Seattle is home to Amazon and Microsoft headquarters, making it one of the top U.S. cities for software engineer H-1B sponsorship.
Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region represent one of the most concentrated software engineering job markets in the world. With Amazon and Microsoft both headquartered here, plus major engineering offices from Google, Meta, and hundreds of mid-size tech companies, Seattle rivals the San Francisco Bay Area as a destination for H-1B software engineers — often with lower cost of living and no state income tax.
| Company | Total H-1B Filings |
|---|---|
| Amazon | 55,150 |
| Microsoft | 34,626 |
| 33,416 | |
| Infosys | 32,840 |
| Tata Consultancy Services | 28,950 |
| Cognizant | 26,700 |
| Deloitte | 18,200 |
| Apple | 15,800 |
| Meta | 14,900 |
| JPMorgan Chase | 12,400 |
Seattle's software engineering H-1B market is dominated by two companies: Amazon and Microsoft. Amazon alone is the single largest H-1B sponsor in the United States, filing tens of thousands of petitions annually from its Seattle and Bellevue headquarters. Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, is consistently in the top five nationally. Together, these two companies create an enormous ecosystem of H-1B software engineers in the region.
Beyond the big two, Seattle hosts major engineering offices from Google (Kirkland/Seattle), Meta (Seattle), Oracle, Salesforce, Zillow, Expedia, T-Mobile, and Boeing's software divisions. The startup ecosystem — including companies like Outreach, Convoy, and Auth0 — adds further H-1B sponsorship opportunities for engineers willing to join earlier-stage companies.
Washington State has no personal income tax, which gives Seattle a significant compensation advantage over California. A $160,000 salary in Seattle provides roughly the same take-home as $190,000+ in San Francisco after accounting for California's state tax burden.
A: Yes. Amazon is the single largest H-1B sponsor in the entire United States, with the majority of its filings originating from its Seattle and Bellevue headquarters. The company sponsors software engineers, data scientists, product managers, and various other technical roles across its retail, AWS, and Alexa divisions.
Q: How does Seattle compare to San Francisco for H-1B software engineers?
A: Seattle offers comparable salaries to San Francisco ($140,000–$190,000 for mid-to-senior roles) with two major advantages: no state income tax (saving 9–13% compared to California) and lower housing costs. However, the Bay Area has a more diverse company ecosystem and more startup opportunities.
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Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →Amazon and Microsoft are by far the largest H-1B sponsors for software engineers in Seattle, accounting for the majority of all filings in the region. Google (Kirkland office), Meta, Oracle, Salesforce, Zillow, Expedia, and T-Mobile are also significant sponsors in the Seattle metro area.
H-1B software engineer salaries in Seattle typically range from $140,000 to $190,000 for mid-to-senior level roles. Amazon SDE II roles typically pay $150,000–$170,000 base, while Microsoft and Google offer $150,000–$185,000. Washington has no state income tax, significantly boosting take-home pay.
Seattle offers similar salaries with no state income tax and lower cost of living, making effective compensation often higher than San Francisco. However, the Bay Area has more employer diversity and startup opportunities. Many engineers prefer Seattle for the financial advantages while maintaining access to top-tier tech companies.
Yes. Beyond Amazon and Microsoft, Seattle has numerous mid-size tech companies that sponsor H-1B engineers, including Zillow, Expedia, Redfin, Outreach, Qualtrics, and Tableau (Salesforce). Boeing also sponsors software engineers for its aviation systems divisions based in the Seattle area.