Prevailing Wage for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Prevailing wage floors for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1042) are set by DOL using regional wage surveys and vary significantly by worksite city. Whether your offer is for an Anatomy Instructor, Biology Professor, or Assistant Professor role, DOL assigns one of four experience levels, each carrying a different wage floor.
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Entry-level filing for professors or instructors new to postsecondary teaching, typically with limited independent research or course development experience. Work is performed under close supervision with well-defined assignments and minimal discretion over curriculum or program direction.
The most common filing level for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary. Covers qualified faculty with established teaching records, some independent research output, and routine course design responsibilities. Work is performed under general supervision with moderate exercise of professional judgment.
Experienced faculty who exercise significant independent judgment, lead research programs or laboratory groups, mentor junior instructors, and contribute to departmental curriculum development. Supervision is limited and the role involves complex, specialized academic responsibilities.
Fully competent senior faculty, including tenured Associate Professors and full Professors, who direct research programs, supervise graduate students and junior faculty, and hold significant departmental or institutional responsibilities. Work is performed with full professional autonomy.
Prevailing Wage for Biological Science 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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Confirm your title maps to SOC 25-1042
Postsecondary biology roles sometimes get filed under broader education SOC codes or a life-sciences research SOC, which carry different wage floors. Verify your offer letter title and job duties align with SOC 25-1042 before accepting, since a misclassification shifts your wage floor entirely.
Account for California campus pay gaps
San Diego and San Francisco campuses set prevailing wage floors well above the national median for this occupation. If your offer is from a University of California or California State campus, compare the offer against the metro-specific floor, not the national figure.
Watch for startup-style compensation in biology faculty roles
Some biotech-affiliated or research-institute faculty positions structure compensation with equity, research bonuses, or grant-funded supplements. DOL counts only base salary toward prevailing wage compliance, so a below-floor base salary does not become compliant because of supplemental research funding.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsoring institutions
Migrate Mate shows which universities and research institutions have actively sponsored Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary on H-1B or green card petitions, so you can focus your search on employers with a verified track record of sponsoring this specific academic role.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-1042.00 alongside Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Anatomy Instructor Prevailing Wage
Anatomy Instructor Prevailing Wage
Anatomy Instructor positions fall under SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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.
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Assistant Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
Associate Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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.
Biological Sciences Professor Prevailing Wage
Biological Sciences Professor Prevailing Wage
Biological Sciences Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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.
Biology Instructor Prevailing Wage
Biology Instructor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Biology Instructor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Biology Professor Prevailing Wage
Biology Professor Prevailing Wage
Biology Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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.
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Lecturer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Physiology Instructor Prevailing Wage
Physiology Instructor Prevailing Wage
Physiology Instructor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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 25-1042.00 (Biological Science 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 Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for SOC 25-1042 using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through employer surveys across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification publishes these figures and updates them periodically. Employers must use the wage level that corresponds to the worksite location listed on the Labor Condition Application, not the institution's headquarters.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry positions under close supervision, Level 2 to qualified faculty performing standard duties with moderate independence, Level 3 to experienced faculty exercising significant judgment and leading research or curriculum work, and Level 4 to fully autonomous senior faculty including tenured professors. Your level is determined by the actual duties and supervision described in the job posting, not solely by title. OFLC guidance instructs employers to match level to the position's skill and responsibility requirements.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same biology faculty role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional OES surveys, which capture what employers in each metro area actually pay for the occupation. Dense academic and biotech markets such as San Diego and San Francisco drive local survey averages well above the national median, while smaller metros like Roanoke report lower averages. The worksite-on-LCA rule means the wage floor is tied to where you will physically work, not where the university is headquartered, so a single institution with campuses in multiple states can file different wage levels for each location.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer sponsoring an H-1B or PERM green card petition must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the role and worksite. USCIS and DOL can audit LCA filings, and a below-floor wage can result in denial, back-pay obligations, or debarment from future sponsorship. If your offer falls below the applicable floor, the employer must increase the base salary before filing; supplemental pay such as grants or bonuses does not close the gap.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current DOL prevailing wage by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 25-1042 and the metro area matching your worksite to retrieve all four wage levels. Cross-reference the result with the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES data for independent verification. Migrate Mate can also help you identify which employers have sponsored this role in your target city, so you can compare offer levels against a realistic market baseline.
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