Here’s How Much the World’s Most Valuable Company Pays Staff, Including Software Engineers and Researchers

Nvidia has become one of the most sought-after employers in the technology industry — and its paychecks reflect that status. Recent federal filings obtained by Business Insider show that the AI chipmaker is spending heavily on talent, even as other tech giants scale back on hiring foreign workers. 

While many companies have reduced H-1B visa sponsorships for specialized foreign talent amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Nvidia has done the opposite. The world’s most valuable company obtained certification for 1,200 H-1B roles during the first two quarters of the fiscal year 2026, up from around 1,000 certifications over the same period the previous year, per BI. By comparison, Google fell from 5,100 approved H-1B hires to about 2,200 over the same stretch, and Amazon dropped from around 6,100 approvals to 4,300. 

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who was born in Taiwan, has publicly said that immigrants are crucial to the company’s mission. In an interview with CNBC in September, Huang said immigration is “really important to our nation’s future.” 

The federal filings reflect base salary

Nvidia does not disclose all of its salary data publicly, but federal filings require salary figures when companies sponsor foreign workers, offering a rare look inside company pay structures. The figures reflect base salary only and do not include stock awards and bonuses, which can be substantial at Nvidia. 

The numbers are striking across the board. Software engineers can earn up to $391,000 in base pay, while research scientists top out at $356,500. Product managers can reach $379,500, hardware engineering managers can earn up to $368,000, and directors can command as much as $488,750. The most elite engineering roles go even higher — distinguished AI algorithm engineers can take home more than $471,000 in base salary alone.

The following salary data offers a concrete benchmark for what Nvidia pays across its key roles, based on federal H-1B filings. 

AI researcher salaries

• Research Scientist: $104,000–$356,500
• Senior Research Scientist: $134,971–$356,500
• Principal Research Scientist: $272,000–$431,250

Software and infrastructure engineer salaries

• Software Engineer: $108,000–$391,000
• Senior Software Engineer: $139,152–$356,500
• Principal Software Engineer: $264,514–$425,500
• Senior Systems Software Engineer: $139,152–$356,500
• Principal Systems Software Engineer: $272,000–$431,250
• Distinguished AI Algorithms Engineer: $308,000–$471,500
• DevOps Engineer: $144,000–$333,500
• Senior Network Infrastructure Engineer: $136,000–$333,500

Chip and hardware engineer salaries

• Hardware Engineer, Electronics: $96,000–$310,500
• ASIC Engineer: $136,000–$368,000
• Senior ASIC Engineer: $163,925–$310,500
• Verification Engineer: $119,184–$310,500
• System Design Engineer: $157,857–$322,000
• Test Engineer: $128,000–$287,500

Architect salaries

• Architect: $131,362–$356,500
• Senior Architect: $148,000–$356,500
• Solutions Architect: $139,235–$356,500
• Principal Architect: $248,000–$425,500

Manager and director salaries

• Hardware Engineering Manager: $196,000–$368,000
• Product Manager: $198,702–$379,500
• Program Manager: $161,034–$322,000
• Senior Manager, Systems Software: $272,000–$431,250
• Hardware Engineering Director: $284,000–$431,250
• Software Engineering Director: $388,918–$471,500
• Architecture Director: $320,000–$488,750
• Developer Relations Director: $308,000–$471,500