Prevailing Wage for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
Prevailing wage requirements for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property (SOC 13-2022) apply to every H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship filing. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, whether the employer is hiring a Certified Appraiser, an Art Appraiser, or an Accredited Appraiser. The floor shifts significantly by city, so verifying the worksite location matters.
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Entry-level appraisers with limited experience, typically working under direct supervision on routine assignments. Usually recent graduates or candidates new to formal appraisal practice who have not yet completed professional certification requirements.
Qualified appraisers with moderate experience handling standard assignments with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property, covering professionals who hold or are pursuing recognized appraisal credentials.
Experienced appraisers who manage complex or specialized valuations, work largely independently, and may mentor junior staff. Typically hold full professional certification and have several years of varied appraisal experience across asset types.
Fully competent senior appraisers with deep specialization, leadership responsibilities, or authority over methodology and quality control. Often recognized experts in a specific asset class such as fine art, aircraft, or business equipment.
Prevailing Wage for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property 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 this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm whether your specialty shifts your level
Gem and jewelry appraisers, aircraft appraisers, and art appraisers often carry recognized credentials like ASA or AAA designations. Employers sometimes file at Level 1 when the credential and workload justify Level 2 or higher, directly affecting your wage floor.
Watch for commission structures that exclude base
Some personal property auction houses and private appraisal firms pay a fee-per-appraisal structure. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against guaranteed base wages, so variable or per-assignment fees do not count toward meeting the floor.
Target metros where appraisal demand concentrates
San Jose, San Francisco, and Miami show substantially higher prevailing wages for this occupation compared to Appalachian markets like Huntington or Morgantown. Worksite location on the LCA controls the wage floor, not the employer's headquarters.
Find employers who have sponsored appraisers before
Migrate Mate shows which companies have a track record of sponsoring this occupation, filtering by role, visa type, and location. Targeting employers with prior sponsorship history for appraisers reduces the risk of starting a process with an unfamiliar sponsor.
Jobs for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-2022.00 alongside Appraisers of Personal and Business Property, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Accredited Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Accredited Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Accredited Appraiser positions fall under SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). 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.
Aircraft Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Appraiser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Aircraft Appraiser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Appraiser is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). 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.
Art Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Art Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Art Appraiser positions fall under SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). 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.
Certified Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Certified Appraiser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Certified Appraiser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Gem and Jewelry Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Gem and Jewelry Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Gem and Jewelry Appraiser is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). 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.
Jewelry Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Jewelry Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Jewelry Appraiser positions fall under SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). 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.
Personal Property Appraiser Prevailing Wage
Personal Property Appraiser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Personal Property Appraiser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2022.00 (Appraisers of Personal and Business Property). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property?
DOL derives prevailing wages for this occupation from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC maps those survey results to SOC 13-2022 and calculates four wage levels based on experience and responsibility. Employers sponsoring an H-1B or PERM case must pay at least the level that matches the actual job duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry positions under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified appraisers working with normal supervision, and it is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced professionals handling complex assignments independently. Level 4 covers fully competent senior appraisers. Compare your job description, required credentials, and degree of supervision to identify which level the employer should be filing at.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much by city?
OFLC draws on regional OES survey data, so the wage floor reflects actual local pay for the occupation rather than a national average. The LCA rule requires employers to use the prevailing wage for the actual worksite address, not the company's headquarters. Dense metropolitan markets with high concentrations of auction houses, financial institutions, and specialty appraisal firms, such as San Jose or San Francisco, show considerably higher floors than smaller or rural markets.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify the LCA, which means the H-1B or PERM application cannot proceed. If a certified LCA contains an inaccurate wage commitment, DOL and USCIS can investigate, impose back-pay obligations, and debar the employer from sponsoring future workers. The candidate's visa status can also be jeopardized if a filed petition is later found non-compliant.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Appraisers of Personal and Business Property in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 13-2022 for any of the 530 OES areas covered, including roughly 245 metro areas. Enter the worksite ZIP code or metropolitan area and select the appropriate wage level. For sponsoring employers, Migrate Mate lists companies with documented H-1B and green card sponsorship history for this occupation, so you can cross-reference active opportunities against the prevailing wage data you find through OFLC.
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