H-1B sponsor comparison · FY2026 Q2 (Oct 2025 – Mar 2026 decisions)
Microsoft vs Google: the H-1B numbers, from the filings
Same public dataset, side by side: what each employer filed with the Department of Labor between October 2025 and March 2026, and what those wage levels mean under the weighted lottery.
| Metric | Microsoft | |
|---|---|---|
| Certified LCA filings (FY2026 Q1–Q2) | 2,879 | 2,974 |
| Median offered base | $180,710 | $193,440 |
| Middle half of offers | $162,536 – $200,646 | $171,000 – $222,000 |
| Filed at Levels III–IV (3–4 lottery entries) | 60% | 37% |
| Filed at Level I (1 entry) | 3.7% | 1.1% |
| H-1B transfers vs new employment | 68% transfers | 62% transfers |
| Top occupation | Software Developers | Software Developers |
| Top worksite state | WA | CA |
Wage and wage-level figures come from the DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q2 (H-1B only) public release (FY2026 Q2 (Oct 2025 – Mar 2026 decisions)). LCA filings are wage attestations filed with the Department of Labor — they are not petitions, lottery selections, or hires, and one filing can cover multiple positions. Projected lottery selection rates come from the DHS weighted-selection final rule analysis and are illustrative, not a guarantee.
Weighing offers from either?
Request a free H-1B Offer Brief: estimated wage level for your specific offer, lottery entries, prevailing-wage sanity check, and how it compares with what Microsoft and Google actually filed.
Common questions
Who pays more on H-1B filings, Microsoft or Google?
In FY2026 Q1–Q2 DOL filings, Microsoft's median offered base was $180,710 vs $193,440 at Google. Base wage only — LCA data excludes equity and bonus, which can flip the total-compensation picture.
Which gives better 2026 lottery odds, Microsoft or Google?
Microsoft filed 60% of its FY2026 LCAs at wage Levels III–IV (3–4 entries each) vs 37% at Google. But your own offer's wage level — not the company average — is what enters the lottery.
Are these hires?
No — certified Labor Condition Applications are wage attestations to the Department of Labor. They signal an active H-1B pipeline and reveal real wage structure, but one filing can cover several positions and not every filing becomes a petition or a hire.