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H-1B visa approvals by metropolitan area, fiscal 2010-2016

Metropolitan areaTotal H-1B visa approvalsH-1B visa approvals per 100 workersAverage salary for H-1B visa approvals% of H-1B visa approvals with an advanced degree% of H-1B visa approvals with a U.S. advanced degree
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA247,9002.501$80,000 47%13%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX74,0002.126$77,100 43%12%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV64,8002$73,900 45%12%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH38,3001.482$88,100 61%20%
College Station-Bryan, TX37,80031.847$82,600 23%1%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD34,3001.125$84,800 52%15%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI29,9000.613$82,200 42%9%
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX28,9000.917$81,900 59%20%
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA28,5001.014$74,600 53%14%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA22,2002.21$88,800 53%15%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL14,7000.502$70,600 38%13%
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI13,9000.682$72,300 47%9%
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC11,3004.128$84,700 48%6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA11,3000.466$90,500 51%15%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL10,8000.756$82,600 55%17%
Trenton, NJ9,5004.857$83,300 53%13%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA9,0000.137$75,200 48%17%
Austin-Round Rock, TX8,3000.82$85,600 62%22%
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD7,4000.505$77,100 62%19%
Pittsburgh, PA6,6000.546$83,700 57%16%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT6,3001.35$100,200 60%20%
Richmond, VA5,8000.898$86,500 60%14%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA5,2000.267$98,100 51%17%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT4,9000.785$81,500 58%17%
Worcester, MA-CT4,8001.403$79,100 64%23%
Raleigh, NC4,4000.703$79,600 63%19%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC4,4000.367$82,800 55%16%
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL3,6000.305$76,200 51%15%
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA3,4000.492$90,100 64%18%
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA2,9001.003$73,800 53%18%
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN2,7000.296$86,500 59%17%
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX2,6000.246$78,900 50%13%
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ2,3000.107$97,100 69%22%
Jacksonville, FL2,0000.282$78,500 52%14%
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI1,9000.1$90,500 62%20%
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN1,9000.298$79,600 60%13%
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO1,9000.127$91,300 55%14%
St. Louis, MO-IL1,9000.126$84,700 51%13%
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA1,8000.117$86,600 67%28%
Columbus, OH1,8000.176$72,500 61%18%
Memphis, TN-MS-AR1,7000.272$77,700 69%22%
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY1,6000.286$89,900 62%21%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO1,5000.632$91,600 55%17%
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN1,5000.137$70,200 57%13%
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI1,5000.179$84,800 46%11%
Kansas City, MO-KS1,4000.126$76,500 63%19%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ1,3000.312$75,400 61%19%
Rochester, NY1,3000.244$72,200 57%18%
Manchester-Nashua, NH1,3001.111$78,200 53%14%
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY1,2000.275$82,100 65%23%
Burlington-South Burlington, VT1,2000.983$81,200 65%15%
Baton Rouge, LA1,2000.3$71,500 51%16%
Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA1,2000.112$87,800 68%21%
New Haven-Milford, CT1,2000.362$79,800 66%23%
Ann Arbor, MI1,0000.538$68,500 64%25%
New Orleans-Metairie, LA1,0000.167$70,600 61%23%
Oklahoma City, OK1,0000.147$72,800 64%27%
Tulsa, OK9000.188$74,300 63%24%
Charlottesville, VA9000.768$49,500 58%10%
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR8000.24$67,600 62%17%
Gainesville, FL8000.592$71,600 67%27%
Greensboro-High Point, NC8000.209$80,500 63%24%
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC7000.088$73,300 59%24%
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA7000.144$90,400 61%18%
Birmingham-Hoover, AL7000.124$80,900 62%22%
Erie, PA7000.48$89,100 75%21%
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC6000.158$84,800 59%18%
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN6000.064$71,700 57%21%

Note: Includes only metropolitan areas with a minimum of 600 total H-1B visa approvals in fiscal years 2010-2016. H-1B visa approvals and average salary rounded to the nearest 100. H-1B visa approvals rate per 100 workers was calculated using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics annual average civilian force data. Advanced degree is defined as having a master’s, professional or doctorate degree. U.S. advanced degree is defined as having received an advanced degree from a U.S. college or university. H-1B visa approvals subject to annual cap account for nearly all (99.9%) approvals in this analysis. Approvals data (obtained through a public records request) do not distinguish between approvals for initial and continuing employment. Source: Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data on H-1B visa approvals, received via Freedom of Information Act request on Nov. 17, 2017. Interactive includes data for fiscal years 2010-2016. Data on average monthly civilian labor force by metropolitan area for calendar years 2010-2016 from Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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