Prevailing Wage for Astronomers
Prevailing wage compliance is required for every H-1B, E-3, and green card petition filed for Astronomers under SOC 19-2011. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, and the floor differs meaningfully across metros. Whether your offer is for an Astrophysicist, a Research Astrophysicist, or an Astronomy Outreach Coordinator role, the level and location determine the minimum your employer must pay.
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Entry-level professionals with limited experience who perform routine tasks under close supervision. Typically recent graduates beginning their first U.S. research or academic position. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and direct oversight throughout day-to-day work.
Professionals with a degree and some independent research experience who perform moderately complex tasks with general supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Astronomers, covering staff researchers and early-career faculty with established but not senior credentials.
Experienced professionals exercising considerable judgment, often leading research projects or mentoring junior staff. Typically requires several years of post-degree research output, specialized expertise in a subfield, and a track record of independent contribution beyond standard staff expectations.
Senior or principal researchers with full autonomy over research programs, institutional leadership responsibilities, or recognized expertise at the national level. Employers filing at Level 4 are representing a fully competent professional who sets direction rather than receiving it.
Prevailing Wage for Astronomers 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 Astronomers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Know where federal labs concentrate Astronomers
A large share of U.S. Astronomers work at federally funded observatories, NASA centers, or national labs. These employers file LCAs at the worksite location, so the prevailing wage floor for a Goddard or JPL posting reflects that specific metro, not a national average.
Watch for title aliasing between astrophysics and physics roles
Some employers post Astrophysicist roles under the broader Physicists SOC (19-2012) rather than Astronomers (19-2011). The two SOC codes carry different wage floors, so confirm which SOC your employer used on the certified LCA before comparing your offer to this page's data.
Account for research stipends excluded from prevailing wage
Fellowship stipends, housing allowances, and relocation grants paid to research Astronomers do not count toward prevailing wage compliance. Only regular salary counts. If your offer bundles these components, verify that the base salary alone clears the applicable level floor.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with Astronomer sponsorship history
Migrate Mate filters visa-sponsored job listings by role and shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts. For a field this narrow, seeing which universities, observatories, and research institutes have actually sponsored Astronomers before saves significant research time.
Jobs for Astronomers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for AstronomersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-2011.00 alongside Astronomers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Astronomy Outreach Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Astronomy Outreach Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Astronomy Outreach Coordinator positions fall under SOC 19-2011.00 (Astronomers). 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.
Astrophysicist Prevailing Wage
Astrophysicist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Astrophysicist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2011.00 (Astronomers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Research Astrophysicist Prevailing Wage
Research Astrophysicist Prevailing Wage
Research Astrophysicist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2011.00 (Astronomers). 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 Astronomers?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across geographic areas. For Astronomers (SOC 19-2011), OFLC calculates four wage levels based on the national and metro-level earnings distribution. Employers certify on the Labor Condition Application that they will pay at least the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and the experience level the role represents.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level roles with close supervision, Level 2 to qualified professionals working with moderate independence, Level 3 to experienced researchers leading projects or mentoring others, and Level 4 to fully competent senior professionals with institutional authority. To identify your level, review the job duties described on your offer letter and the certified LCA. The LCA's wage level field shows what the employer represented to DOL.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Astronomer role vary so much city to city?
OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data to set prevailing wages, so the floor reflects actual employer-reported salaries in each metro area. The LCA rule requires employers to pay the prevailing wage for the actual worksite, not their headquarters. Markets with dense concentrations of federally funded research institutions, like the Boston and Washington DC metros, report higher earnings, pulling local floors above the national median.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage floor. If the offered salary falls short, OFLC will not certify the LCA, which blocks the H-1B or E-3 petition entirely. For PERM-based green card filings, DOL similarly requires the offered wage to meet or exceed the prevailing wage determination. USCIS will not approve a petition that lacks a certified LCA or a valid prevailing wage determination.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Astronomer position in a specific U.S. city?
The primary tool is the OFLC Wage Search, which lets you look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 19-2011 by metropolitan area and wage level. Cross-reference with the Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational data to understand the underlying survey. For verified sponsored job listings filtered by role and location, Migrate Mate shows which employers have filed for Astronomer positions and the salary ranges listed on active postings.
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