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Principal Hardware Engineer

Reported H-1B wages for this job title. Explore roles, wages, and case statuses using public Department of Labor records.

Insights follow the displayed search filters, including partial name matches. All loaded years.

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THE BIG PICTURE

Principal Hardware Engineer insights

Official U.S. DOL records
Total filings71All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
Median yearly base salary$163,66362 eligible salary records
Employer names33Distinct reported names
Typical salary range$131,836–$195,225Middle 50% of yearly wages

Filing & salary trends

How reported activity and wages changed over time

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
0371013FY 2016: 3 filings16FY 2017: 12 filings17FY 2018: 11 filings18FY 2019: 8 filings19FY 2020: 5 filings20FY 2021: 3 filings21FY 2022: 6 filings22FY 2023: 6 filings23FY 2024: 8 filings24FY 2025: 5 filings25FY 2026: 4 filings · through June26*Fiscal year
FY 2026*4 filings$155,507 median · n=4

*FY 2026 covers Q1–Q3 through June; earlier years cover full fiscal years. Median: certified, positive yearly base wages; nominal USD.

Salary distribution

Where reported yearly base wages concentrate

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
$150k–$175kMost common wage band
$0$125k$250k+

$25k bands · 62 certified filings with positive yearly wages. Final band includes all wages ≥$250k.

Most reported roles

Explore job mix and compare reported wages

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
Principal Hardware Engineer57
$164,913 median · n=50 eligible
Principal Hardware Engineer - Power Integrity4
$113,500 median · n=2 eligible
Senior Principal Hardware Engineer4
$220,000 median · n=4 eligible
Principal Hardware Engineer / Manager3
$162,500 median · n=3 eligible
Principal Hardware Engineer (Diagnostic Development)1
$121,750 median · n=1 eligible
Principal Hardware Engineer (Rf)1
$152,526 median · n=1 eligible
Principal Hardware Engineering Program Manager1
$197,215 median · n=1 eligible

Top 7 by filing volume. Medians use certified, positive yearly wages. Bars start at zero.

Leading worksite cities

Where filings are concentrated

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
San Diego, CA14
$166,600 median · n=13 eligible
San Jose, CA13
$155,106 median · n=11 eligible
Santa Clara, CA8
$215,592 median · n=7 eligible
Sunnyvale, CA5
$155,844 median · n=4 eligible
San Francisco, CA4
$311,400 median · n=3 eligible
Austin, TX3
$127,054 median · n=2 eligible
Austin, TEXAS3
$147,428 median · n=2 eligible
Palo Alto, CA3
$180,000 median · n=3 eligible

Top 8 by filing volume. Medians use certified, positive yearly wages. Bars start at zero.

Case outcomes

Certification and withdrawal context

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
88.7%Certified LCAs
Certified63 88.7%
Certified - Withdrawn7 9.9%
Withdrawn1 1.4%

Denominator: all 71 matching filings. LCA certification is not a visa approval rate.

Leading employers

Companies with the most matching filings

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.15
$162,500 median · n=15 eligible
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.9
$121,789 median · n=7 eligible
Sambanova Systems, Inc.5
$179,000 median · n=4 eligible
Astera Labs, Inc.4
$220,000 median · n=4 eligible
Microsoft Corporation4
$215,000 median · n=4 eligible
Srishti I2i Biz Solutions Inc4
$113,500 median · n=2 eligible
Cisco Systems, Inc.3
$211,600 median · n=3 eligible
Covidien Lp2
$118,414 median · n=2 eligible

Top 8 by filing volume. Medians use certified, positive yearly wages. Bars start at zero.

Salary benchmarks

Reported wage percentiles, from P10 to P90

All loaded years · FY 2016–2026
$163,663Median reported annual base wage
10th percentile$115,341
25th percentile$131,836
Median (50th)$163,663
75th percentile$195,225
90th percentile$224,580

n=62 certified filings with positive yearly wages. Percentiles describe filings, not unique workers or total compensation.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor LCA disclosures · FY 2016–2026 (FY 2026 partial) · salary charts exclude non-yearly pay, non-certified cases, and missing or non-positive wages. Coverage & methodology

Salary filing history

71 matching H-1B filings

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Reported base wages in USD · pay period shown beside each amount · select a salary for case details

EmployerJob titleBase salaryLocationSubmit dateStart date
Covidien LpPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$118,414 /yr

I-200-26174-041569
Reported wage: $118,414–$140,800 / year
Annualized: $118,414
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2026
Decision: 2026-06-30
Employment end: 2029-12-17
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

North Haven, CT06/23/202612/18/2026
Covidien LpPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$118,414 /yr

I-200-26117-840556
Reported wage: $118,414–$136,778 / year
Annualized: $118,414
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2026
Decision: 2026-05-04
Employment end: 2029-09-30
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

North Haven, CT04/27/202610/01/2026
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$192,600 /yr

I-200-26011-550319
Reported wage: $192,600–$289,000 / year
Annualized: $192,600
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2026
Decision: 2026-01-16
Employment end: 2029-07-07
Worker positions: 100

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Diego, CA01/11/202607/08/2026
Upscale Ai, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$220,000 /yr

I-200-25308-367031
Reported wage: $220,000–$260,000 / year
Annualized: $220,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2026
Decision: 2025-11-14
Employment end: 2028-11-09
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Santa Clara, CA11/03/202511/10/2025
Brainscope Company Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$140,000 /yr

I-200-22283-521109
Reported wage: $140,000 / year
Annualized: $140,000
Status: Certified - Withdrawn
Fiscal year: 2025
Decision: 2025-08-11
Employment end: 2025-10-10
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Chevy Chase, MD10/10/202210/11/2022
Medtronic, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$145,642 /yr

I-200-25164-089674
Reported wage: $145,642–$147,311.22 / year
Annualized: $145,642
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2025
Decision: 2025-06-23
Employment end: 2028-12-11
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Tempe, AZ06/13/202512/12/2025
Cisco Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$220,800 /yr

I-200-25106-868627
Reported wage: $220,800–$335,400 / year
Annualized: $220,800
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2025
Decision: 2025-04-22
Employment end: 2028-09-30
Worker positions: 10

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Jose, CA04/15/202510/01/2025
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$192,600 /yr

I-200-25046-697820
Reported wage: $192,600–$289,000 / year
Annualized: $192,600
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2025
Decision: 2025-02-24
Employment end: 2028-07-31
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Diego, CA02/15/202508/01/2025
Brambles USA IncPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$215,592 /yr

I-200-24284-398990
Reported wage: $215,592–$230,960 / year
Annualized: $215,592
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2025
Decision: 2024-10-18
Employment end: 2027-11-10
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Santa Clara, CA10/10/202411/11/2024
Micron Technology, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$240,000 /yr

I-200-24253-324640
Reported wage: $240,000 / year
Annualized: $240,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-09-16
Employment end: 2027-10-13
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Jose, CA09/09/202410/14/2024
Ruckus Wireless LLCPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$164,826 /yr

I-200-24155-061839
Reported wage: $164,826–$256,400 / year
Annualized: $164,826
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-06-10
Employment end: 2027-06-09
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Sunnyvale, CA06/03/202406/10/2024
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$133,663 /yr

I-200-24143-026922
Reported wage: $133,663–$244,400 / year
Annualized: $133,663
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-05-30
Employment end: 2027-09-30
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Jose, CA05/22/202410/01/2024
Sensormatic Electronics, LLCPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$127,130 /yr

I-200-24107-892266
Reported wage: $127,130–$146,795.74 / year
Annualized: $127,130
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-04-23
Employment end: 2027-09-30
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Westford, MA04/16/202410/01/2024
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$180,000 /yr

I-200-24080-816535
Reported wage: $180,000–$270,000 / year
Annualized: $180,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-03-27
Employment end: 2027-08-28
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Diego, CA03/20/202408/29/2024
Cruise LLCPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$311,400 /yr

I-200-24081-817974
Reported wage: $311,400–$331,400 / year
Annualized: $311,400
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-03-27
Employment end: 2027-08-01
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Francisco, CA03/20/202408/02/2024
Cruise LLCPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$311,400 /yr

I-200-24052-737776
Reported wage: $311,400–$331,400 / year
Annualized: $311,400
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-02-28
Employment end: 2027-08-11
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Francisco, CA02/21/202408/12/2024
Sambanova Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$180,000 /yr

I-200-24023-660563
Reported wage: $180,000 / year
Annualized: $180,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2024
Decision: 2024-01-30
Employment end: 2027-06-09
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Palo Alto, CA01/23/202406/10/2024
Cisco Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$211,600 /yr

I-200-23234-287140
Reported wage: $211,600–$335,400 / year
Annualized: $211,600
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-08-29
Employment end: 2027-02-07
Worker positions: 15

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Jose, CA08/22/202302/08/2024
Sambanova Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$178,000 /yr

I-200-23177-144825
Reported wage: $178,000 / year
Annualized: $178,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-07-03
Employment end: 2026-12-14
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Palo Alto, CA06/26/202312/15/2023
Sambanova Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$180,000 /yr

I-200-23173-137687
Reported wage: $180,000 / year
Annualized: $180,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-06-29
Employment end: 2026-09-30
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Palo Alto, CA06/22/202310/01/2023
Sensormatic Electronics, LLCPrincipal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$120,141 /yr

I-200-23058-806203
Reported wage: $120,141–$140,000 / year
Annualized: $120,141
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-03-06
Employment end: 2026-08-19
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Westford, MA02/27/202308/20/2023
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$180,000 /yr

I-200-23025-725525
Reported wage: $180,000–$270,000 / year
Annualized: $180,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-02-01
Employment end: 2026-06-21
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Diego, CA01/25/202306/22/2023
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$180,000 /yr

I-200-23013-700354
Reported wage: $180,000–$270,000 / year
Annualized: $180,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2023
Decision: 2023-01-20
Employment end: 2026-06-21
Worker positions: 100

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Diego, CA01/13/202306/22/2023
Cisco Systems, Inc.Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$196,100 /yr

I-200-22165-280219
Reported wage: $196,100–$323,400 / year
Annualized: $196,100
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2022
Decision: 2022-06-22
Employment end: 2025-09-20
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

San Jose, CA06/14/202209/21/2022
Astera Labs, Inc.Senior Principal Hardware Engineer

Filing details

$225,000 /yr

I-200-22146-215331
Reported wage: $225,000 / year
Annualized: $225,000
Status: Certified
Fiscal year: 2022
Decision: 2022-06-03
Employment end: 2024-01-26
Worker positions: 1

Employer-reported disclosure · Base wage, not total compensation.

Santa Clara, CA05/26/202206/01/2022

These records describe employer-reported wages, not total compensation. A certified LCA does not establish that a visa was granted or that an employer is currently hiring. Read the methodology and coverage.