Prevailing Wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Prevailing wage requirements for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031) determine the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring a visa. DOL sets four experience-based levels, and the floor shifts substantially by city. Whether your offer is for a Biomedical Engineer role or a Biomedical Technician position, the worksite location drives the number.
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Level 1 covers entry-level biomedical engineers who perform routine tasks under close supervision. Typically recent graduates with a bachelor's or master's degree and limited independent project experience. DOL expects work within well-defined procedures with minimal discretion.
Level 2 applies to qualified professionals with some independent judgment and moderate experience. This is the most common filing level for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, covering roles that require applied knowledge without senior-level autonomy or specialized expertise.
Level 3 covers experienced biomedical engineers who exercise significant independent judgment, lead technical workstreams, or hold specialized expertise in areas such as device design, regulatory affairs, or biomechanics. Supervision of others is common at this level.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior engineers who set direction, mentor teams, and handle complex cross-functional projects. These professionals typically hold advanced degrees or substantial tenure and operate with broad organizational authority.
Prevailing Wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers 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 Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Watch for title aliasing in device engineering roles
Titles like Process Engineer or Research Engineer are sometimes filed under manufacturing or chemical engineering SOC codes instead of SOC 17-2031, which can place your offer below the biomedical prevailing wage floor. Confirm the LCA cites the correct SOC before accepting.
Account for equity exclusions in medtech compensation
Medical device and diagnostics employers frequently offer RSUs and signing bonuses as part of total comp. DOL's prevailing wage calculation counts only base salary and guaranteed payments, so equity-heavy offers from startups may clear the threshold on paper but leave cash short.
Prioritize high-concentration metros for stronger wage floors
San Jose and San Francisco post prevailing wage floors considerably higher than metros like Orlando or Winston-Salem across all four levels. Biomedical engineers targeting Bay Area employers benefit from wage floors that reflect the region's dense concentration of medtech and life sciences employers.
Use Migrate Mate to identify active biomedical sponsors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers for H-1B and other visas. Filtering by sponsorship history narrows your search to companies already familiar with the LCA and prevailing wage process for this occupation.
Jobs for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 17-2031.00 alongside Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Biomedical Engineer Prevailing Wage
Biomedical Engineer Prevailing Wage
Biomedical Engineer positions fall under SOC 17-2031.00 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers). 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.
Biomedical Technician (Biomedical Tech) Prevailing Wage
Biomedical Technician (Biomedical Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Biomedical Technician (Biomedical Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-2031.00 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Engineer Prevailing Wage
Engineer Prevailing Wage
Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-2031.00 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers). 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 Engineer Prevailing Wage
Process Engineer Prevailing Wage
Process Engineer positions fall under SOC 17-2031.00 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers). 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.
Research Engineer Prevailing Wage
Research Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Research Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-2031.00 (Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer surveys across every metropolitan area. For SOC 17-2031, OFLC translates those BLS figures into four wage levels based on experience and job complexity. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the level that matches the actual duties and qualifications required for the position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing skill, autonomy, and complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level work under supervision; Level 2 covers qualified professionals with some independent judgment; Level 3 covers experienced engineers with specialized expertise or supervisory duties; Level 4 covers fully competent senior professionals. The correct level is determined by the actual job duties on the LCA, not by the job title or years of experience alone. Review the position description your employer submits to USCIS to confirm the level matches your role.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same biomedical engineering role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage floor for SOC 17-2031. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, and the prevailing wage is drawn from that metro's survey results. Dense employer markets like San Jose reflect high local competition for biomedical talent, while lower-cost metros like Orlando or Ogden produce lower floors. A remote arrangement where the worksite is your home address follows the wage for that home metro, not the employer's headquarters.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage. If the offered salary is under the floor for the worksite location and experience level, USCIS will not approve the H-1B petition. For PERM-based green card cases, DOL will not certify the application. The employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the prevailing wage or withdraw the sponsorship. Accepting an offer below the certified wage level also creates compliance risk for the employer post-approval.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific biomedical engineering location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 17-2031 by metropolitan area and wage level. Enter the worksite city or county, select the occupation code, and the tool returns all four level wages for that area. Cross-check these figures against the wage listed on the LCA your employer provides. Migrate Mate also shows historical sponsorship data by employer and location, which can help you identify companies actively filing for Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers in your target metro.
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