What Microsoft certifies it pays.
Base-pay bands from 38,132 certified Department of Labor wage filings, through FY2025. Filed under penalty of perjury — not self-reported.
Base-salary bands by role
Software Developers
18,110 filingsSoftware Developers, Applications
5,874 filingsInformation Technology Project Managers
3,817 filingsData Scientists
2,733 filingsSoftware Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers
1,619 filingsElectrical Engineers
945 filingsSearch Marketing Strategists
658 filingsComputer and Information Research Scientists
614 filingsMedian by state
| WA | 26,125 filings | $162K |
| CA | 3,889 filings | $181K |
| TX | 2,250 filings | $141K |
| GA | 1,810 filings | $130K |
| NC | 807 filings | $136K |
| NY | 661 filings | $169K |
| MA | 519 filings | $154K |
| NJ | 355 filings | $165K |
Median by seniority level
| Level I · Entry | 3,788 filings | $125K |
| Level II · Qualified | 16,246 filings | $148K |
| Level III · Experienced | 13,686 filings | $177K |
| Level IV · Fully competent | 3,633 filings | $211K |
OES prevailing-wage levels from the filings — a defensible seniority proxy, not job ladders.
H-1B sponsorship profile
Microsoft certifies 38,132 H-1B / E-3 wage filings through FY2025 — filing volume steady. Below, how those offers compare to the legal prevailing-wage floor each role must clear.
Median certified offer runs 25% above the floor.
The rest are set exactly at the prevailing wage — legal, and common among high-volume filers.
vs. $127K prevailing-wage floor.
Seniority mix (OES wage level)
Filing volume by fiscal year
Filed across 1 legal entity under this brand — largest: Microsoft Corporation (38,132).
Every H-1B role carries a legally required prevailing-wage floor (the OES rate for that occupation, area, and level). The offered wage on the certified filing must meet or exceed it — so “% above floor” distinguishes employers who genuinely pay a premium from those who file at the minimum. Certified DOL disclosure data, offered base wage only; reusable under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
What this data is — and isn't
These bands come from certified H-1B Labor Condition Application disclosures — the base salary employers commit to on the record. They exclude equity, bonus, and benefits, and they cover only roles companies sponsor, which skews technical. Read them as a conservative, citable floor on what Microsoft pays — not total compensation. Our sources.
Have an offer from Microsoft?
See exactly where your number sits in this band — free. Or get the full brief: company health, role risk, and the negotiation playbook, every claim cited.