Question 1

What is the median H-1B salary at University of California, Merced?

Accepted Answer

University of California, Merced pays a median H-1B salary of $82,000 for sponsored positions, with an average of $92,595. The average prevailing wage across University of California, Merced's filings is $72,849. These figures are based on Labor Condition Application filings with the Department of Labor.

Question 2

What is a prevailing wage determination?

Accepted Answer

A prevailing wage determination (PWD) is a wage rate set by the Department of Labor for a specific occupation and geographic area. Before filing an LCA, employers request a PWD from the DOL, which surveys wage data to determine what workers in similar roles are typically paid in that location. H-1B employers must pay at least the prevailing wage or the actual wage paid to other employees in the same role, whichever is higher. The prevailing wage column in the table above shows the DOL-determined floor for each position.

Question 3

How does University of California, Merced pay compared to the prevailing wage?

Accepted Answer

University of California, Merced's average offered wage is $92,595, compared to an average prevailing wage of $72,849 across its filings. When a company pays above the prevailing wage, it indicates the offered salary exceeds the DOL-determined market rate for the occupation and area. The salary table above shows both the offered and prevailing wages for each individual filing.

Question 4

What are H-1B wage levels I through IV?

Accepted Answer

The DOL sets prevailing wages at four levels: Level I (Entry) at the 17th percentile, Level II (Qualified) at the 34th percentile, Level III (Experienced) at the 50th percentile, and Level IV (Expert) at the 67th percentile. These levels reflect the complexity of the job duties and experience required. The prevailing wage is specific to each occupation (SOC code) and metropolitan statistical area. Higher wage levels indicate more senior positions.

Question 5

What is the H-1B salary requirement?

Accepted Answer

There is no single minimum salary for H-1B visas. Employers must pay the higher of the actual wage (what they pay other employees in the same role) or the prevailing wage determined by the DOL for the specific occupation and geographic area. The prevailing wage varies by job, location, and wage level. A Level I software engineer in a small metro area will have a very different floor than a Level IV software engineer in San Francisco or New York.

Job Title	Positions	Min	Median	Max
Postdoctoral Scholar	38	$50,316	$59,340	$77,327
Assistant Professor	36	$76,700	$98,600	$136,800
Assistant Project Scientist	9	$63,700	$71,500	$858,000
Assistant Teaching Professor	6	$77,510	$106,350	$125,700
Counseling Psychologist	4	$81,604	$97,269	$112,934
Project Scientist	3	$79,900	$79,900	$84,699
Associate Specialist	3	$57,672	$62,300	$83,600
Biosafety Officer	3	$92,000	$94,764	$110,000
Lecturer	3	$53,402	$64,329	$70,295
Staff Counselor	2	$73,000	$73,000	$73,000
Data Warehouse Reporting Programmer	2	$87,000	$87,000	$87,000
Director Of Cyberinfrastructure And Research Computing	2	$125,000	$129,767	$134,534
Research Computing Facilitator	2	$112,500	$112,500	$112,500
Director Of Animal Care Operations	1	$120,000	$120,000	$120,000
Senior Research Computing Facilitator	1	$103,848	$103,848	$103,848
Ecommerce Manager	1	$110,000	$110,000	$110,000
Financial Analyst 4	1	$107,640	$107,640	$107,640
High Performance Computing (Hpc) Administrator	1	$87,276	$87,276	$87,276
Integration Developer	1	$125,000	$125,000	$125,000
Biosafety Officer & High Containment Lab Director	1	$93,995	$93,995	$93,995

Location	Positions	Min	Median	Max
Merced, California	123	$50,316	$83,100	$858,000
Atwater, California	4	$57,528	$58,386	$62,300
Livermore, California	2	$59,100	$61,554	$64,008

University of California, Merced — H-1B Sponsored Salaries

University of California, Merced H1B Salaries

Salary Distribution (2026)

Salary by Job Title (2026)

Salary by Location (2026)

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