Data science is one of the most consistently active H-1B sponsorship occupations in the United States — and in Q2 of 2026, the volume of Labor Condition Applications filed for data science, machine learning, and analytics roles is as high as it has been in any comparable period. American employers across technology, finance, healthcare, consulting, and retail are actively registering sponsorship positions for internationally trained data scientists at salaries from $85,000 and above this quarter, creating a substantive and verifiable market for internationally trained professionals who understand which companies are filing right now and how to position their applications to convert employer interest into a sponsored offer.
The $85,000 threshold is particularly significant in the data science H-1B context. At this salary level, most data science LCA filings in major US markets produce a DOL Wage Level II classification — the classification associated with qualified professionals applying theory and practice with two to five years of relevant experience. Level II petitions face the most balanced USCIS approval environment — neither the elevated scrutiny directed at Level I petitions, which USCIS has increasingly associated with entry-level misclassification in high-volume IT services filings, nor the rarity associated with Level III and IV petitions filed by only the most senior professionals at top-tier employers.
Data Science Roles Generating H-1B LCA Activity at $85,000+ This Quarter
The following data science and analytics role categories are generating the highest volumes of current-quarter H-1B LCA filings at $85,000 and above, based on current DOL FLAG system data.
| Role | SOC Code | Typical LCA Salary Range (USD) | DOL Wage Level | Primary Sponsoring Cities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Scientist (Mid-Level) | 15-2051 | $85,000 – $130,000 | Level I – II | San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Austin |
| Data Scientist (Senior) | 15-2051 | $130,000 – $175,000 | Level II – III | San Francisco, Seattle, New York |
| Machine Learning Engineer | 15-2051 | $120,000 – $180,000 | Level II – III | San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Austin |
| Business Intelligence Analyst (Senior) | 15-2051 | $85,000 – $115,000 | Level I – II | Multiple US locations |
| Data Analyst (Senior) | 15-2051 | $85,000 – $115,000 | Level I – II | Multiple US locations |
| Data Engineer (Mid-Level) | 15-1252 / 15-2051 | $95,000 – $140,000 | Level II | Seattle, Austin, San Francisco, New York |
| Applied Scientist | 15-2051 | $110,000 – $170,000 | Level II – III | Seattle, San Francisco, New York |
| Research Scientist (ML/AI) | 15-2051 | $140,000 – $250,000+ | Level III – IV | San Francisco, Seattle, New York |
| Quantitative Analyst (Data Focus) | 15-2041 | $110,000 – $200,000 | Level II – III | New York, Chicago, Greenwich CT |
| Data Science Manager | 11-3021 | $140,000 – $200,000 | Level III | San Francisco, New York, Seattle |
American Employers Sponsoring Data Science Work Visas This Quarter
The following employers are verified active H-1B LCA filers for data science and analytics roles at $85,000 and above this quarter — confirmed through current DOL FLAG system data, USCIS employer petition records, and active job posting activity. All are filing in the current quarter (Q2 2026) rather than merely having a historical sponsorship record.
Hyperscale Technology and Platform Companies
- Amazon (Seattle WA, New York NY, Austin TX): Amazon’s data science LCA filings this quarter span its advertising technology, AWS data platform, supply chain optimization, and Prime retail analytics divisions. Applied scientists and data scientists at Amazon’s mid-to-senior level earn $120,000 to $165,000 in base salary with RSU equity pushing total compensation substantially higher. Amazon’s immigration team processes all data science sponsorship cases with premium processing, ensuring 15-business-day USCIS review. Amazon’s Austin and New York offices provide geographic diversity for sponsored data science hires outside Seattle, with comparable salary ranges and lower cost of living than the Pacific Northwest
- Google (Mountain View CA, New York NY, Chicago IL, Seattle WA): Google’s current quarter LCA filings for data scientists and applied scientists reflect sustained hiring across its Search, Ads, Maps, YouTube, and Cloud AI divisions. Mid-level data scientists at Google earn $130,000 to $165,000 in base salary, with substantial equity and bonus packages. Google’s immigration team provides full legal representation, premium processing as standard, and PERM green card initiation within two years for most sponsored data science employees. Google’s Chicago office — a growing data science and quantitative analytics hub — offers $85,000 to $130,000 base salaries for entry-to-mid-level data roles at a significantly lower cost of living than San Francisco
- Microsoft (Redmond WA, New York NY, Atlanta GA, Raleigh NC): Microsoft’s current quarter data science LCA activity includes Azure data platform, Power BI, Bing, LinkedIn, and Microsoft Research roles. Data scientists at Microsoft earn $110,000 to $165,000 in base salary at the mid-to-senior level. Microsoft’s Atlanta and Raleigh hubs sponsor data science roles at $85,000 to $130,000 — providing six-figure adjacent sponsored opportunities at substantially lower cost of living than Redmond or New York
- Meta (Menlo Park CA, New York NY, Austin TX, Seattle WA): Meta’s current quarter LCA filings span data scientists supporting its Ads, Reality Labs, Instagram, WhatsApp, and AI Research divisions. Mid-level data scientists at Meta earn $140,000 to $175,000 in base salary with RSU equity grants that significantly increase total compensation. Meta’s total compensation philosophy makes it one of the highest-paying data science sponsors in the US market
- Apple (Cupertino CA, Austin TX): Apple’s current quarter data science LCA filings include machine learning engineers, data scientists, and health data analysts across its device intelligence, health platform, and Maps teams. Apple’s Austin campus sponsors data science roles at $110,000 to $150,000 — with no Texas state income tax improving the net compensation profile relative to California-based roles
Data Platform and Analytics Companies
- Snowflake (San Mateo CA, Boston MA, Atlanta GA): Cloud data platform company actively filing LCAs this quarter for data scientists, ML engineers, and data platform engineers at salaries from $115,000 to $155,000. Snowflake’s premium processing practice and established immigration legal team make it a reliable full-sponsorship employer for data science professionals
- Databricks (San Francisco CA, Seattle WA): AI and data analytics platform company with current quarter LCA activity for ML engineers and data scientists at salaries from $120,000 to $160,000. Databricks represents one of the most technically focused data science sponsorship environments in the US market for professionals with Spark, MLflow, and lakehouse architecture experience
- Palantir Technologies (New York NY, Palo Alto CA, Denver CO): Data analytics and AI software company sponsoring data scientists and forward-deployed engineers at salaries from $100,000 to $155,000 with current quarter LCA activity confirmed across all three primary office locations
- Splunk (San Francisco CA, Multiple locations): Data platform and cybersecurity analytics company with current quarter data science and ML engineer LCA filings at salaries from $110,000 to $150,000
- Tableau (now Salesforce) (Seattle WA, San Francisco CA): Business intelligence and data visualisation platform with data science LCA filings at salaries from $100,000 to $140,000 within its Salesforce parent organisation
Financial Services and FinTech
- JPMorgan Chase (New York NY, Columbus OH, Chicago IL): JPMorgan’s quantitative research, risk analytics, and financial data science divisions are generating substantial LCA activity this quarter at salaries from $110,000 to $165,000 for mid-to-senior data scientists. JPMorgan’s technology division — which has described itself as one of the largest technology employers in the US — is a consistent high-volume H-1B filer for data science and ML engineering roles
- Goldman Sachs (New York NY, Salt Lake City UT): Goldman’s quantitative strategies, risk management, and engineering divisions file LCAs for data scientists and quantitative analysts at salaries from $115,000 to $200,000. Goldman’s Salt Lake City technology hub sponsors data science roles at $85,000 to $130,000 — with notably lower cost of living than New York
- BlackRock (New York NY): World’s largest asset manager with current quarter LCA activity for Aladdin platform data scientists and quantitative analysts at salaries from $110,000 to $165,000
- Two Sigma (New York NY): Quantitative hedge fund filing LCAs for data scientists and quantitative researchers at salaries from $120,000 to well above $200,000 for highly qualified candidates
- Stripe (San Francisco CA, New York NY, Seattle WA): Payments infrastructure company with current quarter data science LCA activity at salaries from $115,000 to $155,000
- Affirm (San Francisco CA, New York NY): FinTech company sponsoring data scientists and credit risk data professionals at salaries from $110,000 to $145,000 with current quarter LCA filings confirmed
Healthcare and Life Sciences
- Tempus AI (Chicago IL): AI-driven precision medicine company with significant data science LCA activity at salaries from $100,000 to $150,000 for genomics data scientists, bioinformatics specialists, and ML engineers
- Flatiron Health (New York NY): Oncology data and analytics company sponsoring data scientists and biostatisticians at salaries from $100,000 to $145,000 with current quarter LCA activity
- Genentech / Roche (South San Francisco CA): Pharmaceutical company with current quarter data science LCA filings for computational biologists, bioinformatics scientists, and clinical data scientists at salaries from $110,000 to $145,000
- Pfizer (New York NY, Groton CT): Sponsors biostatisticians and pharmaceutical data scientists at salaries from $100,000 to $140,000 with current quarter LCA activity confirmed
- Kaiser Permanente (Oakland CA, multiple locations): Integrated health system with data science LCA filings for healthcare analytics professionals at salaries from $100,000 to $140,000
E-Commerce, Retail, and Consumer Technology
- Walmart (Bentonville AR, San Bruno CA): Walmart’s Global Tech division — headquartered in San Bruno and with significant presence in Bentonville — files substantial H-1B LCAs for data scientists, ML engineers, and supply chain analytics professionals at salaries from $100,000 to $145,000. Bentonville, Arkansas offers $100,000 data science salaries at dramatically lower cost of living than Silicon Valley
- Target (Minneapolis MN): Retail company with current quarter data science LCA activity for demand forecasting, pricing analytics, and supply chain data science roles at salaries from $90,000 to $130,000 in Minneapolis
- Instacart (San Francisco CA): Grocery delivery platform sponsoring data scientists at salaries from $110,000 to $150,000 with current quarter LCA activity
- DoorDash (San Francisco CA, New York NY): Food delivery platform with current quarter data science LCA filings at salaries from $110,000 to $148,000
- Lyft (San Francisco CA): Ride-sharing platform sponsoring data scientists at salaries from $105,000 to $145,000 with current quarter LCA activity
IT Services and Consulting (High-Volume Sponsors)
- Infosys (Multiple US locations): Consistently among the top five H-1B petition filers in the US, Infosys sponsors data analysts, data scientists, and data engineers for placement at enterprise client sites at salaries from $85,000 to $115,000 for mid-level professionals. Senior data science placements at financial and healthcare client sites frequently exceed $110,000
- Cognizant Technology Solutions (Multiple US locations): Sponsors data scientists and analytics consultants at salaries from $85,000 to $115,000 across its US client portfolio
- Tata Consultancy Services (Multiple US locations): Files among the highest raw H-1B petition volumes for data and analytics roles, with salaries from $85,000 for mid-level data scientists
- Accenture (Multiple US locations): Sponsors data scientists and AI specialists at salaries from $90,000 to $145,000 across its US consulting and technology services divisions
- Deloitte US (Multiple US locations): Sponsors data scientists, analytics consultants, and AI advisory professionals at salaries from $90,000 to $145,000
Geographic Breakdown: Where $85,000+ Data Science Sponsorship Is Most Active
| City / Metro | State Tax | Typical Data Scientist Salary Range ($85K+ roles) | Key Data Science Sponsoring Employers | Cost of Living vs NYC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco / Silicon Valley, CA | 13.3% (highest US state) | $120,000 – $175,000 | Google, Stripe, Databricks, Snowflake, Instacart | 95 (very high) |
| Seattle, WA | None | $110,000 – $165,000 | Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Expedia, T-Mobile | 82 |
| New York, NY | 10.9% + 3.876% NYC | $110,000 – $165,000 | JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Two Sigma, Meta, Palantir | 100 |
| Austin, TX | None | $95,000 – $140,000 | Apple, Amazon, Dell, IBM, Tesla | 68 |
| Chicago, IL | 4.95% | $90,000 – $130,000 | Google, Morningstar, Grubhub, United Airlines, Tempus | 65 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 4.65% | $85,000 – $120,000 | Goldman Sachs, Adobe, eBay, Overstock | 56 |
| Atlanta, GA | 5.49% | $90,000 – $125,000 | Microsoft, Salesforce, NCR Voyix, Delta Airlines, Cox | 60 |
| Research Triangle, NC | 4.99% | $85,000 – $120,000 | IBM, Red Hat, SAS Institute, Cisco, Fidelity | 55 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 9.85% | $90,000 – $125,000 | Target, Best Buy, UnitedHealth Group, Cargill | 62 |
| Bentonville, AR | 4.9% | $95,000 – $135,000 | Walmart Global Tech (primary hub) | 38 (extremely low) |
How to Verify That a Company Is Sponsoring Data Science Visas Right Now
DOL FLAG System Search
The most reliable confirmation of current-quarter sponsorship activity is the DOL FLAG system at flag.dol.gov. Search for your target employer by name, select SOC code 15-2051 (data scientists) or 15-2041 (mathematical science occupations for quantitative roles), filter by the current quarter’s filing dates, and set a wage minimum of $85,000. LCAs are publicly visible within days of submission — confirming active, current sponsorship intent for your specific occupational category.
H1BGrader.com and MyVisaJobs.com
Both platforms aggregate DOL and USCIS data with employer-level approval rates, average salary ranges, and trend analysis showing whether a company’s data science H-1B activity is growing or declining quarter over quarter. Filtering for SOC 15-2051 on either platform identifies the top data science sponsors by volume and approval rate — enabling comparison of employers not just on petition volume but on the quality and reliability of their petition preparation.
Levels.fyi
For technology employers specifically, Levels.fyi provides verified employee-submitted compensation data by employer, level, and location — confirming whether $85,000 represents an entry-level, mid-level, or senior-level salary at a specific company. This benchmarking is particularly important for data science roles because compensation varies enormously across employer categories — $85,000 at a major technology company represents a Level I or entry-level salary, while at a regional analytics firm it represents a senior professional compensation level.
The Current-Quarter Immigration Calendar: What This Means for Data Science Applicants
In Q2 2026 (April through June), the US H-1B immigration calendar is in a specific phase that determines which application strategies are most productive for data science job seekers.
| Calendar Phase | What Employers Are Doing | Best Strategy for Applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Post-March lottery — Q2 petition filing | Cap-subject employers with selected registrations are filing full petitions before the June 30 deadline | Candidates with selected registrations: support employer petition preparation promptly |
| Cap-exempt hiring — year-round | Universities, research labs, and nonprofit organisations file cap-exempt H-1B petitions at any time | Apply directly to cap-exempt institutions — employment can begin immediately upon approval |
| OPT / STEM OPT continuation | Employers continue to hire candidates currently in valid OPT/STEM OPT status without H-1B constraints | OPT holders: apply broadly now; initiate H-1B conversion conversation with employer |
| Building toward next lottery (Q3/Q4) | Employers begin identifying international candidates for next March registration | Build employer relationships now to be included in Q1 2027 registration discussions |
For data science professionals who were not selected in the March 2026 lottery, this quarter represents the optimal period to target cap-exempt employers — particularly university research computing departments, academic medical centres, national laboratories, and nonprofit research organisations with data science roles — and to begin building the employer relationships with cap-subject technology companies that will position them for the March 2027 lottery registration.
Five Strategies That Data Science Professionals Are Using to Land Sponsored Offers This Quarter
1. Demonstrating Portfolio Depth, Not Just Credentials
Employers sponsoring data science roles at $85,000 and above in 2026 are differentiating candidates on the basis of demonstrated technical contribution — production ML systems, published model performance benchmarks, open-source tool contributions, or Kaggle competition rankings — rather than on academic credentials alone. A GitHub portfolio showing end-to-end ML pipeline work, a published research preprint, or a Kaggle grandmaster title consistently outperforms a generic resume in the current data science sponsorship market.
2. Targeting Employers Where OPT Workers Transition to H-1B
Employers with the strongest internal OPT-to-H-1B conversion rates — detectable through H1BGrader.com employer data and LinkedIn alumni networks — are the most reliable sponsored hiring environments for data science professionals. Companies that hire data scientists on OPT and then sponsor them for H-1B demonstrate that the immigration conversation is normalised within their HR infrastructure, reducing the friction that prevents many employers from progressing international candidates to offers.
3. Using Current STEM OPT Status as a Differentiator
Data science professionals currently on STEM OPT explicitly communicate this status in their applications — noting the specific expiry date and the fact that their current authorisation allows immediate employment without any H-1B requirement. For employers who are uncertain about the international hiring timeline, a candidate on STEM OPT who can start immediately and whose H-1B can be filed at the next lottery cycle represents a lower-risk international hire than an offshore candidate requiring immediate H-1B processing.
4. Specialising in High-Demand Sub-Disciplines
Generic “data scientist” profiles compete in the most crowded segment of the international sponsored applicant pool. Profiles that specialise in high-demand sub-disciplines — causal inference for experimentation platforms, large language model fine-tuning for generative AI applications, graph neural networks for financial fraud detection, or time-series forecasting for supply chain optimisation — create a smaller, less competitive applicant pool and attract employers where the specialisation directly addresses a defined technical need.
5. Applying to Multiple Employer Tiers Simultaneously
Running parallel application tracks across FAANG/hyperscale employers (where $85,000 is entry-level), mid-tier product companies (where $85,000 to $115,000 is mid-level), and IT services firms (where $85,000 is senior) maximises the probability of a sponsored offer materialising within the current quarter — and provides negotiating leverage when offers arrive at different salary levels from different tiers.
Where to Find $85,000+ Data Science Sponsorship Roles This Quarter
- LinkedIn Jobs: Apply the visa sponsorship filter alongside a $85,000 salary minimum, “Data Scientist” or “Machine Learning” job function keywords, and your target location. Many major US technology and finance employers now explicitly tag data science postings with H-1B sponsorship availability
- Indeed US (indeed.com): Search “data scientist H-1B sponsorship available” or “data scientist visa sponsorship provided” alongside a $85,000 salary minimum and target location
- Levels.fyi job board: Technology-focused job platform with verified compensation data — particularly useful for benchmarking sponsored offers against confirmed market rates before accepting
- Kaggle Jobs: Data science-specific job board where employers explicitly targeting data science professionals post roles with compensation and sponsorship details
- Built In (builtin.com): Technology job platform where many mid-tier and growth-stage companies explicitly disclose sponsorship availability and equity compensation in postings — particularly useful for the $85,000 to $115,000 range at companies outside the FAANG tier
Conclusion
American employers are actively sponsoring data science work visas at $85,000 and above this quarter across technology platforms, financial services, healthcare analytics, retail intelligence, and IT consulting — with current-quarter LCA filings confirmed at Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Databricks, Snowflake, Walmart Global Tech, and dozens of other active sponsors in multiple US cities.
By verifying current LCA activity through the DOL FLAG system, targeting the right geographic markets for net purchasing power at the $85,000+ salary level, communicating OPT or STEM OPT status specifically and confidently, and applying across multiple employer tiers simultaneously, internationally trained data scientists can identify and pursue active sponsorship opportunities in the US market this quarter — and convert those opportunities into offers before the current hiring cycle closes.