Prevailing Wage

Prevailing Wage Determinations

Name: Prevailing Wage Determinations
Creator: XH1B
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

DOL OFLC · the wage floor behind PERM and H-2B filings; often obtained for H-1B

PERM and H-2B employers must obtain a prevailing-wage determination before filing: the minimum wage they must offer for that occupation in that area. H-1B employers are not required to obtain one but often do. This dataset is those determinations. The determined wage is DOL's floor, not an employer offer.

Data current as of Oct 14, 2026

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) · Bulk disclosure files downloaded quarterly from DOL · Refreshed Oct 14, 2026

Methodology

Our compilation and calculated metrics use CC-BY-4.0. Credit XH1B Archive and link the page you use. Source records retain their original terms. See data reuse terms.

Determinations

2,410,561

all disclosure years

Employers

305,814

distinct requesters on record

Median determined wage

$87K

across determinations with a wage

Below BLS median

73%

among determinations with a usable BLS occupation match

2,410,561 of 2,410,561 determinations are resolved to a known employer. The requester list covers that linked subset.

Browse determinations

103,004 determinations issued in 2026 match the current filters.

The DOL floor vs the market median (modeled estimate)

Floor below market (sum)

$42.4B

Across 2,073,215 determinations with a wage and a BLS match, the determined wage sits this far below the BLS median in total. When the legal floor is below the market median, an employer can meet the rule and still pay less than the market rate.

Context & calculation notes

For each determination with a wage on record: gap = BLS median wage for the occupation minus the determined wage, floored at 0. The aggregate sums those gaps. One determination covers one job request, so no worker scaling applies.

Market reference: BLS OES a_median: state median when the worksite state has one, else national; latest available survey year.

These figures are modeled estimates, not adjudicated findings.

Determination outcomes (all years)

Issued2,065,447 · 85.7%
Withdrawn88,816 · 3.7%

What is a prevailing wage?

A prevailing-wage determination is DOL's written wage floor for one occupation in one area. An employer obtains it before filing the applications that require it, and the determination fixes the lowest wage that filing may offer. The public record shows the occupation, the area, the determined wage, and the outcome of each request.

How the programs differ

These pages use the same DOL disclosure family, but they answer different questions. Each row links to that program's browser.

Program	Labor type	Duration	Core record	Primary question
H-1B	Specialty occupations	Temporary	Labor Condition Application	What wage and job did the employer attest to before seeking H-1B approval?
PERM	Permanent sponsorship	Permanent	Labor certification	Did the employer test the U.S. labor market before sponsoring a permanent job?

Top requesters (top 100 of 305,814)

Employers requesting the most prevailing-wage determinations
Employer
Microsoft Corporation	$111K	51,825
Intel Corporation	$110K	48,293
Apple Inc.	$125K	19,417
Deloitte Consulting LLP	$96K	18,503
Meta Platforms, Inc	$136K	16,262
Google LLC	$101K	15,937
Oracle America, Inc.	$119K	15,715
Amazon.com Services LLC	$111K	14,910

Top occupations (top 100 of 2,868)

Prevailing-wage determinations by occupation
Occupation
Software Developers, Applications	$102K	248,411
Software Developers	$132K	184,944
Software Developers, Systems Software	$115K	85,703
Computer Systems Analysts	$95K	77,656
Registered Nurses	$63K	74,828
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers	$32K	66,081
Electronics Engineers, Except Computer	$109K	54,728
Computer and Information Systems Managers	$172K	37,468

Questions about the data & methods

Prevailing wage FAQ

What is a prevailing-wage determination?

Before an employer files most OFLC applications, DOL issues a prevailing-wage determination: the minimum wage it must offer for that occupation in that area. The determined wage is DOL's floor, not an employer offer.

Which programs need a prevailing wage?

PERM and H-2B filings require a prevailing-wage determination before the application goes in. H-1B employers are not required to obtain one, though many do to set the wage floor. H-2A uses a separate wage measure (the Adverse Effect Wage Rate).

What does the wage-gap estimate on this page show?

This page compares DOL's determined wage floor with the BLS market median for the same occupation and area. The gap total sums how far floors sit below the market median: a modeled estimate, not an employer offer.

Public source records and site analysis. We do not attest to accuracy. Read the full disclaimer.

Dataset guides and site methods

[1] Dataset documentation · DOL OFLC. Prevailing Wage disclosure record layout, FY2026 Q3. Page 1: CASE_NUMBER, CASE_STATUS, VISA_CLASS; pages 5–6: PWD_WAGE_RATE, PWD_UNIT_OF_PAY, wage source and validityApplication-level prevailing-wage requests and determinations. Wage units and case status must be read; a determination is not evidence of pay received.Checked 2026-10-18.
[2] Guidance · DOL OFLC. Prevailing Wages. Which Programs Require a Prevailing Wage Determination from the NPWC?; H-1B wage-source optionsChecked 2026-10-17.
[3] Dataset documentation · BLS. OEWS technical notes (May 2025). Scope of the survey; occupational coding; concepts and estimation methodologyDocuments occupation and geographic wage estimates, not an individual worker’s pay. Use the estimate year and geography stated by the site; older releases can differ.Checked 2026-10-17.
XH1B. .

Prevailing Wage

Prevailing Wage Determinations

DOL OFLC · the wage floor behind PERM and H-2B filings; often obtained for H-1B

Data current as of Oct 14, 2026

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) · Bulk disclosure files downloaded quarterly from DOL · Refreshed Oct 14, 2026

Methodology

The DOL floor vs the market median (modeled estimate)

Floor below market (sum)

$42.4B

Context & calculation notes

Market reference: BLS OES a_median: state median when the worksite state has one, else national; latest available survey year.

These figures are modeled estimates, not adjudicated findings.

What is a prevailing wage?

How the programs differ

These pages use the same DOL disclosure family, but they answer different questions. Each row links to that program's browser.

Program	Labor type	Duration	Core record	Primary question
H-1B	Specialty occupations	Temporary	Labor Condition Application	What wage and job did the employer attest to before seeking H-1B approval?
PERM	Permanent sponsorship	Permanent	Labor certification	Did the employer test the U.S. labor market before sponsoring a permanent job?

Employer

Microsoft Corporation

$111K

51,825

Intel Corporation

$110K

48,293

Apple Inc.

$125K

19,417

Deloitte Consulting LLP

$96K

18,503

Meta Platforms, Inc

$136K

16,262

Google LLC

$101K

15,937

Oracle America, Inc.

$119K

15,715

Amazon.com Services LLC

$111K

14,910

Occupation

Software Developers, Applications

$102K

248,411

Software Developers

$132K

184,944

Software Developers, Systems Software

$115K

85,703

Computer Systems Analysts

$95K

77,656

Registered Nurses

$63K

74,828

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers

$32K

66,081

Electronics Engineers, Except Computer

$109K

54,728

Computer and Information Systems Managers

$172K

37,468

Prevailing wage FAQ

What is a prevailing-wage determination?

Which programs need a prevailing wage?

What does the wage-gap estimate on this page show?

Dataset guides and site methods

[1] Dataset documentation · DOL OFLC. Prevailing Wage disclosure record layout, FY2026 Q3. Page 1: CASE_NUMBER, CASE_STATUS, VISA_CLASS; pages 5–6: PWD_WAGE_RATE, PWD_UNIT_OF_PAY, wage source and validityApplication-level prevailing-wage requests and determinations. Wage units and case status must be read; a determination is not evidence of pay received.Checked 2026-10-18.

[2] Guidance · DOL OFLC. Prevailing Wages. Which Programs Require a Prevailing Wage Determination from the NPWC?; H-1B wage-source optionsChecked 2026-10-17.

[3] Dataset documentation · BLS. OEWS technical notes (May 2025). Scope of the survey; occupational coding; concepts and estimation methodologyDocuments occupation and geographic wage estimates, not an individual worker’s pay. Use the estimate year and geography stated by the site; older releases can differ.Checked 2026-10-17.

XH1B. .

Employer			Outcome
Trade Tryon Hotel Company, LLCP-400-26141-938268	Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners	2026-06-30	Issued
Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc.P-100-26098-770985	Software Developers	2026-06-30	Issued
Moes Country Kitchen LLCP-100-26092-751343	Maintenance and Repair Workers, General	2026-06-30	Issued
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.P-100-26098-768507	Software Developers	2026-06-30	Issued
Four Seasons Impact Windows and Doors LLCP-100-26092-751937	Sales Managers	2026-06-30	Issued
Telluride Stone Company, Inc.P-400-26138-921884	Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	2026-06-30	Issued
IMS Gear Braking Systems, LLCP-100-26092-751548	Industrial Engineers	2026-06-30	Issued
Inara ServicesP-100-26092-749775	Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive	2026-06-30	Issued

Browse determinations

The DOL floor vs the market median (modeled estimate)

Determination outcomes (all years)

What is a prevailing wage?

How the programs differ

Top requesters (top 100 of 305,814)

Top occupations (top 100 of 2,868)

Prevailing wage FAQ

What is a prevailing-wage determination?

Which programs need a prevailing wage?

What does the wage-gap estimate on this page show?

Dataset guides and site methods

Browse determinations

The DOL floor vs the market median (modeled estimate)

Determination outcomes (all years)

What is a prevailing wage?

How the programs differ

Top requesters (top 100 of 305,814)

Top occupations (top 100 of 2,868)

Prevailing wage FAQ

What is a prevailing-wage determination?

Which programs need a prevailing wage?

What does the wage-gap estimate on this page show?

Dataset guides and site methods

Determinations by year