Prevailing Wage for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
The prevailing wage for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1031) sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring an Architecture Professor or Adjunct Instructor on an H-1B, E-3, or green card. DOL sets four experience levels, and the floor varies significantly by city and worksite location.
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Entry-level filing for new postsecondary architecture instructors with limited independent teaching experience, typically in a first academic appointment. Duties are routine and performed under close supervision, often involving set course curricula rather than independent curriculum development.
The most common filing level for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary. Covers instructors with a defined teaching record who handle standard course loads, advise students, and conduct some independent research or design work without requiring constant oversight.
Experienced architecture faculty with a recognized research or design portfolio, graduate teaching responsibilities, or a record of grant activity. Work is largely self-directed, and the position typically influences curriculum or program direction within the department.
Senior or full-professor appointments with significant independent authority over research agendas, program leadership, or endowed positions. Fully competent faculty who set standards for the department and may hold administrative responsibilities such as program coordination or accreditation oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary 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 Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary
Confirm your worksite matches the LCA city
Architecture faculty often split time between a main campus and a satellite studio, field site, or partner institution. The prevailing wage on the LCA must reflect the worksite where you will primarily teach, not the employer's administrative headquarters.
Watch how adjunct hours affect your wage level
Part-time or adjunct appointments at Level 1 carry a lower floor, but H-1B requires full-time equivalency comparisons. If your offer is for a fractional appointment, verify how the employer is annualizing the salary against the applicable DOL wage level.
Check metro variation before comparing offers
Prevailing wages for postsecondary architecture faculty differ sharply across cities. Coastal metros with dense research universities set notably higher floors than smaller college towns, so an identical title and level can represent very different compliance thresholds depending on location.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsoring architecture schools
Migrate Mate lists architecture faculty positions from employers with verified H-1B and green card sponsorship history, letting you see which universities and colleges have actually sponsored Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary roles before you apply.
Jobs for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-1031.00 alongside Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Adjunct Instructor Prevailing Wage
Adjunct Instructor Prevailing Wage
Adjunct Instructor positions fall under SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Adjunct Professor Prevailing Wage
Adjunct Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Adjunct Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Architecture Professor Prevailing Wage
Architecture Professor Prevailing Wage
Architecture Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Associate Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Faculty Member Prevailing Wage
Faculty Member Prevailing Wage
Faculty Member is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Instructor Prevailing Wage
Instructor Prevailing Wage
Instructor positions fall under SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Interior Design Professor Prevailing Wage
Interior Design Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Interior Design Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
Lecturer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Professor Prevailing Wage
Professor Prevailing Wage
Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1031.00 (Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metro area, BLS surveys employers and calculates wage distributions for SOC 25-1031. OFLC converts those distributions into four wage levels based on where a salary falls within the local range, then publishes the results in its prevailing wage database. Employers sponsoring this occupation must meet or exceed the level that matches the position's actual duties and experience requirements.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
DOL assigns levels based on the complexity and supervision of the role, not simply years of service. Level 1 covers entry positions with routine duties and close oversight. Level 2 applies to qualified instructors working independently on standard assignments, and is the most common level for sponsored faculty. Level 3 covers experienced faculty with recognized independent contributions. Level 4 applies to fully competent senior faculty in lead or program-directing roles. The employer's LCA must state the level that honestly reflects the job duties described in the petition.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same architecture faculty role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a single national figure. Dense academic markets with major research universities, such as New York or San Francisco, produce higher survey wages than smaller college towns. Critically, the worksite listed on the LCA controls which metro wage applies, meaning if you teach at a satellite campus in a lower-wage market your employer must use that location's floor, even if the main campus is in a higher-wage city.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will deny the H-1B petition if the LCA wage level does not meet the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite location. For PERM-based green card filings, OFLC will reject or audit a labor certification where the offered wage falls below the applicable floor. An employer cannot remedy a below-floor offer simply by reclassifying the role to a lower level unless the actual job duties genuinely support that level. Candidates should verify the offered salary against the OFLC Wage Search before the employer files.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up SOC 25-1031 by metro area and wage level. Select the relevant metropolitan statistical area matching your worksite, choose the appropriate experience level, and the tool returns the current DOL floor. You can also cross-reference with O*NET for occupation details. Migrate Mate surfaces architecture faculty listings from employers with documented sponsorship history, so you can pair salary data from job postings against the DOL floor for your target city.
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