North Carolina (NC)
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H1BIndex State Grade
i
C
FY 2026
2023
A+
2024
A+
2025
A+
Total State Visa Volume i
3,425
Filings in FY 2026
Median State Salary i
$120,000
Standard yearly salary
True Purchasing Power i
$114,000
Adjusted for Cost of Living
USCIS Approval Rate i
99.9%
Official Adjudication
State Economic & Immigration Overview
An automated macro-level review of North Carolina's tech ecosystem.Overall North Carolina Rating
Federal records show 3,425 total work visa filings for North Carolina. When we look at local wages and job availability, the region gets an official H1B Index Rating of "C".
Focus on Experienced Workers
Local employers focus heavily on acquiring proven workers. A massive 54.6% of the state's visa volume comes from transferring talent between organizations.
Living Costs
It is important to look past the raw $120,000 salary figure. Because North Carolina collects a 5.0% state tax, actual localized purchasing power settles near $114,000.
Reliable Visa Process
If you want a stable career path, North Carolina is a great option. Companies successfully get 99.9% of their work visas approved, alongside 429 active Green Card sponsorships.
Seniority Focused
This state strongly utilizes seasoned expertise. Federal tracking confirms that 43.3% of the labor market here operates strictly at higher, senior wage tiers.
Main Employment Hub
If you are moving to North Carolina, Charlotte is the most active city for securing a work visa. Overall, the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry provides the majority of these positions.
Layoff Radar & Risk Indicators
Clean Layoff Record
Zero Job Cuts: There are no records of companies in North Carolina letting go of staff while applying for these work visas.
Top Metro Hubs in North Carolina
Hiring volume across major cities mapped against the state baseline compensation rate of $120,000.Talent Sourcing Pipeline
Are companies hiring fresh talent or poaching from competitors?Fresh Hires (45.4%)Corporate Poaching (54.6%)
State Wage Premium
$6,453
Above Legal Minimum
On average, employers in North Carolina offer salaries that are $6,453 higher than the baseline prevailing wage required by the Department of Labor.
10-Year Salary Trends
Comparing state-level base compensation growth for temporary H-1B visas versus permanent Green Cards (PERM). Upward Pay Trend: +58.5%. Employers pay noticeably more across this state today compared to past years.
Modest Pay Shift: +$3,424. There is only a 2.9% gap between temporary and permanent pay in this region for 2026.
Top Hiring Employers
Companies sponsoring the most visas in this state.
Company & Median Pay
Total Approvals
Top Emerging Startup in North Carolina
We found exactly 1 fast-growing startup (under 5 years old) actively hiring visa workers in North Carolina right now.
O*NET Wage Level Distribution
Experience requirements matched against pay tiers across the state.| Experience Level | Total Filings | Cohort Size | Minimum Base | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (Level I) | 286 | 8.4% | $40,000 | $82,700 |
| Qualified (Level II) | 1,398 | 40.8% | $38,800 | $112,424 |
| Experienced (Level III) | 820 | 23.9% | $47,133 | $133,536 |
| Fully Competent (Level IV) | 664 | 19.4% | $35,131 | $157,248 |
| Not Disclosed (Blank) | 257 | 7.5% | $61,800 | $126,605 |
Geographic Deployment & Worksites
The top locations where state employers place their workers.| City/Metro Area | Workforce % | City Median Pay | Wage (Level IV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 34.4% (1,179 Filings) | $119,910 | 18.9% |
| Durham, NC | 15.5% (530 Filings) | $124,084 | 19.4% |
| Raleigh, NC | 10.7% (366 Filings) | $115,004 | 13.9% |
| Cary, NC | 6.4% (218 Filings) | $124,607 | 19.3% |
| Morrisville, NC | 6.0% (205 Filings) | $125,000 | 16.1% |
| Apex, NC | 2.5% (85 Filings) | $138,246 | 30.6% |
| Concord, NC | 2.4% (83 Filings) | $133,536 | 32.5% |
| Greensboro, NC | 1.9% (64 Filings) | $111,105 | 28.1% |
| Holly Springs, NC | 1.5% (53 Filings) | $128,444 | 18.9% |
| Fuquay Varina, NC | 1.3% (43 Filings) | $124,966 | 25.6% |
| Garner, NC | 0.9% (32 Filings) | $135,408 | 28.1% |
| Huntersville, NC | 0.9% (31 Filings) | $112,923 | 12.9% |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 0.8% (26 Filings) | $110,000 | 23.1% |
| Mooresville, NC | 0.7% (25 Filings) | $120,000 | 20.0% |
| Indian Trail, NC | 0.7% (24 Filings) | $113,000 | 8.3% |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 0.7% (23 Filings) | $126,500 | 39.1% |
| Davidson, NC | 0.7% (23 Filings) | $140,795 | 47.8% |
| Fuquay-Varina, NC | 0.5% (18 Filings) | $129,883 | 16.7% |
| Research Triangle Park, NC | 0.5% (18 Filings) | $101,966 | 5.6% |
| Winston Salem, NC | 0.5% (17 Filings) | $67,777 | 11.8% |
| New Hill, NC | 0.5% (16 Filings) | $137,704 | 18.8% |
| Wake Forest, NC | 0.5% (16 Filings) | $131,113 | 25.0% |
| Harrisburg, NC | 0.4% (15 Filings) | $120,000 | 26.7% |
| High Point, NC | 0.4% (15 Filings) | $121,264 | 40.0% |
| Monroe, NC | 0.4% (13 Filings) | $138,240 | 15.4% |
| Matthews, NC | 0.4% (13 Filings) | $128,064 | 23.1% |
| Fayetteville, NC | 0.4% (12 Filings) | $86,382 | 0.0% |
| Waxhaw, NC | 0.3% (11 Filings) | $114,754 | 9.1% |
| Greenville, NC | 0.3% (10 Filings) | $105,000 | 20.0% |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 0.3% (10 Filings) | $48,242 | 50.0% |
| Whitakers, NC | 0.3% (9 Filings) | $99,286 | 11.1% |
| Sanford, NC | 0.2% (8 Filings) | $110,000 | 25.0% |
| Burlington, NC | 0.2% (8 Filings) | $120,382 | 37.5% |
| Asheville, NC | 0.2% (8 Filings) | $82,434 | 25.0% |
| Clayton, NC | 0.2% (8 Filings) | $105,559 | 12.5% |
| Boone, NC | 0.2% (7 Filings) | $130,000 | 0.0% |
| Wilmington, NC | 0.2% (7 Filings) | $130,000 | 57.1% |
| Wendell, NC | 0.2% (6 Filings) | $128,617 | 16.7% |
| Kannapolis, NC | 0.2% (6 Filings) | $113,000 | 0.0% |
| Gastonia, NC | 0.2% (6 Filings) | $108,142 | 16.7% |
| Wilson, NC | 0.2% (6 Filings) | $76,082 | 33.3% |
| Goldsboro, NC | 0.2% (6 Filings) | $43,000 | 0.0% |
| Colfax, NC | 0.1% (5 Filings) | $100,942 | 20.0% |
| Knightdale, NC | 0.1% (5 Filings) | $131,250 | 40.0% |
| Salisbury, NC | 0.1% (5 Filings) | $140,795 | 20.0% |
| Lumberton, NC | 0.1% (4 Filings) | $196,746 | 0.0% |
| Ahoskie, NC | 0.1% (4 Filings) | $50,180 | 0.0% |
| Jamestown, NC | 0.1% (4 Filings) | $112,471 | 25.0% |
| Liberty, NC | 0.1% (4 Filings) | $115,120 | 0.0% |
| Plymouth, NC | 0.1% (4 Filings) | $52,894 | 0.0% |
Most Poached Roles
Roles with the highest volume of H-1B transfers, indicating aggressive headhunting.
Role & Transfer Pay
Total Transferred
Dominant Industries
Distribution of cases by broad industry sector.53.5%
18.9%
8.5%
5.7%
4.4%
Historical Retention Rate
Year-over-year percentage of successful visa renewals and extensions.Top Third-Party End Clients i
Where consultants are deployed.
End Client & Placement Data
Total Approvals
Highest Compensation Roles i
Top positions ranked by median base pay.
Role & Market Data
Median Base
Law Firms & Third-Party Work i
Leading legal counsel for visas.
Law Firm & Market Data
Total Approvals
Visa Volume & Success
-84.9% YoY Decline
LCA approvals, denials, and overall certification rates.
USCIS Petition Processing
New vs. Renewed approvals and denials in the state.Green Card Sponsorships
PERM residency applications and median GC wages.Noticing a difference in dates? Salary metrics reflect real-time DOL filings, while approval metrics rely on finalized USCIS historical data. View timelines
Complete Employers Matrix
A detailed ledger of all corporate clients operating in North Carolina.| Sponsoring Employer | Market Share | LCA Count | Median Salary | Vs State Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Technology Group, LLC D/B/A Fidelity Investments | 6.6% | 225 | $124,084 | +3.4% Avg |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions Us Corp. | 4.1% | 139 | $113,797 | -5.2% Avg |
| Infosys Limited | 2.4% | 81 | $94,952 | -20.9% Avg |
| Ernst & Young U.S. LLP | 2.2% | 76 | $157,501 | +31.3% Avg |
| Lowe'S Companies, Inc. | 2.1% | 73 | $133,536 | +11.3% Avg |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | 1.5% | 53 | $149,510 | +24.6% Avg |
| Tata Consultancy Services Limited | 1.3% | 44 | $86,798 | -27.7% Avg |
| Truist Bank | 1.2% | 41 | $136,000 | +13.3% Avg |
| Duke University | 1.1% | 38 | $74,759 | -37.7% Avg |
| Db Global Technology, Inc. | 1.0% | 34 | $133,704 | +11.4% Avg |
| Compunnel Software Group, Inc. | 1.0% | 34 | $120,000 | Market Rate |
| Randstad Digital, LLC | 1.0% | 33 | $130,000 | +8.3% Avg |
| Cisco Systems, Inc. | 0.9% | 31 | $135,800 | +13.2% Avg |
| Microsoft Corporation | 0.9% | 30 | $156,902 | +30.8% Avg |
| Relx, Inc. | 0.8% | 28 | $165,416 | +37.8% Avg |
| Ibm Corporation | 0.7% | 24 | $124,842 | +4.0% Avg |
| Bank Of America N.A. | 0.7% | 24 | $158,334 | +31.9% Avg |
| North Carolina State University | 0.7% | 24 | $65,000 | -45.8% Avg |
| Deloitte Consulting LLP | 0.7% | 24 | $135,200 | +12.7% Avg |
| University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill | 0.7% | 23 | $110,000 | -8.3% Avg |
| Innova Solutions, Inc. | 0.6% | 22 | $113,797 | -5.2% Avg |
| Charter Communications, Inc. | 0.6% | 22 | $120,307 | Market Rate |
| Capgemini America Inc. | 0.6% | 22 | $128,750 | +7.3% Avg |
| Ubs Business Solutions Us LLC | 0.6% | 20 | $125,000 | +4.2% Avg |
| Wipro Limited | 0.6% | 19 | $91,042 | -24.1% Avg |
| Msr Technology Group LLC | 0.6% | 19 | $113,547 | -5.4% Avg |
| Hcl America Inc. | 0.5% | 18 | $126,256 | +5.2% Avg |
| Synechron, Inc. | 0.5% | 17 | $112,424 | -6.3% Avg |
| Mphasis Corporation | 0.4% | 15 | $120,000 | Market Rate |
| Cgi Technologies And Solutions Inc. | 0.4% | 15 | $112,424 | -6.3% Avg |
| Fis Management Services, LLC | 0.4% | 14 | $131,017 | +9.2% Avg |
| Ltimindtree Limited | 0.4% | 14 | $86,799 | -27.7% Avg |
| Laboratory Corporation Of America Holdings | 0.4% | 14 | $138,060 | +15.0% Avg |
| Persistent Systems, Inc. | 0.4% | 13 | $122,232 | +1.9% Avg |
| Accenture LLP | 0.4% | 12 | $135,254 | +12.7% Avg |
| Charter Communications Inc. | 0.4% | 12 | $124,422 | +3.7% Avg |
| Lenovo (United States) Inc. | 0.4% | 12 | $104,250 | -13.1% Avg |
| Insight Global, LLC | 0.3% | 11 | $133,536 | +11.3% Avg |
| Credit Karma, LLC | 0.3% | 11 | $180,968 | +50.8% Avg |
| Nvidia Corporation | 0.3% | 11 | $168,000 | +40.0% Avg |
Complete Jobs Matrix
The job titles most frequently sponsored in this state.| Job Title in State | LCA Count | Median Pay | Salary Variance | Legal Wage Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | 157 | $112,514 | $124,000 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Developer | 146 | $113,547 | $117,163 Range | +$1,123 Over Min |
| Senior Software Engineer | 73 | $133,536 | $90,000 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Manager Jc50 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 49 | $113,797 | $46,226 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Data Engineer | 41 | $105,750 | $80,298 Range | +$1,500 Over Min |
| Senior Full Stack Engineer | 36 | $116,709 | $33,275 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Software Engineer/Developer | 31 | $116,709 | $5,304 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Lead Software Engineer | 29 | $133,536 | $42,245 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Principal Software Engineer/Developer | 29 | $131,120 | $39,158 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Manager Jc45 - Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 28 | $140,795 | $16,765 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Technology Consultant 2 | 25 | $94,952 | $8,154 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Data Engineer | 25 | $125,000 | $55,869 Range | +$6,918 Over Min |
| Senior Software Developer | 22 | $130,000 | $47,203 Range | +$13,291 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Ii | 21 | $120,000 | $30,500 Range | +$7,576 Over Min |
| Software Engineer Iii | 20 | $132,316 | $80,968 Range | +$14,335 Over Min |
| Computer Programmer | 17 | $86,570 | $50,350 Range | +$11,586 Over Min |
| Architect | 17 | $94,952 | $92,506 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Principal Full Stack Engineer | 16 | $131,950 | $32,129 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Mgr. Jc50 - Software Quality Assurance Analysts And Testers | 16 | $110,313 | $9,547 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Developer | 16 | $80,392 | $49,663 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Java Developer | 14 | $112,424 | $59,322 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Assistant Vice President | 13 | $135,408 | $60,940 Range | +$9,152 Over Min |
| Elementary School Teacher | 13 | $51,180 | $23,000 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Manager | 13 | $172,100 | $75,593 Range | +$36,692 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Associate | 12 | $67,710 | $8,651 Range | +$4,062 Over Min |
| Assistant Professor | 12 | $110,000 | $112,817 Range | +$49,348 Over Min |
| Data Scientist | 11 | $113,850 | $52,536 Range | +$8,103 Over Min |
| Computer Programmer Ii | 10 | $110,208 | $34,776 Range | +$47,371 Over Min |
| Devops Engineer | 10 | $112,712 | $44,200 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Principal Data Engineer | 10 | $136,644 | $69,020 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Director, Software Engineering | 10 | $161,741 | $48,651 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Systems Engineer | 9 | $96,100 | $55,202 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Application Architect/Programmer (Software Developer) | 9 | $112,424 | $21,112 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Silicon Engineering | 9 | $150,084 | $28,230 Range | +$44,087 Over Min |
| Postdoctoral Research Scholar | 9 | $65,000 | $29,102 Range | +$12,958 Over Min |
| Business Analyst | 9 | $98,862 | $50,128 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Senior Associate Jc60 -Computer Systems Engineers/Architects | 9 | $86,798 | $9,256 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Software Engineer Iv | 8 | $133,392 | $78,709 Range | +$4,135 Over Min |
| Sr. Mgr. Jc45 - Information Technology Project Managers | 8 | $150,467 | $16,765 Range | Baseline Pay |
| Technology Project Lead 2 | 8 | $113,797 | $12,459 Range | Baseline Pay |
Historical Compensation Ledger
Year-over-year salary data comparing historical averages.| Fiscal Year | YoY Growth | Maximum | Median | Top-Heavy Skew i | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | In Progress | $354,681 | $116,994 | Balanced | $19.00/hr |
| 2025 | +5.6% | $400,000 | $112,986 | Balanced | $12.00/hr |
| 2024 | +3.5% | $400,000 | $106,974 | Balanced | $7.00/hr |
| 2023 | +3.3% | $400,000 | $103,348 | Balanced | $11.00/hr |
| 2022 | +5.3% | $375,000 | $100,016 | Balanced | $18.00/hr |
| 2021 | +5.1% | $350,000 | $95,000 | Balanced | $11.00/hr |
| 2020 | +3.4% | $400,000 | $90,355 | Balanced | $7.00/hr |
| 2019 | +4.0% | $400,000 | $87,360 | Balanced | $7.00/hr |
| 2018 | +9.4% | $400,000 | $84,000 | Balanced | $17.00/hr |
| 2017 | +4.1% | $360,000 | $76,800 | Balanced | $15.00/hr |
| 2016 | N/A | $400,000 | $73,798 | Balanced | $8.00/hr |
Recent Visa Filings (FY 2026)
Raw, unedited federal disclosures processed in this state.State Intelligence (FAQ)
Common questions and insights regarding North Carolina.What is the tax rate on a professional salary in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, state taxes sit around 5.0%. For a professional earning the $120,000 median, expect roughly $6,000 in state deductions.
What is the biggest hiring sector in North Carolina?
The local hiring market is dominated largely by the Professional, Scientific, and Tech Services industry, responsible for 53.5% of all certified applications.
How likely are companies in North Carolina to sponsor a Green Card?
Local companies sponsored 429 workers for Green Cards recently. This represents a solid 12.5% long-term commitment rate.
Where do professionals make the most money in North Carolina?
Charlotte represents the top-paying metro area in the state, where H-1B salaries reach a local median of $119,910.