The short answer
Using DOL's 2026–27 wage tables for Software Developers (SOC 15-1252), a $150,000 offer reaches Level IV in 46 of 100 major H-1B metros, Level III in 38, Level II in 14, Level I in 1 and falls below Level I in 1. The lowest Level IV threshold among these metros is $118,082 in Lansing, MI; the highest is $255,653 in San Jose, CA.
How the offer scores in the biggest H-1B markets
| Metro | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV | $150,000 gets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $152,797 | $187,076 | $221,375 | $255,653 | Below Level I · 1 |
| San Francisco, CA | $137,093 | $165,132 | $193,149 | $221,188 | Level I · 1 |
| Seattle, WA | $111,613 | $143,104 | $174,596 | $206,087 | Level II · 2 |
| New York, NY | $109,845 | $137,717 | $165,589 | $193,461 | Level II · 2 |
| San Diego, CA | $105,664 | $134,348 | $163,010 | $191,693 | Level II · 2 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $106,788 | $134,202 | $161,637 | $189,052 | Level II · 2 |
| Boston, MA | $114,276 | $138,237 | $162,199 | $186,160 | Level II · 2 |
| Washington, DC | $102,087 | $127,463 | $152,839 | $178,215 | Level II · 2 |
| Austin, TX | $95,888 | $119,642 | $143,396 | $167,149 | Level III · 3 |
| Chicago, IL | $92,789 | $117,084 | $141,399 | $165,693 | Level III · 3 |
| Dallas, TX | $95,202 | $116,896 | $138,591 | $160,285 | Level III · 3 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $91,874 | $113,860 | $135,824 | $157,810 | Level III · 3 |
| Atlanta, GA | $91,916 | $113,776 | $135,658 | $157,519 | Level III · 3 |
| Houston, TX | $87,776 | $110,344 | $132,892 | $155,460 | Level III · 3 |
| Detroit, MI | $89,877 | $108,951 | $128,004 | $147,077 | Level IV · 4 |
Where does it reach Level IV?
Among the larger H-1B markets: Detroit, MI, Minneapolis, MN, Columbus, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Indianapolis, IN, Cincinnati, OH, Cleveland, OH, St. Louis, MO. Across all 100 major metros, the median thresholds are $86,175 for Level I, $109,180 for Level II, $130,208 for Level III and $151,258 for Level IV.
What this means
The same paycheck can carry very different odds. Based on DHS projections, a Level I registration has about a 15% chance and a Level IV registration about 61%. For applicants with flexibility in where they will genuinely work, location is one of the few levers that changes the lottery without changing the salary.
Method
Thresholds are DOL OFLC All Industries wages effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, converted from hourly at 2,080 hours and rounded up. "Major H-1B metros" are the 100 metro areas we cover with per-city pages. Odds are DHS projections from the final rule. Run any salary and job through the calculator, or rank all 530 areas with Pro.
Sources
Not legal advice. Confirm your situation with your employer or an immigration attorney.