The H-1B visa program is a crucial path for skilled foreign workers in U.S. industries.
With the new $100,000 H-1B application fee now in effect for overseas filings—the biggest cost shift in the program’s history—Manifest Law has published a new analysis mapping where H-1B workers earn the highest wages in the U.S. The study uses newly released Department of Labor certification data.
In 2022, H-1B approvals in Illinois reached their highest level in more than 15 years. Approved H-1B applications rose to over 442,000 in 2022 and totaled more than 406,000 through the first three quarters of 2025, following a period of lower approvals in the late 2010's.
Illinois reports a median H-1B wage of $109,817, ranking #18 in the nation.
The largest H-1B sponsors in Illinois -- by worker count -- are Ernst and Young; Grandison Management and Cognizant Technology Solutions U-S.
The full report covers nearly 400 metros and all 50 states, with breakdowns of median H-1B wages across metro areas and states, as well as wage comparisons by occupation, industry, and leading H-1B employers.
