Live figures · BLS + USCIS

What a Chilean professional can actually earn in the US

The median approved H-1B beneficiary earned $133,000 in fiscal year 2025, and 62% of those approvals went to computing roles. This page sets out what US employers pay by occupation, where the demand concentrates, and how many H-1B1 visas are issued to Chileans each year against the 1,400-slot cap.

Why this matters from Chile

9,4%Chilean unemployment, March–May 2026 quarterINE, via 24 Horas

24,6%Youth unemployment in the same periodINE, via 24 Horas

1.400H-1B1 slots reserved for Chile each yearUSCIS

2.133H-1B1 visas issued to Chileans in 2024USCIS

Average (mean) annual salary by role

Gross annual, before tax. National averages for each occupation: market context for judging an offer. They are not a prevailing-wage determination — for a work visa, the Department of Labor sets the prevailing wage by occupation, worksite and experience level.

Computer & information systems manager$192,160

TechnologySOC 11-3021

Marketing manager$177,770

BusinessSOC 11-2021

Software developer$148,100

TechnologySOC 15-1252

Financial analyst$127,690

BusinessSOC 13-2051

Data scientist$126,800

TechnologySOC 15-2051

Electrical engineer$125,100

EngineeringSOC 17-2071

Management analyst$113,790

BusinessSOC 13-1111

Mechanical engineer$113,610

EngineeringSOC 17-2141

Industrial engineer$109,900

EngineeringSOC 17-2112

Civil engineer$108,670

EngineeringSOC 17-2051

Registered nurse$101,420

HealthcareSOC 29-1141

Accountant / auditor$94,750

BusinessSOC 13-2011

Sources and population:BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — Mean for all US workers in the occupation, not visa holders only.

What H-1B holders actually earn

A different, narrower population than the table above: only approved H-1B beneficiaries. Useful because it shows the premium a visa-sponsored role carries.

$133,000Overall H-1B medianAll beneficiaries approved in fiscal year 2025.

$132,000With a bachelor's degreeMedian for those holding an undergraduate degree.

$205,000With a professional degreeThe widest gap by credential in the dataset.

Sources and population:USCIS, Characteristics of H-1B Specialty Occupation Workers, FY2025 — Approved H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal year 2025 only.

Where the demand sits

Share of FY2025 H-1B specialty-occupation approvals by field. Technology is not just the largest slice — it is nearly two thirds of the whole programme.

Computing and information technology

Architecture and engineering

Education

Business and finance

Healthcare

H-1B1 issuances to Chileans now exceed the cap figure

H-1B1 visas issued to Chilean nationals per year, shown against the 1,400 annual cap for reference. Issuance totals include renewals and other cases not counted against the cap, so they are an indicator of demand, not an exact measure of cap use.

2004

2008

308

2010

247

2014

609

2018

845

2020

546

2021

1,097

2024

2,133

2025

2,022

Annual cap: 1,400 issuances above the cap figure

The prevailing wage is not optional

For an H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3, the employer must certify on the ETA-9035E that it will pay at least the higher of the actual wage paid to comparable staff, or the prevailing wage for that occupation and location. A below-market offer is not just a bad deal — it will not certify. Knowing the number in the table above is leverage in the negotiation, not trivia.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor — Labor Condition Application

Figures verified on September 3, 2026

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