Prevailing Wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School

Prevailing wage requirements for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (SOC 25-2023) apply to every sponsored position, whether the employer is filing for a Business Education Teacher, a CTE Teacher, or an Industrial Arts Teacher. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, and the floor varies significantly depending on the worksite city.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$49K
$23.63/hr

Entry-level filings cover teachers new to the occupation with limited classroom experience, typically in their first one to two years. DOL expects minimal independent instructional judgment at this level, with close supervision from department heads or administrators.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$59K
$28.30/hr

Level 2 is the most common filing level for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School. It fits educators with some classroom experience who work independently on curriculum delivery but have not yet taken on department leadership or specialized program development responsibilities.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$67K
$32.15/hr

Experienced teachers who lead curriculum development, mentor junior staff, or manage career and technical education programs typically fall here. DOL expects demonstrated independent judgment and a track record of instructional performance beyond standard classroom duties.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$74K
$35.60/hr

Senior educators directing district-wide CTE programs, holding department chair responsibilities, or serving as lead instructional specialists qualify at Level 4. This level reflects fully autonomous scope with significant influence over program design, staffing, or curriculum standards.

Prevailing Wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

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$18K/yr$83K/yr

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

1
Portland, OR
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro
$83K$39.77/hr
2
Seattle, WA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro
$79K$37.82/hr
3
Bremerton, WA
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA metro
$76K$36.55/hr
4
Spokane, WA
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro
$71K$34.36/hr
5
Providence, RI
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro
$69K$33.41/hr
6
Hartford, CT
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro
$69K$33.20/hr
7
Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, FL metro
$69K$33.11/hr
8
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro
$69K$32.94/hr
9
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro
$67K$32.12/hr
10
Yakima, WA
Yakima, WA metro
$67K$32.02/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School

Confirm your teaching specialty aligns with SOC 25-2023

Titles like Business Teacher and Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher are O*NET-recognized variants of this SOC. If your offer letter uses a generic title, verify the employer filed the LCA under SOC 25-2023 and not a broader education code that carries a different wage floor.

Watch for wide intra-state wage gaps in teaching markets

Washington State illustrates the spread: Seattle and Bremerton post significantly higher prevailing wages than the national median, while smaller metros pay closer to or below it. Request the LCA worksite address and confirm it matches the location where you will actually teach.

Exclude non-wage compensation when comparing your offer to the floor

DOL prevailing wage compliance for sponsored teachers is measured against base salary only. Stipends for coaching duties, signing bonuses paid in installments, and professional-development allowances do not count toward meeting the certified LCA wage.

Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with CTE hiring history

Migrate Mate shows which school districts and charter networks have sponsored Career/Technical Education Teachers in the past, letting you focus applications on employers already familiar with the LCA and H-1B process for this occupation.

Jobs for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-2023.00 alongside Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Business Education Teacher Prevailing Wage

Business Education Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Business Teacher Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Business Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Career and Technology Education Teacher (CTE Teacher) Prevailing Wage

Career and Technology Education Teacher (CTE Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Computer Teacher Prevailing Wage

Computer Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher (FACS Teacher) Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher (FACS Teacher) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Industrial Arts Teacher Prevailing Wage

Industrial Arts Teacher is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Industrial Technology Teacher Prevailing Wage

Industrial Technology Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Teacher Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Technology Education Teacher (Tech Ed Teacher) Prevailing Wage

Technology Education Teacher (Tech Ed Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Technology Teacher Prevailing Wage

Technology Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2023.00 (Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$49K
$23.63/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$59K
$28.30/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$67K
$32.15/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$74K
$35.60/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School?

DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 25-2023, the agency calculates four wage levels by applying fixed percentile bands to regional wage distributions. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite metro area. OFLC publishes these figures through the OFLC Wage Search tool.

What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?

Level 1 covers entry-level teachers with minimal experience working under supervision. Level 2, the most common filing level for this occupation, applies to independent classroom practitioners. Level 3 reflects educators with curriculum leadership or program development duties. Level 4 applies to senior or department-lead roles. Review your job description and compare it against DOL's experience and responsibility criteria to identify the correct level before accepting an offer.

Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much by city?

DOL conducts regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys that capture local school-district pay scales, union agreements, and cost-of-labor differences. Seattle and Portland consistently produce higher survey results than smaller Southern or Midwestern metros. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so the controlling wage is wherever you physically teach, not where the district's HR office is located.

What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

An LCA certified at a wage below the applicable prevailing level is considered non-compliant. USCIS can deny or revoke the H-1B petition, and DOL may audit the employer. For the worker, a below-floor offer on a sponsored position is a legal problem, not simply a negotiating point. The employer must raise the offered wage to at least the certified LCA level before USCIS will approve the petition.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School in a specific U.S. city?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website and search by SOC code 25-2023 and the metro area closest to your intended worksite. Select the wage year that matches your LCA certification period. Cross-reference the result with Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data for the same metro to confirm consistency. Migrate Mate can also show which employers in a target city have sponsored this role before, helping you identify realistic hiring markets.

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