SOC 17-2061 · DOL wage year 2026–27 · FY 2028 lottery
Computer Hardware Engineers H-1B wage levels in Gainesville, FL
For the maximum 4 lottery entries, the offered salary must be at least $168,792. Level III starts at $141,461, Level II at $114,109 and Level I at $86,778.
What is the H-1B prevailing wage for Computer Hardware Engineers in Gainesville, FL?
For the 2026–27 wage year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027), the U.S. Department of Labor sets four H-1B prevailing wage levels for Computer Hardware Engineers (SOC 17-2061) in the Gainesville, FL wage area: Level I is $86,778 a year, Level II $114,109, Level III $141,461 and Level IV $168,792. Under the weighted H-1B lottery, a registration is entered once per wage level, so an offer of $168,792 or more gets four entries, while an offer from $86,778 up to $114,108 gets one. DHS projects selection odds of about 15%, 31%, 46% and 61% for Levels I to IV. Among 100 major H-1B metros, Gainesville, FL has the #36 highest Level IV wage for this job, 5% above the median metro ($160,119). The same $114,109 offer that is Level II here reaches Level IV in New Orleans, LA. These figures apply to the FY 2028 registration in March 2027.
| Wage level | Annual salary at least | Hourly | Lottery entries | DHS projected odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | $86,778 | $41.72 | 1 | 15.29% |
| Level II | $114,109 | $54.86 | 2 | 30.58% |
| Level III | $141,461 | $68.01 | 3 | 45.87% |
| Level IV | $168,792 | $81.15 | 4 | 61.16% |
Salary ladder
Where each level starts in Gainesville, FL
Thresholds here are above the major-metro median, so you need a bigger salary for the same number of entries.
DOL marks this wage with GeoLvl 2: there were too few local survey responses, so the levels are borrowed from a wider geography. They are still the official numbers for this area.
Where a $114,109 offer lands
That's Level II here. For the same job, it reaches a higher level in these major metros.
Other Florida metros
Frequently asked
What salary gets 4 H-1B lottery entries for Computer Hardware Engineers in Gainesville, FL?
At least $168,792 a year ($81.15/hour), the DOL OEWS Level IV wage for SOC 17-2061 in this area for 2026–27.
Which counties does this wage area cover?
Alachua County, FL; Gilchrist County, FL; Levy County, FL.
Do these numbers apply to the March 2027 registration?
Yes. The FY 2028 registration in March 2027 uses the wage year in effect then, July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Computer Hardware Engineers wages in all 530 areas · All occupations in Gainesville, FL
Learn more: How to legitimately raise your wage level · Lottery level vs. LCA level · FY 2028 registration
Annual salary in U.S. dollars, rounded up. Source: DOL OFLC prevailing wage data, effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027, computed directly from the DOL file (methodology). Page updated 2026-10-14.