Prevailing Wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers
Prevailing wage requirements for Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041) apply to every H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship. Whether your offer is for a Civil Engineering Manager, Electrical Engineering Manager, or Engineering Director role, DOL sets four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts considerably depending on where the worksite is located.
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Entry-level managers with limited supervisory experience, typically directing small teams or a single engineering discipline for the first time. Usually requires a relevant bachelor's or master's degree with under two years of management responsibility in architecture or engineering.
The most common filing level for Architectural and Engineering Managers. Covers professionals with established department oversight, multi-project coordination, and a track record of managing engineers or architects across a defined program or product line.
Experienced managers who independently direct cross-functional engineering programs, set technical strategy for a division, and mentor junior managers. Typically reflects five or more years leading engineering teams with measurable budget and headcount accountability.
Fully competent senior leaders with organization-wide or enterprise-level authority: setting engineering standards, directing multiple departments, and driving capital-intensive programs. Titles such as Engineering Director or VP of Engineering commonly fall at this level.
Prevailing Wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers 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 Architectural and Engineering Managers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Architectural and Engineering Managers
Watch for title aliasing between management SOC codes
Engineering Program Manager and Engineering Group Manager roles are sometimes filed under project management SOC codes rather than SOC 11-9041, which carries a higher prevailing wage floor. Confirm the SOC code on your LCA matches this occupation before signing.
Scrutinize bonus exclusions on management offers
DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only guaranteed, regular wages. Signing bonuses, project completion bonuses, and equity vesting common in Engineering Director compensation packages do not count toward the floor. Verify your base salary alone clears the L2 or L3 threshold.
Account for the sharp gap between metros for this role
San Jose and San Francisco L1 floors exceed the national L4 median for Architectural and Engineering Managers. If your offer is set at a national benchmark but your worksite is in the Bay Area, the posted salary may fall short of the local prevailing wage.
Find sponsors with Migrate Mate before negotiating
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Architectural and Engineering Managers, Engineering Directors, and similar roles in the past. Knowing a company's sponsorship history lets you assess whether they file at L2 or L3 before entering salary discussions.
Jobs for Architectural and Engineering Managers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 11-9041.00 alongside Architectural and Engineering Managers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Civil Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Civil Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Civil Engineering Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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.
Electrical Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Electrical Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Electrical Engineering Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Engineering Director Prevailing Wage
Engineering Director Prevailing Wage
Engineering Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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.
Engineering Group Manager Prevailing Wage
Engineering Group Manager Prevailing Wage
Engineering Group Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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.
Engineering Program Manager Prevailing Wage
Engineering Program Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Engineering Program Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mechanical Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Engineering Manager is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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.
Process Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Process Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Process Engineering Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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.
Project Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
Project Engineering Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Project Engineering Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Project Manager Prevailing Wage
Project Manager Prevailing Wage
Project Manager is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9041.00 (Architectural and Engineering Managers). 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 DOL set the prevailing wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels based on the distribution of reported wages for SOC 11-9041. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision received, judgment required, and complexity of tasks. Level 1 covers entry-level managers with limited scope; Level 2 covers qualified professionals managing defined programs; Level 3 covers experienced managers with broader strategic authority; Level 4 applies to fully competent senior leaders. OFLC guidance and the job description filed with the LCA determine the appropriate level. If the duties described match senior responsibilities but the employer files at Level 1, that is a red flag.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro reflects local labor market conditions. Markets with dense concentrations of technology, aerospace, or infrastructure employers, such as San Jose and Seattle, push survey averages significantly higher than smaller metros. Critically, the wage that applies is tied to the worksite listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, so a remote or multi-site role may carry wage obligations tied to the employee's actual work location.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will reject an H-1B or E-3 petition if the LCA wage does not meet or exceed the DOL prevailing wage for the listed worksite and level. For green card PERM cases, a below-floor offer invalidates the application. Beyond petition denial, employers who underpay sponsored workers face DOL back-wage liability and potential debarment from future sponsorships. Candidates should independently verify the floor using the OFLC Wage Search before accepting a sponsored offer.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for Architectural and Engineering Managers at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search, DOL's official lookup tool, and enter SOC code 11-9041 along with the worksite metropolitan statistical area. The tool returns all four wage levels for that location. Cross-reference with O*NET for occupational context. To identify which employers have actively sponsored this role, Migrate Mate filters visa-sponsorship job listings by role and location, showing each employer's historical sponsorship counts so you can prioritize companies with a verified track record.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Architectural and Engineering Managers right now.
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