H-1B is about specialty occupation alignment — not just grades. Employers must prove the role requires specialized knowledge and that your degree directly relates. Degrees that map cleanly to technical roles see higher approval odds.
1. What the System Rewards
Academic-job relevance is critical. STEM tracks dominate because they create measurable, defensible career pathways for employers to justify specialization.
2. What the Data Shows (FY2024)
- Computer Science / Software Engineering ~45%
- Electrical & Electronics ~15%
- Data Science / Information Systems ~10%
- Mechanical / Industrial ~7%
- Business Analytics / Operations Research ~5%
- Others (Civil/Biomed/etc.) ~18%
Flashfire’s outcomes mirror this: CS, Analytics, Cloud specializations get 3–4× higher response rates and faster sponsorship interest.
3–7. Top Performing Degrees
Computer Science / Software Engineering
- Mass employer demand, 36-month STEM OPT = up to 3 H-1B attempts
- High sponsor density across FAANG, Big 4, global SIs
Data Science & Analytics
- Python + SQL + BI = clear specialty mapping
- Roles: Data Analyst, BI Dev, ML Engineer (heavily sponsored)
Engineering (EE/ME/IE)
- Hardware/embedded demand; boost with Python/automation/cloud
Information Systems / Business Analytics
- Bridges tech and business; maps to “Computer Systems Analyst”
AI / Robotics / Cloud / DevOps
- Critical-skill pipelines; faster callbacks and strong sponsor appetite
8–11. Niche Paths, Non‑STEM, and University Effects
Biomedical/Bioinformatics grow steadily when paired with computation. Non‑STEM paths have shorter OPT and weaker job-to-degree mapping — success improves when repositioned to data-driven roles. University networks and co-ops materially boost sponsor exposure.
12–14. Positioning and The H-1B Success Equation
Success = Academic alignment + Employer behavior + Application strategy. Flashfire scales the third: 1,200+ sponsor-verified applications per user with tailored resumes and real-time tracking.
Conclusion
Choose degrees with STEM designation, technical depth, and broad job mapping. Apply to sponsor-ready firms at scale with ATS-optimized materials.
Degrees open time. Systems create momentum. Execute both.