.
Level I (Entry)
$77,126
328 filed
Level II (Qualified)
$121,209
118 filed
Level III (Experienced)
$139,984
83 filed
Level IV (Senior)
$190,978
26 filed
Highest-paying sponsors for physicists
| Company | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| The Nebraska Medical Center | $255,071 |
| West Penn Allegheny Health System | $204,422 |
| Lawrence Livermore National Security | $186,056 |
| Applied Materials | $183,872 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $168,408 |
| Triad National Security | $163,621 |
| The Simons Foundation | $162,510 |
| California Institute Of /Jet Propulsion Laboratory | $134,260 |
| Brookhaven National Laboratory | $124,200 |
| Ut-Battelle (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) | $120,635 |
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Methodology
Medians of certified H1B Labor Condition Applications for the Physicists (SOC) category, disclosed by the U.S. Department of Labor (OFLC) for FY2026 (Oct 2025 - Mar 2026). Hourly wages annualized at 2,080 hours. LCA wages are the attested floor; total comp is often higher.