Federal data on H-1B visas reveals how much Nvidia is paying foreign workers across key roles, underscoring the chipmaker's determination to attract top talent despite a broader slowdown in tech immigration, according to a report by Business Insider.
While rivals like Google and Amazon have scaled back on sponsorship amid the Trump administration's crackdown, Nvidia obtained certification for roughly 1,200 H-1B positions in the first half of fiscal 2026, up from 1,000 a year earlier.
Salary Ranges Across Key Roles
As per federal filings, Nvidia's pay scale spans a wide range across disciplines. The following table summarizes base salary ranges for various H-1B roles:
- AI Researchers: Research Scientist ($104,000–$356,500); Principal Research Scientist ($272,000–$431,250); Senior Research Scientist ($134,971–$356,500)
- Architects: Architect ($131,362–$356,500); Principal Architect ($248,000–$425,500); Senior Architect ($148,000–$356,500); Solutions Architect ($139,235–$356,500)
- Chip Engineers: ASIC Engineer ($136,000–$368,000); Senior Physical Design Engineer ($160,481–$310,500); Verification Engineer ($119,184–$310,500); Senior ASIC Engineer ($163,925–$310,500); Senior Mixed Signal Design Engineer ($163,494–$310,500); Senior Verification Engineer ($135,907–$310,500); System Design Engineer ($157,857–$322,000); Test Engineer ($128,000–$287,500); Hardware Engineer, Electronics ($96,000–$310,500); Product Development Engineer ($131,362–$322,000)
- Software Engineers: Senior Software Engineer ($139,152–$356,500); Principal Software Engineer ($264,514–$425,500); Systems Software Engineer ($131,997–$287,500); Principal Systems Software Engineer ($272,000–$431,250); Software Engineer ($108,000–$391,000); Senior Systems Software Engineer ($139,152–$356,500); DevOps Engineer ($144,000–$333,500); Distinguished AI Algorithms Engineer ($308,000–$471,500); Senior Network Infrastructure Engineer ($136,000–$333,500)
- Managers and Directors: Architecture Director ($320,000–$488,750); Software Engineering Director ($388,918–$471,500); Senior Manager, Systems Software ($272,000–$431,250); Developer Relations Director ($308,000–$471,500); Hardware Engineering Director ($284,000–$431,250); Hardware Engineering Manager ($196,000–$368,000); Product Manager ($198,702–$379,500); Program Manager ($161,034–$322,000); Systems Software Manager ($184,000–$356,500)
Nvidia's Aggressive Hiring Strategy
As reported by Business Insider, the data shows Nvidia's aggressive hiring strategy. H-1B approvals at Google fell from 5,100 to 2,200 year-over-year, while Amazon's dropped from 6,100 to 4,300. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has long stressed his personal involvement in compensation decisions. "I review everybody's compensation up to this day at the end of every cycle," Huang said on the All-In podcast last July. He also claimed to have "created more billionaires on my management team than any CEO in the world." Despite this, employees acknowledge that those who joined Nvidia earlier have benefited far more from equity appreciation than newer hires, a disparity openly discussed within the company.
