This interactive map shades all 3,222 U.S. counties by the H-1B prevailing-wage level a given salary reaches, for any of 800+ occupations. Under the 2027 wage-weighted lottery, a higher level means more selection entries — so where your salary lands matters. Pick a role and pay above, or read the reference table and FAQ below.
The 45 largest job markets for Software Developers, with the four DOL wage-level thresholds in each. Use the map above for any other occupation or a specific county.
| Metro area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $115,205 | $141,285 | $167,365 | $193,445 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $114,875 | $142,448 | $170,021 | $197,594 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $154,861 | $177,217 | $199,573 | $221,930 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $109,176 | $129,255 | $149,335 | $169,414 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $144,615 | $166,110 | $187,605 | $209,100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $95,132 | $114,835 | $134,538 | $154,241 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $111,925 | $135,197 | $158,469 | $181,742 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $116,451 | $136,998 | $157,545 | $178,092 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $93,485 | $114,658 | $135,831 | $157,004 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $93,312 | $113,609 | $133,906 | $154,203 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $99,792 | $119,080 | $138,367 | $157,655 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $92,641 | $112,844 | $133,048 | $153,252 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $92,741 | $113,450 | $134,159 | $154,868 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $92,363 | $112,172 | $131,980 | $151,789 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $110,872 | $127,432 | $143,993 | $160,553 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $91,647 | $109,787 | $127,927 | $146,067 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $90,102 | $110,017 | $129,932 | $149,847 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $100,219 | $118,722 | $137,225 | $155,728 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $110,899 | $135,317 | $159,735 | $184,153 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $90,320 | $110,472 | $130,623 | $150,775 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $90,833 | $112,265 | $133,698 | $155,131 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $109,057 | $128,796 | $148,535 | $168,274 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $95,867 | $124,267 | $152,667 | $181,067 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $88,733 | $110,567 | $132,402 | $154,236 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $90,992 | $111,402 | $131,813 | $152,223 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $91,000 | $112,603 | $134,206 | $155,808 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $86,243 | $102,520 | $118,797 | $135,074 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $85,144 | $105,351 | $125,557 | $145,764 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $86,635 | $102,140 | $117,645 | $133,150 |
| Columbus, OH | $89,407 | $104,447 | $119,486 | $134,526 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $88,902 | $108,464 | $128,025 | $147,587 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $113,559 | $128,416 | $143,272 | $158,128 |
| Cleveland, OH | $87,965 | $100,470 | $112,976 | $125,481 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $90,099 | $108,851 | $127,603 | $146,355 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $87,543 | $109,658 | $131,773 | $153,888 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $88,033 | $103,965 | $119,898 | $135,831 |
| Richmond, VA | $95,089 | $115,042 | $134,995 | $154,948 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $112,458 | $128,455 | $144,451 | $160,448 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $90,436 | $110,289 | $130,142 | $149,996 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $89,022 | $109,509 | $129,996 | $150,483 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $80,257 | $95,518 | $110,778 | $126,039 |
| Boulder, CO | $115,167 | $141,172 | $167,177 | $193,181 |
| Huntsville, AL | $89,285 | $109,964 | $130,643 | $151,322 |
| Madison, WI | $91,741 | $111,599 | $131,457 | $151,316 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $88,123 | $103,360 | $118,598 | $133,835 |
Level I–IV annual wages from BLS OEWS (May 2025), computed with the DOL prevailing-wage method. Figures are estimates of official thresholds; verify a specific case with a prevailing-wage determination.
New to any of this? Start with how the 2027 wage-weighted lottery works and prevailing wage levels explained.
From the FY2027 cycle, the H-1B selection is wage-weighted: registrations at higher prevailing-wage levels get more entries (Level I = 1 entry up to Level IV = 4). A salary that clears a higher wage level for your role and metro means more entries and better odds. This map shows which level any salary reaches, county by county.
The Department of Labor defines four wage levels per occupation and area, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). They are derived from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics percentiles. The same salary can be Level II in one metro and Level IV in another.
Official BLS OEWS data (May 2025), with the DOL wage-level method (Level I ≈ 17th percentile, Level IV ≈ 67th). Sparse areas fall back to state, then national, so every U.S. county resolves. It's an estimate of DOL's thresholds — a specific case also depends on the job's exact duties.
No. A higher level improves your odds by giving you more entries, but selection is still probabilistic and depends on total registrations. Cap-exempt employers skip the lottery entirely.