Glossary · Immigration / labor
What is a prevailing wage?
A prevailing wage is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation and geographic area, which an employer must generally meet or exceed to sponsor a foreign worker under programs like H-1B and PERM.
The Department of Labor determines prevailing wages by occupation (SOC code) and area, typically from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. Employers sponsoring foreign workers must offer at least the applicable prevailing wage.
Comparing an employer's offered wage to the prevailing wage percentile reveals seniority and competitiveness signals — useful for recruiters benchmarking compensation and for analysts tracking hiring intensity.
Source: US Department of Labor (OFLC prevailing wage; BLS OEWS).
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How is the prevailing wage determined?
DOL sets prevailing wages by occupation (SOC code) and geographic area, largely from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
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