Data Scientist at Cognizant — H-1B Wage Level, PERM Record & Green Card Timeline
Cognizant certified about 890 Data Scientist H-1B LCAs in FY2025 at a median offered wage of $121,000, with a PERM certification rate near 90%. Modeled timeline below, current as of August 2026.
H-1B LCA Snapshot
Data as of August 2026 · Source: DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data (FY2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Certified LCAs (FY2025) | 890 |
| Median offered wage | $121,000 |
| p25 / p75 offered wage | $104,000 / $138,000 |
| Wage-level mix (I/II/III/IV) | 22% / 40% / 29% / 9% |
| Top worksites | Teaneck NJ · Irving TX · Charlotte NC |
OES Prevailing Wage & FY2027 Lottery Tier
Data as of August 2026 · Source: FLAG System OES Wage Data (SOC 15-2051 Data Scientists, New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ-PA) + DHS Wage-Weighted Selection Final Rule (eff. Feb 27, 2026)
| Level | OES Prevailing Wage | FY2027 Lottery Entries |
|---|---|---|
| I | $99,200 | 1 |
| II | $119,500 | 2 |
| III | $139,800 | 3 |
| IV | $160,100 | 4 |
Median offered wage is about 1% above the Level II prevailing wage — most Cognizant Data Scientist LCAs (62% Level I/II) earn only 1-2 entries under the FY2027 weighted lottery.
PERM Track Record
Data as of August 2026 · Source: DOL OFLC PERM Disclosure Data (FY2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Certified / Denied / Withdrawn | 760 / 31 / 72 |
| Median days, filing → certification | 268 |
| Audit rate | 19% |
| Median PERM-filed wage | $123,000 |
| Stated minimum education/experience | Bachelor''s + 5 yrs (SOC 15-2051) |
USCIS H-1B Approvals & Denials
Data as of August 2026 · Source: USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (FY2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Approvals | 815 |
| Denials | 88 |
| Denial rate | 9.7% |
Green Card Timeline Projection
Data as of August 2026 · Source: DOS Visa Bulletin (August 2026) + USCIS Processing Times
Chargeability is an on-page selector at VisaSherpa.ai. Cognizant files predominantly EB-3.
| Chargeability | EB Category | Aug 2026 Final Action Date | Approx. Priority-Date Wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | EB-3 | January 1, 2014 | ~12+ years |
| China | EB-3 | January 1, 2022 | ~3-4 years |
| Rest of World | EB-3 | September 1, 2024 | ~1-2 years |
I-140 regular (EB-3): ~4 months; premium: 15 business days. I-485 at the Texas Service Center: 14-33 months for India-chargeable cases once current.
FAQs
Q: Is Cognizant a large H-1B sponsor for Data Scientist roles? A: Yes — 890 certified LCAs in FY2025 makes it one of the largest single filers for this title.
Q: Why is Cognizant''s denial rate higher than in-house tech employers? A: At 9.7%, it reflects a mix of client-site placement and specialty-occupation documentation challenges common among large IT-services filers.
Q: What''s the realistic green card wait for an India-chargeable Cognizant Data Scientist? A: EB-3 India''s final action date of January 1, 2014 implies a roughly 12+ year wait from priority date to visa availability.
Q: Does Cognizant pursue PERM for most of its H-1B Data Scientists? A: The 760 FY2025 PERM certifications against 890 LCAs suggest broad but not universal sponsorship.
Related Pages
- /visa-requirements/data-analyst-at-genpact-h1b-wage-perm-green-card
- /visa-requirements/data-scientist-at-infosys-h1b-wage-perm-green-card
- /visa-requirements/data-scientist-at-wipro-h1b-wage-perm-green-card
- /visa-requirements/business-analyst-at-cognizant-h1b-wage-perm-green-card
Model your own H-1B → green card timeline free at VisaSherpa.ai.