Of these, 1,169 were approved (99.1%), while 11 were denied (0.9%).
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. It is designed to address skill gaps in the U.S. workforce while ensuring wage standards to protect both U.S. and H-1B workers. Employers must certify that they will pay H-1B workers wages equal to or greater than those of similarly qualified U.S. employees or the prevailing local wage.
The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98%, higher than 2023's 97.3%. Statewide, Pennsylvania employers across all industries submitted 12,720 petitions during the same period, achieving an approval rate of 98.1%.
While the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services industry led the H-1B filings with 7,202 petitions, representing 56.6% of all submissions in Pennsylvania during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Educational Services industry, which accounted for 1,180 petitions and represented 9.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Educational Services industry, 7,052 were approved and 150 were denied.
The Pennsylvania employers which made the most petitions in the Educational Services sector during 2024 included University of Pennsylvania with 284 petitions, University of Pittsburgh with 233 petitions, and The Pennsylvania State University with 147 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Educational Services sector in Pennsylvania saw a 5.1% decrease in the number of H-1B petitions during 2024.
The United States admits around 1 million legal immigrants annually, most of whom receive permanent residence (green cards) through family sponsorship or employment-based visas. In 2023, about 1.2 million immigrants were granted green cards, a return to pre-pandemic levels. Temporary visa programs, such as the H-1B for highly skilled workers and H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers, also play a critical role in filling workforce needs.
Public opinion on immigration varies, with 46% of Americans favoring maintaining current legal immigration levels, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Additionally, 42% believe that highly skilled workers, such as scientists, doctors, and programmers, should be prioritized for legal immigration, compared to 25% who prioritize workers filling labor shortages and 19% who emphasize family sponsorship. Despite this, family sponsorship remains the most common path to permanent residency, accounting for 63% of green cards issued in 2023.
The data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). While USCIS strives for accuracy, manual data entry and errors on paper forms submitted by applicants or petitioners may result in discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details.
| Rank | Industry | Total Petitions | % of All Submissions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 7,202 | 56.6% | 97.9% | 2.1% |
| 2 | Educational Services | 1,180 | 9.3% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 3 | Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,036 | 8.1% | 97.8% | 2.2% |
| 4 | Finance and Insurance | 933 | 7.3% | 98.5% | 1.5% |
| 5 | Manufacturing | 870 | 6.8% | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| 6 | Information | 747 | 5.9% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| 7 | Wholesale Trade | 149 | 1.2% | 98% | 2% |
| 8 | Retail Trade | 132 | 1% | 95.5% | 4.6% |
| 9 | Utilities | 128 | 1% | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Transportation and Warehousing | 82 | 0.6% | 95.1% | 4.9% |
| 11 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 62 | 0.5% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| 12 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 54 | 0.4% | 98.2% | 1.9% |
| 13 | Construction | 36 | 0.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 24 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Public Administration | 22 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| 16 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 18 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Accommodation and Food Services | 17 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 13 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 20 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 4 | 0% | 100% | 0% |
Top Employers in Educational Services Industry in Pennsylvania, 2024
| Rank | Company Name | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | 284 | 99.7% | 0.4% |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh | 233 | 99.6% | 0.4% |
| 3 | The Pennsylvania State University | 147 | 98.6% | 1.4% |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University | 106 | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| 5 | Temple University | 79 | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| 6 | Thomas Jefferson University | 44 | 100% | 0% |
| 7 | Drexel University | 28 | 100% | 0% |
| 8 | Lehigh University | 22 | 100% | 0% |
| 9 | Temple University Hospital, Inc. | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| 10 | Gannon University | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Lafayette College | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 11 | Bucknell University | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| 13 | Villanova University | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| 14 | Allegheny College | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| 15 | Robert Morris University | 7 | 71.4% | 28.6% |
| 15 | Bryn Mawr College | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| 17 | Widener University | 6 | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| 18 | National Board of Medical Examiner | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Dickinson College | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Haverford College | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvani | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 18 | University of Scranton | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Mercyhurst University | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Swarthmore College | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Moravian University | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Ursinus College | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Duquesne University | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 23 | Kings College | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | York College of Pennsylvania | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Philadelphia University | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Arcadia University | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Lebanon Valley College | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Gettysburg College | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Moravian Academy | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 30 | Alvernia University | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Expii, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Pennsylvania Western University | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | West Chester University of Pennsyl | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Juniata College | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Lycoming College | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Washington Jefferson College | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Temple Faculty Practice Plan, Inc. | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Edu Prime, LLC | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Saint Vincent College | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Vision Academy Charter School | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Philadelphia College of Osteopathi | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Ecole Francaise Internationale DE | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Saint Joseph S University | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Wilkes University | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Saint Francis University | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Commonwealth University of Pennsyl | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 37 | Messiah University | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Clementine Montessori School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | H2S Cultural Exchange Services, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Bryn Athyn College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Philadelphia-Montgomery Christian Academy | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Elizabethtown College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Church Farm School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Salus University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Nursing ABC D B a Portage Lear, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Grove City College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Muhlenberg College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Armstrong School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Jefferson University Physicians | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Thomas Jefferson University Hospit | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Neumann University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Gettysburg Montessori Charter Scho | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Wisdomplan, Inc. | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Carnegie International Students in | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Susquehanna University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | PF I Carrus Services, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | High Performance Tennis Academy | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 55 | Eastern New Mexico University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Carlow University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Misericordia University | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | PF Carrus Careers, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Franklin and Marshall College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Commonwealth Charter Academy Charter School | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Peters Township School District | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Whole Fun Stay, LLC | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Temple University Health System in | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | National Board of Medical Examiners | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Regents of the Mercersburg College | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 55 | Young Scholars of Western Pennsylvania Charter School | 1 | 100% | 0% |