Prevailing Wage for Actors
Prevailing wage for Actors (SOC 27-2011) is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Whether you work as an Actress, a Comedian, or a Narrator, the required minimum salary on a sponsored visa depends on which of four experience levels your employer selects and where the worksite is located.
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Entry-level performers with limited professional experience and minimal independent judgment. Roles typically involve following direction closely, with little expectation of improvisation or original interpretation. Suitable for candidates new to professional stage, television, or film work.
Qualified actors with some professional credits and moderate independent judgment. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Actors, covering mid-career performers who apply established techniques without requiring constant supervision on set or stage.
Experienced performers with a substantive body of professional work and the ability to mentor others or lead scenes. Typically carry significant scene responsibility and are expected to bring independent craft choices to productions with minimal direction.
Fully competent senior performers recognized for advanced expertise, often in lead or principal roles. May serve as a creative anchor for productions. Employers filing at Level 4 must clear a substantially higher wage floor that reflects top-of-range market rates.
Prevailing Wage for Actors by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Actors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for comic and narrator title mismatches
Job titles like Comedian, Comic, or Narrator sometimes get filed under a different SOC code by employers, which can shift the prevailing wage floor. Confirm your offer letter references SOC 27-2011 to ensure the correct DOL wage applies to your role.
Check Migrate Mate for sponsors of Actors
Actors have a narrower pool of active visa sponsors than most occupations. Migrate Mate shows which production companies, studios, and media employers have sponsored performers before, so you can target outreach toward employers with a real filing history for this role.
Account for per-diem and day-rate pay structures
Many acting contracts use day rates or episodic fees rather than annual salaries. A sponsored H-1B or E-3 position must meet the annualized prevailing wage floor, so confirm your employer has converted the total guaranteed compensation to an annual equivalent before filing.
Prioritize high-wage metros for principal roles
Albany and San Francisco show substantially higher Level 2 and Level 3 floors than markets like Charlotte or Cincinnati. If your negotiation has geographic flexibility, the worksite city on the LCA directly determines which prevailing wage applies, not your residence.
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Find Jobs for ActorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-2011.00 alongside Actors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Actress Prevailing Wage
Actress Prevailing Wage
Actress positions fall under SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Comedian Prevailing Wage
Comedian Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Comedian for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Comic Prevailing Wage
Comic Prevailing Wage
Comic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Community Theater Actor Prevailing Wage
Community Theater Actor Prevailing Wage
Community Theater Actor positions fall under SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Ensemble Member Prevailing Wage
Ensemble Member Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Ensemble Member for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Narrator Prevailing Wage
Narrator Prevailing Wage
Narrator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Performer Prevailing Wage
Performer Prevailing Wage
Performer positions fall under SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Tour Actor Prevailing Wage
Tour Actor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Tour Actor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Voice-Over Artist Prevailing Wage
Voice-Over Artist Prevailing Wage
Voice-Over Artist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2011.00 (Actors). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Actors?
The DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For Actors under SOC 27-2011, it produces four wage levels based on experience and complexity. Employers must obtain a certified Labor Condition Application from the OFLC, which requires attesting that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level performers with limited experience working under close direction. Level 2 applies to qualified actors with moderate independent judgment, and is the most common filing level. Level 3 is for experienced performers with a substantial body of work. Level 4 covers fully competent senior or principal performers. Your employer selects the level based on the actual duties of the offered role, and USCIS reviews whether the selection accurately reflects the position.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same acting role vary so much between cities?
The OFLC sets prevailing wages using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national figure. The worksite address listed on the Labor Condition Application determines which metropolitan area's wage applies, regardless of where you live. Markets with dense production activity and higher overall wages, such as San Francisco, set much higher floors than smaller or lower-cost markets like Charlotte or Cincinnati.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a certified Labor Condition Application with the OFLC unless the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite. If the offer falls short, USCIS can deny the H-1B or E-3 petition. For green card cases, a wage below the PERM-certified level can invalidate the filing entirely. The employer must either raise the salary or refile at the correct level before any petition moves forward.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Actors at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 27-2011 wages by metropolitan area. Select the worksite city, choose the correct wage level, and the tool returns the current DOL prevailing wage floor. You can also reference the O*NET occupation profile for role-level context. Migrate Mate lists acting and performance roles from employers with verified sponsorship histories, which helps you identify which companies are actively filing and at what experience levels.
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