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Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory: H-1B salaries and sponsorship
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory filed 25 labor condition applications for H-1B and related visas in fiscal years 2023–2026; certified: 24. Median offered salary: $104,658.
Does Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory sponsor H-1B visas?
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory filed 25 labor condition applications in fiscal years 2023–2026, the latest submitted on Jun 22, 2026. An LCA is the first step of an H-1B petition, so the employer has sponsored or prepared to sponsor H-1B workers; it does not guarantee sponsorship for any particular job. Check the employer's own job listings.
Salaries by job title
| Job title | LCAs | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Astrophysicist | 7 | $103,717 |
| IT Specialist (Back Office Developer) | 4 | $89,556 |
| Astrophysicist (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow) | 3 | $80,328 |
| Astronomer | 3 | $113,379 |
| IT Specialist (Applications Software - R&D) | 2 | $157,113 |
| Information Technology Specialist | 2 | $86,205 |
| IT Specialist (Front-End Web Software Developer) | 1 | $114,916 |
| Physicist | 1 | $101,514 |
| IT Specialist | 1 | $131,291 |
| Electronics Engineer | 1 | $85,362 |
Applications by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | LCAs | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 9 | $107,152 |
| FY2024 | 4 | $97,344 |
| FY2025 | 7 | $107,064 |
| FY2026 | 5 | $103,717 |
Prevailing wage levels
The Department of Labor sets four prevailing wage levels for each occupation and area, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). The employer picks the level that matches the job's requirements.
Where the jobs are
Occupations
- Astronomers13
- Software Developers5
- Software Developers, R&D3
- Computer and Information Research Scientists2
- Atmospheric and Space Scientists1
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer, R&D1
Latest applications
| Job title | Base salary | Location | Submitted | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IT Specialist (Back Office Developer) | $108,134 Level III | Cambridge, MA | Jun 22, 2026 | Aug 28, 2026 | Certified |
| IT Specialist (Back Office Developer) | $101,375 Level II | Cambridge, MA | Apr 2, 2026 | Apr 19, 2026 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $103,717 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Nov 19, 2025 | Dec 28, 2025 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $107,064 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Aug 28, 2025 | Oct 5, 2025 | Certified |
| Electronics Engineer | $85,362 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Apr 28, 2025 | Sep 22, 2025 | Certified |
| Astronomer | $121,159 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Mar 5, 2025 | Jun 16, 2025 | Certified |
| IT Specialist | $131,291 Level IV | Cambridge, MA | Mar 3, 2025 | Apr 7, 2025 | Certified, then withdrawn |
| Astrophysicist | $119,355 Level III | Cambridge, MA | Feb 24, 2025 | Mar 27, 2025 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $103,717 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Jan 15, 2025 | Jan 27, 2025 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $101,514 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Oct 2, 2024 | Oct 20, 2024 | Certified, then withdrawn |
| Physicist | $101,514 Level III | Cambridge, MA | May 30, 2024 | Jul 14, 2024 | Certified |
| Information Technology Specialist | $63,705 Level I | Cambridge, MA | May 30, 2024 | Jul 15, 2024 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $108,062 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Apr 26, 2024 | Jun 16, 2024 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist | $93,175 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Nov 9, 2023 | Dec 4, 2023 | Certified |
| IT Specialist (Front-End Web Software Developer) | $114,916 Level III | Cambridge, MA | Sep 13, 2023 | Oct 15, 2023 | Certified |
| Astronomer | $105,599 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Aug 17, 2023 | Oct 10, 2023 | Certified |
| Information Technology Specialist | $108,705 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Aug 14, 2023 | Sep 11, 2023 | Certified |
| Astronomer | $93,175 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Aug 14, 2023 | Oct 10, 2023 | Withdrawn |
| Astrophysicist (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow) | $80,328 Level I | Cambridge, MA | May 18, 2023 | Aug 14, 2023 | Certified |
| IT Specialist (Back Office Developer) | $77,738–$144,034 Level I | Cambridge, MA | May 18, 2023 | Aug 28, 2023 | Certified |
| IT Specialist (Back Office Developer) | $77,738–$144,034 Level I | Cambridge, MA | May 16, 2023 | Jun 5, 2023 | Certified |
| Astrophysicist (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow) | $80,328 Level I | Cambridge, MA | Apr 24, 2023 | Jun 5, 2023 | Certified, then withdrawn |
| IT Specialist (Applications Software - R&D) | $157,113 Level III | Cambridge, MA | Feb 24, 2023 | Apr 16, 2023 | Certified, then withdrawn |
| IT Specialist (Applications Software - R&D) | $157,113 Level III | Cambridge, MA | Feb 16, 2023 | Apr 16, 2023 | Certified, then withdrawn |
| Astrophysicist (Post-Doctoral Research Fellow) | $855,288 Level I | Cambridge, MA | May 12, 2020 | Sep 1, 2020 | Certified, then withdrawn |
Salaries are the lower end of the wage offered on each application, converted to a yearly amount; statistics use certified full-time applications only. An LCA is not a visa approval and one LCA can cover several positions. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, fiscal years 2023–2026 (latest decision Jun 30, 2026).