Qualcomm
H-1B salaries and sponsorship, from 3,229 certified filings (FY2025–FY2026)
Active H-1B filer · last filed FY2026 Q3
- Communications Equipment Manufacturing
- Headquarters: San Diego
- Founded 1985
- 45,000 employees (2021)
- Nasdaq: QCOM
- Includes 4 legal entities
Median base salary$140,800+15% vs. all H-1B employers
Middle 50%$122.5k–$162.4k
Level II (mid-level) share52%all employers: 42%
Median prevailing wage$135,245the required minimum for these jobs and places
At a glance
- Qualcomm hires mid-level. 52% of its filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B employers.
- Most filed: Electronics Engineer. 53% of its filings. After that come Software Engineer and Production Manager.
- Pays at a high floor. 72% of filings are at exactly the prevailing wage, which at Qualcomm's jobs and locations has a median of $135,245.
- 3rd among the largest filers in its industry. Qualcomm's median ($140,800) is below Ciena and Juniper Networks and above Ericsson.
Is your Qualcomm offer competitive?
Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with Qualcomm's certified filings for the same job.
10th $114.3k25th $122.5kmedian $140.8k75th $162.4k90th $186.5k
Enter a salary to see where it falls.
Percentiles from Qualcomm's certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Jobs with at least 10 filings.
What Qualcomm hires for
Electronics Engineer1,712 filings · 53%$143,187
Software Engineer1,281 filings · 40%$133,500
Production Manager45 filings · 1%$180,648
Engineering Director40 filings · 1%$171,200
Systems Analyst35 filings · 1%$120,037
Data Scientist25 filings · 1%$154,350
Financial Analyst22 filings · 1%$93,579
Accountant12 filings · 0%$85,959
Bar: share of Qualcomm's filings. Figure: median base salary. Top 10 jobs account for 99% of filings (27 occupations in total).
Show all 9 jobs
| Job | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics Engineer | $143,187 | 1,712 |
| Software Engineer | $133,500 | 1,281 |
| Production Manager | $180,648 | 45 |
| Engineering Director | $171,200 | 40 |
| Systems Analyst | $120,037 | 35 |
| Data Scientist | $154,350 | 25 |
| Financial Analyst | $93,579 | 22 |
| Accountant | $85,959 | 12 |
| Logistician | $99,200 | 11 |
Jobs with at least 10 filings at Qualcomm.
Pay by level
too fewLevel I
Entry-level · 0% of filings
Entry-level · 0% of filings
$126.9kLevel II
Mid-level · 52% of filings
Mid-level · 52% of filings
$152kLevel III
Senior · 27% of filings
Senior · 27% of filings
$183.2kLevel IV
Expert · 21% of filings
Expert · 21% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 8 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $126,880 | 1,343 |
| Senior · Level III | $152,027 | 703 |
| Expert · Level IV | $183,150 | 538 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Qualcomm vs. industry peers
Ciena$159,458
Juniper Networks$146,307
Qualcomm$140,800
Ericsson$126,547
Calix$123,219
Hughes Network Systems$121,507
Motorola Solutions$112,923
Juniper Networks$146,307
Qualcomm$140,800
Ericsson$126,547
Calix$123,219
Hughes Network Systems$121,507
Motorola Solutions$112,923
Median base salary, all jobs, FY2025–FY2026. Largest H-1B filers with the same industry code (NAICS 3342).
Where Qualcomm files
San Diego, CA$128,898
San Jose, CA$156,853
Austin, TX$134,500
Boulder, CO$133,180
New York, NY$131,997
Seattle, WA$149,240
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 12 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $128,898 | 2,055 |
| San Jose, CA | $156,853 | 675 |
| Austin, TX | $134,500 | 262 |
| Boulder, CO | $133,180 | 43 |
| New York, NY | $131,997 | 21 |
| Seattle, WA | $149,240 | 21 |
| Boston, MA | $134,050 | 18 |
| Raleigh, NC | $126,700 | 13 |
| Detroit, MI | $118,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $136,799 | 12 |
| Portland, OR | $150,873 | 12 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $114,234 | 11 |
Salary details
Median salary$140,800
Middle 50%$122.5k–$162.4k
vs. all employers+15%comparison median $122,699
Filings3,229FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years
Salary range
All employers
$75k$100k$125k$150k$175k$200k$225k
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $114,252 |
| 25th | $122,500 |
| 50th (median) | $140,800 |
| 75th | $162,400 |
| 90th | $186,472 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $116,950 | $101,628 | $136,698 | 1,386 |
| FY2021 | $117,600 | $105,110 | $142,400 | 2,484 |
| FY2022 | $120,224 | $101,192 | $138,800 | 3,288 |
| FY2023 | $126,000 | $111,322 | $146,328 | 3,605 |
| FY2024 | $126,880 | $114,500 | $150,500 | 2,163 |
| FY2025 | $134,549 | $119,434 | $155,000 | 2,242 |
| FY2026 | $152,506 | $128,898 | $179,000 | 987 |
Pay vs. prevailing wage
Median offered salary$140,800
Median prevailing wage$135,245
Median difference0.0%offered salary vs. prevailing wage, per filing
Filed at exactly the prevailing wage72%
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. | $140,800 | 2,734 |
| Qualcomm Atheros, Inc. | $151,091 | 230 |
| Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc. | $130,187 | 138 |
| Qualcomm Incorporated | $126,880 | 127 |
Qualcomm files under several company names; this page adds them up. Median shown at 10+ filings.
Job titles at Qualcomm
| Job title | Median | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Software Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$132.2k | 158 |
| Senior Asics Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$128.9k | 121 |
| Staff Asics Engineer | $143,187 | $140k–$152.5k | 95 |
| Asics Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$119.4k | 93 |
| Software Engineer | $112,321 | $112.3k–$124.4k | 93 |
| Staff Software Engineer | $152,027 | $152k–$157.6k | 88 |
| Senior Cpu Engineer | $139,995 | $122.5k–$151.1k | 72 |
| Staff Cpu Engineer | $159,803 | $148.3k–$178k | 68 |
| Senior Gpu Engineer | $133,600 | $133.6k–$151.1k | 61 |
| Senior Cellular System Test Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$126.9k | 59 |
| Senior Staff Software Engineer | $178,451 | $177.2k–$186.7k | 58 |
| Gpu Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$124.3k | 53 |
| Senior Machine Learning Engineer | $140,800 | $140.8k–$162.2k | 52 |
| Senior Staff Asics Engineer | $166,941 | $166.9k–$176.1k | 51 |
| Senior Camera Engineer | $122,500 | $119.4k–$128.9k | 49 |
Show 67 more
| Job title | Median | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Staff Cpu Engineer | $179,000 | $179k–$204.9k | 48 |
| Senior Modem Technologies Engineer | $128,449 | $128k–$151.1k | 44 |
| Staff Gpu Engineer | $161,800 | $151k–$182.2k | 41 |
| Cpu Engineer | $127,042 | $108.2k–$151.1k | 40 |
| Staff Cellular System Test Engineer | $152,027 | $152k–$154.2k | 38 |
| Senior Hardware Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$128.9k | 37 |
| Machine Learning Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$126.9k | 35 |
| Senior Systems Test Engineer | $126,880 | $107k–$129.4k | 34 |
| Cellular System Test Engineer | $99,505 | $99.5k–$104.3k | 33 |
| Staff Hardware Engineer | $143,187 | $143.2k–$152.5k | 33 |
| Staff Modem Technologies Software Engineer | $157,581 | $152k–$158.4k | 32 |
| Camera Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$119.4k | 31 |
| Staff Camera Engineer | $152,506 | $143.2k–$178k | 29 |
| Senior Software Applications Engineer | $126,880 | $123.9k–$127.2k | 28 |
| Staff Modem Technologies Engineer | $155,000 | $155k–$180.1k | 28 |
| Staff Video Systems Hardware Architecture Engineer | $150,403 | $147k–$178k | 28 |
| Senior Staff Gpu Engineer | $195,200 | $195.2k–$210.8k | 27 |
| Staff Systems Test Engineer | $146,735 | $136.5k–$152k | 27 |
| Senior Video Systems Hardware Architecture Engineer | $122,500 | $120.2k–$151.1k | 26 |
| Staff Software Applications Engineer | $150,095 | $130.4k–$153.7k | 26 |
| Staff Machine Learning Engineer | $158,400 | $158.4k–$163.9k | 25 |
| Staff Systems Engineer | $166,249 | $143.2k–$178k | 25 |
| Hardware Engineer | $109,274 | $108.8k–$114.1k | 23 |
| Systems Test Engineer | $99,505 | $99.5k–$104.4k | 23 |
| Senior Camera Software Engineer | $130,187 | $126.9k–$130.2k | 21 |
| Senior Cellular Technologies Engineer | $120,702 | $119.4k–$127.2k | 21 |
| Senior Modem Technologies Software Engineer | $128,000 | $126.9k–$130.2k | 21 |
| Senior Staff Modem Technologies Engineer | $187,000 | $187k–$207.6k | 21 |
| Senior Staff Software Applications Engineer | $181,734 | $177.2k–$185k | 21 |
| Senior Systems Engineer | $137,370 | $128.9k–$151.1k | 20 |
| Modem Technologies Engineer | $124,342 | $119.4k–$151.1k | 19 |
| Senior Dsp Architecture and Design Engineer | $127,200 | $127.2k–$128.9k | 19 |
| Senior Gpu Software Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$130.6k | 19 |
| Staff Modem Software Engineer | $152,027 | $152k–$157.6k | 19 |
| Senior Machine Learning Researcher Engineer | $159,100 | $152.7k–$159.1k | 18 |
| Senior Rfic Design Engineer | $127,200 | $121.4k–$151.1k | 18 |
| Systems Engineer | $115,123 | $114.3k–$135.2k | 18 |
| Modem Software Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$130.2k | 17 |
| Senior Cellular Technologies Software Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$130.2k | 17 |
| Senior Multimedia Systems Engineer | $122,500 | $122.5k–$128.9k | 17 |
| Camera Software Engineer | $123,893 | $120.3k–$126.9k | 16 |
| Senior Program Manager | $154,400 | $154.4k–$154.4k | 15 |
| Staff Cellular Technologies Engineer | $152,506 | $148.3k–$152.5k | 15 |
| Staff Cellular Technologies Software Engineer | $152,027 | $142.8k–$157.6k | 15 |
| Staff Dsp Architecture and Design Engineer | $154,000 | $143.3k–$154k | 15 |
| Staff Gpu Software Engineer | $152,027 | $152k–$157.6k | 15 |
| Staff Product Manager | $195,189 | $179.2k–$200.9k | 15 |
| Multimedia Systems Engineer | $119,434 | $119.4k–$126.5k | 14 |
| Senior Staff Cellular System Test Engineer | $177,154 | $177.2k–$177.2k | 14 |
| Staff IT Software Developer | $152,027 | $147.5k–$152k | 14 |
| Gpu Software Engineer | $124,386 | $114.4k–$126.9k | 13 |
| Principal Cpu Engineer | $211,900 | $211.9k–$211.9k | 13 |
| Staff Hardware Applications Engineer | $143,187 | $138.4k–$152.5k | 13 |
| Staff Program Manager | $172,882 | $171.2k–$185.2k | 12 |
| Senior Modem Software Engineer | $126,880 | $126.9k–$130.2k | 11 |
| Senior Staff Camera Engineer | $179,000 | $179k–$192k | 11 |
| Senior Staff Modem Software Engineer | $179,000 | $177.2k–$182k | 11 |
| Senior Staff Modem Technologies Software Engineer | $187,000 | $177.2k–$187k | 11 |
| Staff Camera Software Engineer | $152,027 | $152k–$157.6k | 11 |
| Staff Rfic Design Engineer | $154,000 | $151k–$178k | 11 |
| Senior Ppt Systems Engineer | $122,500 | $120.2k–$127.3k | 10 |
| Senior Staff Hardware Engineer | $166,941 | $166.9k–$173.8k | 10 |
| Senior Staff Manager Asics Engineer | $169,000 | $166.9k–$174.4k | 10 |
| Senior Staff Manager Software Engineer | $184,974 | $185k–$189.8k | 10 |
| Senior Staff Multimedia Systems Engineer | $179,000 | $179k–$179k | 10 |
| Staff Multimedia Systems Engineer | $152,506 | $149.4k–$186.5k | 10 |
| Staff Packaging Engineer | $154,000 | $144k–$154k | 10 |
Job titles as written on the filings, with at least 10 filings. Middle 50%: 25th–75th percentile.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm's filings list its industry as Communications Equipment Manufacturing (Manufacturing sector, NAICS 3342). Its main U.S. filing address is in San Diego, CA and its filings in the data run from FY2020 to FY2026 Q3. In the latest two fiscal years, the most filed jobs are Electronics Engineer, Software Engineer and Production Manager and the main metro areas are San Diego, CA, San Jose, CA and Austin, TX. The most common wage level in those years is Level II (mid-level).
- Founded
- 1985
- Headquarters
- San Diego
- Employees
- 45,000 (2021)
- Website
- qualcomm.com
- Stock
- Nasdaq: QCOM
Company facts on this page: Wikidata. Salary data: U.S. Department of Labor.
Questions
Does Qualcomm sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes. Qualcomm filed 3,229 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 Qualcomm pay H-1B workers?
The median base salary on Qualcomm's H-1B filings is $140,800; half of filings fall between $122,500 and $162,400. Bonus and stock are not included.