What Are Your Salary Expectations? How to Answer on OPT or H-1B Without Undercutting Your Wage Level

The number you give a recruiter can shape how many lottery entries your H-1B registration gets. Here is how to set it and exactly what to say.

Part of our guide to H-1B wage levels.

When a recruiter asks "what are your salary expectations?" and you will need H-1B sponsorship, the best answer is a researched range whose bottom sits at or above the Department of Labor (DOL) prevailing wage level you want the job to clear, for that job's occupation and worksite. Ask for the employer's budgeted range first if you can. This matters more than it used to: wage-weighted H-1B selection has been in effect since 2026-02-27, so a cap-subject registration at Level IV goes into the lottery four times and one at Level I only once. Asking low does not make you cheaper to sponsor, because an H-1B employer must pay at least the required wage anyway, but it can cost you lottery entries.

Status, as of 2026-11-01: Wage-weighted selection is in effect. FY2028 H-1B registration is not announced; USCIS must give at least 30 calendar days' notice, and a March 2027 window is an expectation only. DOL's prevailing-wage rule (RIN 1205-AC30) is proposed (NPRM published 2026-03-27), with no final rule and nothing under White House (OIRA) review, so today's wage levels still apply.

This guide covers the pre-offer question only. Once you hold a written offer, switch to our guide to negotiating salary after the offer as an international candidate.

What are your salary expectations on H-1B? The short answer

On OPT or H-1B, answer the salary expectations question with a range, not a guess. Look up the four DOL wage levels for the job's occupation and city, then set the bottom of your range at or above the level you are aiming for. The level the offered wage clears sets the lottery weight, and an H-1B employer must pay the required wage regardless.

Why does your number matter more when you need sponsorship?

Because four rules turn a casual answer into something that follows you to the petition. For a US citizen, a low answer only costs money; for you, it can also cost lottery entries.

1. There is a legal pay floor. DOL's Fact Sheet #62G says an H-1B employer must pay at least the "required" wage, which is the higher of the prevailing wage for the occupation or the employer's actual wage for similarly employed workers. The employer commits to that wage on the Labor Condition Application (LCA) it files with DOL before the petition, so offering to work for less cannot make you cheaper to sponsor. Our explainer on how DOL's four prevailing wage levels work covers the LCA side in depth.

2. The lottery weighs the offered salary, not your resume. Under the weighted-selection final rule (90 FR 60864), registrations "will be weighted generally based on the highest OEWS wage level that the prospective beneficiary's proffered wage equals or exceeds for the relevant SOC code in the area(s) of intended employment." DHS draws a line that matters for new graduates: "the weighted selection process takes into account the highest wage level that the proffered salary equals or exceeds, whereas the LCA wage level is based solely on the requirements of the position." So an entry-level job can register at a higher level if the salary clears it. DHS even says the rule "may offer highly skilled H-1B workers greater leverage in negotiating for a higher salary."

3. The number gets locked in. DHS says the OEWS data used for the registration are "locked in" as of the registration date. The petition must then offer a wage that equals or exceeds the prevailing wage for the registered level (8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(iii)(D)(1)). USCIS may deny a later new or amended petition that cuts the wage to a lower level when it sees that as an attempt to unfairly raise the chance of selection (8 CFR 214.2(h)(10)(iii)), and "a valid registration must represent a bona fide job offer." The registered wage is the one proffered for the H-1B job, which can differ from your OPT-stage salary; still, the number you agree to now is the one the employer will be working from.

4. The lowest number wins. If an offered wage is a range, the registrant "must select the OEWS wage level that the lowest wage in the range will equal or exceed." If several employers register you, USCIS assigns you "to the lowest OEWS wage level among all registrations submitted on the beneficiary's behalf," so one low offer can drag every registration down. A multi-site role uses the lowest level across its locations.

The four wage levels and their lottery weight (as of 2026-11)

Wage levels and lottery weight, as of 2026-11-01. Entry counts: weighted-selection final rule (in effect). Selection chance: DHS's own projection in that rule (an estimate, not a result). Percentiles: DOL NPRM, RIN 1205-AC30 (proposed only).

For comparison, DHS put every registration's chance under the old random draw at 29.59 percent, so its model roughly halves the odds at Level I and leaves Level II about where random selection was. The real rate in any year depends on how many registrations come in at each level.

If DOL finalizes its proposal, every dollar threshold would rise, so re-run your lookup before each conversation. More entries improve your odds, but no wage level guarantees selection.

The weighting applies only to cap-subject registrations. With a cap-exempt employer (for example, a university), or if you were already counted against the cap, it does not come into play, though the required-wage floor still does. For picking roles and metros, see our new-grad playbook for the wage-weighted H-1B lottery.

How do I look up the prevailing wage before the interview?

Use DOL's free OFLC Wage Search before the first recruiter call, not after. You need two inputs: the occupation and the worksite.

1. Identify the occupation. Match the posting's duties to a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) title, then check how this employer classified the same title on past LCAs (here is how to search an employer's LCA filings). The employer's immigration counsel makes the final SOC call.
2. Confirm the worksite. Note the county or metro of the office you would report to. For remote or multi-site roles, ask which location the employer would list.
3. Open the OFLC Wage Search on DOL's FLAG site, choose the occupation and the area, and record the Level I to IV annual wages, the wage year shown and the date you looked.
4. Check what the employer has paid before. Its LCA disclosure data for the same title show the wages it has offered past H-1B hires. Because the required wage is the higher of the prevailing wage and the employer's actual wage for similar workers, its own pay practice can be the real floor.
5. Build your range. Set the bottom at or above the level threshold you are targeting and that your market research supports. Set the top where the market supports your skills.
6. Write the range down as one sentence, in base salary, that you can say out loud.

Scripts for the recruiter screen

At the recruiter stage, your goal is to learn the band before you name a number. If you are pressed, give a range anchored to your wage-level research.

Script 1: ask for the range first

"Thanks for asking. I'm flexible for the right role and team. Could you share the range budgeted for this position, so I can make sure we're aligned?"

If the band already clears your target level, say you are comfortable working within it and move on.

Script 2: if they insist on a number

"Based on my research for [job title] roles in [city], I'm targeting [bottom] to [top] in base salary. I'm open on how the rest of the package is structured."

Say "base salary" deliberately, and ask how any bonus or equity is treated rather than assuming it counts.

Script 3: when salary and sponsorship come up together

"I'm on OPT now [or: I start OPT after I graduate in (month)] and will need H-1B sponsorship later. Based on market data for this role and location, I'm targeting [range]."

State the sponsorship need plainly and never offer a discount for it; our guide on how to answer "do you need sponsorship?" in an interview covers the wording. If a recruiter raises the $100,000 H-1B payment, it is not being collected as of 2026-11-01: the USCIS I-129 page says a court "vacated agency guidance implementing the $100,000 payment requirement," though DHS "still plans to collect the payment" if that order is lifted. Appeals are pending. Separately, USCIS's H-1B page says the proclamation does not apply to a change of status, such as F-1 to H-1B, that USCIS grants to someone inside the United States.

What to say to the hiring manager

With the hiring manager, talk about scope and level, not the visa. The role's requirements drive the LCA wage level; the offered salary drives the registration level. If the role genuinely covers more, describing it accurately supports a higher level and a higher salary.

"From what you've described, the role covers [duties]. For that scope, the range I shared fits. Is the team leveling this as [entry / mid-level]?"

Never ask anyone to overstate duties or a wage. Under 8 CFR 214.2(h)(10)(ii), a petition will be denied if statements on it, the registration or the LCA were inaccurate or misrepresented a material fact.

If you are on STEM OPT and changing employers

Your number cannot be a visa discount. Study in the States' page on employers and the Form I-983 says "the compensation allocated to the STEM OPT student must be commensurate with that applicable to a similarly situated U.S. worker." The new employer records the pay in Section 3 and certifies the commensurate terms in Section 4. Under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(7)(iv), you must submit the new employer's I-983 to your DSO within 10 days of starting and then get a new DSO recommendation. More in our guide to STEM OPT compensation on the I-983; confirm specifics with your DSO.

If you are on post-completion OPT

SEVP's F-1 OPT page says post-completion OPT "must be at least 20 hours per week or full-time." It names no dollar figure. But if this employer will register you for the H-1B lottery, pay matters for weighting.

A worked timeline with real dates

One hypothetical candidate: a master's student finishing in December 2026, with post-completion OPT to follow, interviewing for an analyst role that would start after graduation.

Last cycle's (FY2027) registration ran March 4 to 19, 2026, per the USCIS registration page. Treat any FY2028 date as unconfirmed until USCIS posts it.

Common misconception, then correction

Common mistakes

• Naming a number before checking the four levels. You may anchor just below a threshold you could have cleared.
• Quoting total compensation instead of base salary. Ask how a bonus or equity is treated; do not assume it counts.
• Giving a wide range. Employers anchor on the bottom, so a bottom below your target level is effectively your answer.
• Volunteering a "sponsorship discount." It can cost you entries and frames the visa as a burden.
• Pricing a remote role at headquarters' wages. The worksite area governs; multi-site roles use the lowest level.
• Treating proposed DOL percentiles as current, or reusing an old lookup without checking the wage year.

Who should you ask about what?

Ask your DSO about OPT and STEM OPT rules, including the 20-hour standard and I-983 compensation. Ask the employer, whose immigration attorney makes these calls, about the SOC code, wage level, LCA and registration, and a licensed immigration attorney of your own about status strategy across several offers. They answer different questions.

Frequently asked questions

Should I give a salary range if I need H-1B sponsorship?

Usually yes, once you know the DOL wage levels for the role. Put the bottom of your range at or above the wage level you want the job to clear for its occupation and worksite, because employers anchor on the bottom, and an offer stated as a range is registered at the level its lowest wage clears. As of 2026-11-01 that wage level sets how many entries a cap-subject H-1B registration gets in the lottery.

Can a low salary expectation hurt my H-1B lottery chances?

It can. Under the weighted selection rule in effect since 2026-02-27, a cap-subject registration is weighted by the highest OEWS wage level the offered wage equals or exceeds, from four entries at Level IV down to one at Level I. If a low expectation turns into a low offer, the registration can land a level lower. DHS's own projection in the rule puts Level I at about a 15% chance of selection and Level II at about 31%, versus about 30% for everyone under the old random draw, and no level guarantees selection.

What is the prevailing wage for my job and where do I look it up?

The prevailing wage is the DOL wage for an occupation (its SOC code) in a specific area, published in four levels. Look it up in the free OFLC Wage Search by choosing the occupation and the worksite area, and note the wage year shown and the date you checked. As of 2026-11-01 the DOL rule that would raise the levels (RIN 1205-AC30) is only proposed, so the current figures apply.

Does OPT have a minimum salary requirement?

SEVP describes post-completion OPT in hours, not dollars. The work must be at least 20 hours per week or full-time, and the SEVP page names no salary figure. STEM OPT is different, because your employer certifies on Form I-983 that your pay is commensurate with similarly situated US workers. Confirm your own situation with your DSO.

Is it okay to ask for the salary range first?

Yes, and it is often the strongest opening. Thank the recruiter, say you are flexible for the right role, and ask for the budgeted range. If the band already clears the wage level you looked up, you can agree to work within it, and if it does not, you learn that before you name a number.

Sources

• Federal Register, Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions (90 FR 60864; effective 2026-02-27)
• USCIS, H-1B Electronic Registration Process
• USCIS, Form I-129 page
• USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupations
• DOL Wage and Hour Division, Fact Sheet #62G
• DOL OFLC, OFLC Wage Search
• Federal Register, DOL prevailing-wage NPRM, RIN 1205-AC30 (proposed 2026-03-27)
• Study in the States, Employers and the Form I-983
• eCFR, 8 CFR 214.2 (H-1B denial rules in (h)(10); STEM OPT employer changes in (f)(10)(ii)(C))
• Study in the States, F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT)

How we checked this: on 2026-11-01 we read the final rule (including DHS's selection-chance estimates), the current text of 8 CFR 214.2, and the USCIS, DOL and Study in the States pages listed above, and checked each status against our dated facts brief.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own I-20, EAD, offer letter and USCIS notices, and your DSO or immigration attorney, govern your situation.

If you want help finding sponsorship-friendly roles and preparing for questions like this one before the call, talk to F1Jobs.