Cognizant
H-1B salaries and sponsorship, from 16,913 certified filings (FY2025–FY2026)
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services
- Headquarters: Teaneck
- Founded 1994
- 266,200 employees (2016)
- Nasdaq: CTSH
- Includes 4 legal entities
At a glance
- Cognizant hires senior. 50% of its filings are Level III, 2.4 times the share across all H-1B employers (21%).
- Most filed: Systems Engineer / Architect. 72% of its filings. After that come QA Engineer and Software Engineer.
- Often files at the prevailing wage. 94% of filings are at exactly the prevailing wage, which at Cognizant's jobs and locations has a median of $108,514.
- 5th among the largest filers in its industry. Cognizant's median ($109,886) is below HCLTech and Compunnel Software Group and above Infosys.
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Percentiles from Cognizant's certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Jobs with at least 10 filings.
What Cognizant hires for
Bar: share of Cognizant's filings. Figure: median base salary. Top 10 jobs account for 99% of filings (28 occupations in total).
Show all 17 jobs
| Job | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Systems Engineer / Architect | $110,594 | 12,148 |
| QA Engineer | $100,630 | 2,697 |
| Software Engineer | $130,603 | 596 |
| Network Administrator | $101,088 | 405 |
| Management Consultant | $120,807 | 218 |
| Programmer Analyst | $86,694 | 177 |
| Data Engineer | $140,712 | 169 |
| Database Administrator | $105,093 | 152 |
| Information Security Analyst | $128,253 | 105 |
| Data Scientist | $118,893 | 67 |
| Graphic Designer | $68,765 | 42 |
| Project Manager | $150,301 | 28 |
| Systems Analyst | $118,102 | 15 |
| Network Architect | $117,146 | 15 |
| Industrial Engineer | $103,022 | 15 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $87,589 | 14 |
| Sales Engineer | $153,171 | 13 |
Jobs with at least 10 filings at Cognizant.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 0% of filings
Mid-level · 29% of filings
Senior · 50% of filings
Expert · 21% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 1 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $86,798 | 4,951 |
| Senior · Level III | $110,198 | 8,467 |
| Expert · Level IV | $137,758 | 3,494 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Cognizant vs. industry peers
Google$186,000
Capgemini America$130,000
HCLTech$112,923
Compunnel Software Group$110,000
Cognizant$109,886
Infosys$92,581
Tata Consultancy Services$87,589
Median base salary, all jobs, FY2025–FY2026. Largest H-1B filers with the same industry code (NAICS 5415).
Where Cognizant files
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 78 metro areas
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $82,846 |
| 25th | $92,602 |
| 50th (median) | $109,886 |
| 75th | $126,818 |
| 90th | $144,310 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $87,173 | $77,771 | $96,158 | 29,112 |
| FY2021 | $91,520 | $80,766 | $101,587 | 12,452 |
| FY2022 | $94,786 | $84,656 | $108,035 | 13,446 |
| FY2023 | $101,358 | $87,838 | $116,002 | 12,989 |
| FY2024 | $100,090 | $84,302 | $118,000 | 11,272 |
| FY2025 | $109,782 | $92,581 | $126,589 | 11,119 |
| FY2026 | $111,134 | $94,307 | $126,818 | 5,794 |
Pay vs. prevailing wage
Filing at exactly the prevailing wage does not mean low pay: at senior levels and in high-cost areas the prevailing wage itself is high.
By legal entity
| Legal entity | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp | $109,886 | 16,833 |
| Cognizant TriZetto Software Group, Inc. | $127,691 | 49 |
| Cognizant Worldwide Limited | $126,131 | 21 |
| Cognizant Mobility, Inc. | $95,930 | 10 |
Cognizant files under several company names; this page adds them up. Median shown at 10+ filings.
Job titles at Cognizant
| Job title | Median | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager Jc50 Computer Systems Engineers Architects | $110,157 | $104k–$121.5k | 5,989 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Computer Systems Engineers Architects | $86,403 | $81.8k–$92.6k | 3,019 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Computer Systems Engineers Architects | $136,989 | $126.3k–$147.6k | 1,920 |
| Mgr Jc50 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $106,517 | $99.2k–$115k | 1,279 |
| Sa Jc60 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $86,611 | $82.4k–$92.3k | 1,184 |
| Senior Mgr Jc45 Information Technology Project Managers | $137,758 | $126.3k–$153k | 558 |
| Manager Jc50 Software Developers | $132,267 | $127.8k–$141.5k | 295 |
| Manager Jc50 Information Technology Project Managers | $110,157 | $103.3k–$126.3k | 265 |
| Senior Mgr Jc45 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $124,883 | $118.4k–$132.7k | 214 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Software Developers | $109,500 | $106k–$118.5k | 196 |
| Manager Jc50 Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $103,334 | $99.9k–$109.1k | 195 |
| Ad Jc40 Computer Systems Engineers Architects | $144,144 | $132.4k–$158.6k | 190 |
| Ad Jc40 Information Technology Project Managers | $144,310 | $132.4k–$159.4k | 163 |
| Sa Jc60 Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $86,903 | $82.7k–$90.6k | 152 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Computer Programmers | $85,530 | $79.7k–$91.3k | 149 |
Show 30 more
| Job title | Median | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager Jc50 Management Analysts | $114,962 | $104.9k–$129.2k | 102 |
| Manager Jc50 Database Architects | $142,958 | $133.7k–$150.5k | 85 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Software Developers | $152,131 | $149.8k–$165.6k | 85 |
| Manager Jc50 Database Administrators | $110,053 | $104.3k–$117k | 80 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Management Analysts | $154,638 | $131.3k–$156.6k | 60 |
| Senior Mgr Jc45 Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $123,219 | $119k–$132.3k | 56 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Database Administrators | $89,586 | $85.1k–$95k | 51 |
| Manager Jc50 Information Security Analysts | $127,754 | $119.7k–$141.9k | 48 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Management Analysts | $90,293 | $88.8k–$101.8k | 35 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Database Architects | $150,540 | $141.5k–$158.1k | 32 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Information Security Analysts | $106,995 | $102.4k–$114.2k | 28 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Information Security Analysts | $149,531 | $143.1k–$171k | 27 |
| Manager Jc50 Computer Programmers | $111,207 | $96.6k–$121.9k | 26 |
| Manager Jc50 Data Warehousing Specialists | $136,913 | $132.1k–$145k | 23 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Database Architects | $122,366 | $116k–$126.4k | 23 |
| Manager Jc50 Data Scientists | $118,893 | $103k–$129.9k | 21 |
| Manager Jc50 Graphic Designers | $66,747 | $64.7k–$84.1k | 20 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Database Administrators | $130,905 | $114k–$143.4k | 20 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Project Management Specialists | $150,550 | $150.4k–$164.7k | 18 |
| Director Jc35 Information Technology Project Managers | $153,046 | $139.4k–$193.5k | 16 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Data Scientists | $109,491 | $92.4k–$113k | 15 |
| Associate Director Jc40 Software Developers | $149,947 | $149.7k–$153.3k | 13 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Graphic Designers | $68,765 | $60k–$68.8k | 13 |
| Ad Jc40 Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $122,772 | $120k–$131.7k | 12 |
| Associate Director Jc40 Management Analysts | $156,645 | $156.1k–$200k | 12 |
| Senior Manager Jc45 Data Scientists | $157,904 | $139.1k–$169.7k | 12 |
| Associate Ii Jc65 Computer Systems Engineers Architects | $83,096 | $80.1k–$83.7k | 10 |
| Manager Jc50 Computer Network Architects | $122,382 | $117.1k–$132.7k | 10 |
| Manager Jc50 Project Management Specialists | $119,903 | $101.2k–$147.4k | 10 |
| Senior Associate Jc60 Mechanical Engineers | $87,028 | $78k–$88.3k | 10 |
Job titles as written on the filings, with at least 10 filings. Middle 50%: 25th–75th percentile.
About Cognizant
Cognizant's filings list its industry as Computer Systems Design and Related Services (Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector, NAICS 5415). Its main U.S. filing address is in College Station, TX and its filings in the data run from FY2020 to FY2026 Q3. In the latest two fiscal years, the most filed jobs are Systems Engineer / Architect, QA Engineer and Software Engineer and the main metro areas are Dallas, TX, New York, NY and Chicago, IL. The most common wage level in those years is Level III (senior).
- Founded
- 1994
- Headquarters
- Teaneck
- Employees
- 266,200 (2016)
- Website
- cognizant.com
- Stock
- Nasdaq: CTSH
Company facts on this page: Wikidata. Salary data: U.S. Department of Labor.
Questions
Does Cognizant sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes. Cognizant filed 16,913 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications in FY2025–FY2026, the latest two fiscal years. The most recent filing in the data is from FY2026 Q3. A certified LCA is a step before the H-1B petition; it is not a visa approval.
How much does Cognizant pay H-1B workers?
The median base salary on Cognizant's H-1B filings is $109,886; half of filings fall between $92,602 and $126,818. Bonus and stock are not included.