This US university spent $3.25M on H-1B visas since 2020
What's the story
Texas A&M University has spent over $3.25 million on H-1B visa sponsorships since 2020, according to records obtained by The Dallas Express. The university's spending has raised concerns about its hiring practices, with critics arguing that it may be prioritizing foreign workers over training and employing local talent. The records show the university incurred these expenses between January 1, 2020, and late November 2025.
Spending comparison
Texas A&M's H-1B visa spending exceeds other universities
The university's spending on H-1B visas is significantly higher than that of other Texas universities. The University of Texas at Dallas, for instance, spent $1.1 million hiring around 300 H-1B workers between September 2020 and August 2025. In contrast, Texas A&M hired just over twice as many workers during a similar period but spent almost three times as much money on visa sponsorships.
Job roles
Visa spending includes lower-level positions
The majority of the H-1B visa applications filed by Texas A&M in 2025 were for the lower-level instructional roles. Other applications were for non-instructional positions like Graphic Designer II, Communications Manager, and software application developer. Some job postings, like those for software application developers, needed a bachelor's degree in computer science and at least three years of experience.
Employment concerns
Visa spending amid employment challenges
This comes at a time when computer science graduates are facing a 6.1% unemployment rate and a 16.5% underemployment rate, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2025. The university also employs many immigration specialists with starting salaries between $47,000 and $55,000 to oversee its foreign labor hiring processes.
Revenue dependence
International student reliance
The university's reliance on international students for revenue is another factor to consider. International students brought in over $106 million in tuition and fees during the 2024-2025 academic year, with India and China being the largest contributors. This raises questions about whether the university could have used some of its H-1B visa sponsorship funds to train local students for similar roles instead of hiring foreign workers.