High Paying US Jobs: Thousands of Indian professionals work in the US on H-1B visas. Every year, a large number of Indian engineers, data scientists and technology experts migrate to the US.
The reason is clear: the opportunity to connect with advanced technology and a much more attractive salary than in India. With the recent new H-1B visa rules and fee hike, the question of what jobs and salaries Indian professionals hold in the US has become even more important.
The tech sector in America is still the center of the world. Companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and Tesla are continuously attracting talent from India. Similarly, H-1B visa holders do not usually get jobs, in fact they get high-paying roles. The salary in these jobs often reaches crores of rupees annually, while the package for the same job in India is many times less. This is why for Indian professionals, the H-1B visa is considered not just a job, but also a means to change lifestyle and future.
Which jobs require an H1B visa?
In India, if you are working in fields like software engineering, data science or product management, the package will be in lakhs of rupees. But H-1B visa holders who go to the US for jobs in tech companies get a much higher salary along with benefits, stock options, etc. Know about the jobs you can do in the US with an H-1B visa and how much your salary will be compared to India.
| Job | Estimated salary in the US (in rupees) | Required Degree/Qualification | Estimated salary in India |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer/Software Development Engineer | Around $110,000-$160,000 annually → Around Rs. 90 lakh-Rs. 1.30 crore | Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or related field, good programming skills, project experience | The average salary of a software engineer in India is around Rs 20-45 lakh per annum. Higher packages in big cities (Bengaluru, Pune) and big companies. |
| Data Scientist/Machine Learning Engineer | Approximately $110,000-$180,000 → Approximately Rs. 90 lakh-Rs. 1.50 crore | Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science or AI/ML, experience required | The salary of a data scientist in India is around Rs 10-25 lakh per year, with higher salaries possible in top-level companies. |
| Product Manager | Approximately $120,000-$200,000+ → Approximately Rs 1-1.70 crore or more | Graduate in Business, Marketing, Technology or Engineering, product development experience, thorough research and market understanding essential | Rs 10-15 lakhs in the beginning, Rs 30-60 lakhs in the mid-level, Rs 60 lakhs-1 crore+ in the senior/lead/group PM |
| Software Architect/Senior Engineer/Staff Engineer | Approx $150,000-$250,000+ → Approx Rs 1.30-2.20 Crore+ (High experience, leadership role) | Knowledge of software architecture, system design, team leadership experience, scaled systems | Senior Designer, Tech Leads Co 70 lakhs-1.5 crores+ salary. It depends on the size of the company and technology stock. |
| Engineering Manager/Tech Lead | Approximately $140,000-$220,000+ → Approximately Rs. 1.20-2 crore+ | Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, technical skills + team management + project delivery experience required | Senior management/lead roles in India offer packages ranging from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore+, even more in larger organizations. Degree and Skills for Jobs in America |
- Most jobs require a bachelor’s degree in computer science, software engineering, data science, electronics, or a related STEM field.
- Experience has added value: projects, internships, open source contributions, etc.
- Some jobs (e.g. Data Scientist, ML Engineer) may benefit from a master’s degree or specialized courses/certifications (e.g. ML specialization, AI/Deep Learning).
- For leadership or management roles, team management and communication skills are very important, along with technical skills.
