Electrical Engineer (R&D) salary
From 292 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 17-2074: Electrical Engineers, R&D
- Also filed as: Researcher Iii Electrical Engineering
At a glance
- Mostly Level III (senior). 37% of Electrical Engineer (R&D) filings are Level III, compared with 21% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Electric Power Research Institute. 32 filings (11% of the total), median $88,060.
- Median up 30% since FY2020. From $75,000 in FY2020 to $97,614 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Electrical Engineer (R&D) H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 292 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Electrical Engineer (R&D) jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 17-2074, Electrical Engineers, R&D). The median base salary is $95,000, 23% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $77,655 and $114,526. The most common wage level is Level III (senior), at 37% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (35), and Electric Power Research Institute is the employer that files the most (32).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Electrical Engineer (R&D)
Battelle Memorial Institute19 filings · 7%$130,370
Alliance for Energy Innovation10 filings · 3%$106,831
Employers with the most Electrical Engineer (R&D) filings. Bar: share of all Electrical Engineer (R&D) filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 16% of filings
Mid-level · 27% of filings
Senior · 37% of filings
Expert · 19% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $69,925 | 46 |
| Level II · Qualified | $90,475 | 78 |
| Level III · Experienced | $103,654 | 106 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $110,099 | 54 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Electrical Engineer (R&D) pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 7 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $105,330 | 35 |
| Knoxville, TN | $121,008 | 33 |
| Denver, CO | $99,247 | 30 |
| San Jose, CA | $97,614 | 19 |
| Boston, MA | $71,500 | 17 |
| Chicago, IL | $95,099 | 14 |
| Kennewick, WA | $135,322 | 10 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,078 |
| 25th | $77,655 |
| 50th (median) | $95,000 |
| 75th | $114,526 |
| 90th | $137,623 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $75,000 | $55,598 | $88,940 | 111 |
| FY2021 | $71,324 | $57,862 | $87,307 | 178 |
| FY2022 | $76,300 | $62,841 | $92,800 | 198 |
| FY2023 | $81,626 | $65,000 | $96,930 | 222 |
| FY2024 | $88,000 | $72,000 | $111,578 | 185 |
| FY2025 | $93,290 | $76,877 | $117,858 | 186 |
| FY2026 | $97,614 | $80,996 | $112,540 | 106 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Electrical Engineer (R&D) make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Electrical Engineer (R&D) jobs is $95,000 (292 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $77,655 and $114,526.
What does an entry-level Electrical Engineer (R&D) earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $69,925. Level I accounts for 16% of Electrical Engineer (R&D) filings.
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Electrical Engineer (R&D)s?
Electric Power Research Institute (32), Brookhaven National Laboratory (28) and Ut-Battelle, Llc (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) (26) filed the most Electrical Engineer (R&D) LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.