University of California at Santa Barbara
H-1B salaries and sponsorship, from 132 certified filings (FY2025–FY2026)
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
- Main U.S. filing address: Santa Barbara, CA
At a glance
- University of California at Santa Barbara hires mid-level. 54% of its filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B employers.
- Most filed: Physicist. 10% of its filings. After that come Materials Scientist and Environmental Scientist.
- Often files at the prevailing wage. 67% of filings are at exactly the prevailing wage, which at University of California at Santa Barbara's jobs and locations has a median of $80,026.
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Percentiles from University of California at Santa Barbara's certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Jobs with at least 10 filings.
What University of California at Santa Barbara hires for
Bar: share of University of California at Santa Barbara's filings. Figure: median base salary. Top 10 jobs account for 53% of filings (46 occupations in total).
Show all 3 jobs
| Job | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Physicist | $77,030 | 13 |
| Materials Scientist | $74,281 | 11 |
| Environmental Scientist | $81,468 | 10 |
Jobs with at least 10 filings at University of California at Santa Barbara.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 39% of filings
Mid-level · 54% of filings
Senior · 7% of filings
Expert · 0% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $112,450 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $132,650 | 22 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 3 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Where University of California at Santa Barbara files
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 1 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria, CA | $82,242 | 126 |
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $71,510 |
| 25th | $74,389 |
| 50th (median) | $82,757 |
| 75th | $107,694 |
| 90th | $139,052 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,668 | $61,677 | $92,221 | 84 |
| FY2021 | $67,800 | $61,950 | $90,675 | 80 |
| FY2022 | $70,200 | $65,292 | $85,558 | 74 |
| FY2023 | $77,145 | $70,000 | $101,082 | 84 |
| FY2024 | $79,102 | $73,169 | $101,900 | 59 |
| FY2025 | $83,392 | $74,317 | $109,465 | 82 |
| FY2026 | $81,041 | $75,075 | $104,069 | 50 |
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.
Job titles at University of California at Santa Barbara
| Job title | Median | Middle 50% | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $74,425 | $71.8k–$79.3k | 55 |
| Assistant Professor | $134,000 | $119.5k–$160.3k | 22 |
| Project Scientist | $82,900 | $80.1k–$94.9k | 12 |
Job titles as written on the filings, with at least 10 filings. Middle 50%: 25th–75th percentile.
About University of California at Santa Barbara
University of California at Santa Barbara's filings list its industry as Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (Educational Services sector, NAICS 6113). Its main U.S. filing address is in Santa Barbara, CA and its filings in the data run from FY2020 to FY2026 Q3. In the latest two fiscal years, the most filed jobs are Physicist, Materials Scientist and Environmental Scientist and the main metro areas are Santa Maria, CA, Chicago, IL and Oxnard, CA. The most common wage level in those years is Level II (mid-level).
Questions
Does University of California at Santa Barbara sponsor H-1B visas?
Yes. University of California at Santa Barbara filed 132 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 University of California at Santa Barbara pay H-1B workers?
The median base salary on University of California at Santa Barbara's H-1B filings is $82,757; half of filings fall between $74,389 and $107,694. Bonus and stock are not included.