Published April 6, 2026 · Updated quarterly
H1B Prevailing Wage Levels Explained: What Level I-IV Means
Every H1B petition requires a prevailing wage determination from the Department of Labor. The DOL assigns one of four wage levels based on the role's complexity and the worker's experience. Understanding these levels is critical for evaluating whether an H1B offer is fair.
The Four Prevailing Wage Levels
The Department of Labor defines four wage levels using percentiles from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each level corresponds to a specific skill and experience range:
| Level | Percentile | Experience | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | 17th percentile | Entry-level | Workers with basic understanding who perform routine tasks under close supervision |
| Level II | 34th percentile | Qualified | Workers who have attained knowledge and can perform moderately complex tasks with limited supervision |
| Level III | 50th percentile | Experienced | Workers with special knowledge who can perform complex tasks with minimal supervision |
| Level IV | 67th percentile | Expert | Workers with deep expertise who plan and direct work, including that of others |
Why Wage Levels Matter
The prevailing wage level affects your H1B in several ways:
- Minimum salary floor. Employers must pay at least the prevailing wage for the assigned level. Offering less is a compliance violation.
- Weighted lottery proposals. USCIS has proposed prioritizing higher wage level petitions in the H1B lottery selection process. If implemented, Level III and IV petitions would have a higher chance of selection.
- Green card implications. Wage level can affect PERM labor certification for employment-based green cards. Higher wage levels may face different scrutiny.
- Offer evaluation. Compare your offer against the prevailing wage — a company paying well above the prevailing wage is investing in you, while one paying exactly at Level I may be optimizing for cost.
Prevailing Wage vs. Actual Wage in Our Data
Across 787 H1B sponsors in our database, the overall average wage is $140,695. Here is how the top roles compare between what employers actually pay and the DOL prevailing wage:
| Role | Avg Wage | Prevailing Wage | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $135,656 | $123,862 | 110% |
| Assistant Professor | $138,275 | $75,189 | 184% |
| Senior Software Engineer | $157,348 | $142,402 | 110% |
| Software Developer | $109,571 | $105,459 | 104% |
| Research Associate | $70,110 | $60,668 | 116% |
| Postdoctoral Fellow | $63,206 | $55,040 | 115% |
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | $69,898 | $56,605 | 123% |
| Associate | $193,234 | $138,934 | 139% |
| Postdoctoral Associate | $68,321 | $57,040 | 120% |
| Research Scientist | $88,520 | $70,472 | 126% |
A ratio above 100% means employers pay above the DOL prevailing wage. Above 110% is considered generous.
How to Look Up Your Prevailing Wage
The DOL provides a Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) where you can look up prevailing wages by occupation (SOC code) and location. You can also use our H1B salary calculator to compare wages across roles and cities in our database.
Frequently Asked Questions
The prevailing wage is the average wage paid to workers in the same occupation and geographic area, determined by the DOL using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. H1B employers must pay at least the prevailing wage for the position's assigned level.
There is no single minimum. The minimum wage depends on the specific occupation (SOC code), wage level (I-IV), and geographic area. A Level I Software Engineer in Oklahoma will have a different prevailing wage than one in San Francisco.
USCIS scrutinizes wage level assignments. Filing a senior role at Level I may trigger a Request for Evidence (RFE) or denial if the job duties clearly require advanced experience. The wage level should match the actual complexity and supervisory requirements of the position.
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