Prevailing Wage for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Prevailing wage for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (SOC 17-1021) is set by the DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your offer covers work as a Cartographer, a Digital Cartographer, or an Aerial Photogrammetrist, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience, typically under two years, and a bachelor's degree in geography, geomatics, or a related field. Scope is generally routine mapping or data processing tasks performed under close supervision.
Qualified professionals with two or more years of experience performing independent cartographic or photogrammetric work. Level 2 is the most common LCA filing level for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists and reflects standard mid-career roles.
Experienced specialists who exercise significant independent judgment, often leading projects or mentoring junior staff. Candidates typically hold five or more years of progressively responsible GIS, remote sensing, or spatial data work.
Fully competent senior professionals in leadership, principal, or technical director roles. Scope includes setting methodologies, overseeing large-scale mapping programs, or directing multidisciplinary geospatial teams with minimal oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists 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 Cartographers and Photogrammetrists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
Watch for GIS analyst title misclassification
Some employers file LCAs for cartographic roles under GIS Analyst or Geographer SOC codes instead of SOC 17-1021, potentially using a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm your LCA lists SOC 17-1021 before signing an offer.
Account for California metro wage gaps
San Jose and San Francisco carry prevailing wage floors substantially above the national median for this occupation. If your worksite is in California, the L2 floor alone can exceed what many federal agency postings list as a national salary range.
Separate base pay from GIS software stipends
Some employers offset cartographer compensation with technology stipends or project bonuses. DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only regular base wages, not one-time project bonuses or reimbursements, so verify your base salary clears the floor independently.
Use Migrate Mate to find proven sponsors
Federal contractors and geospatial firms are the most active sponsors of Cartographers and Photogrammetrists. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored this occupation before, so you can prioritize outreach to companies with a verified filing history.
Jobs for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 17-1021.00 alongside Cartographers and Photogrammetrists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Aerial Photogrammetrist Prevailing Wage
Aerial Photogrammetrist Prevailing Wage
Aerial Photogrammetrist positions fall under SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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.
Cartographer Prevailing Wage
Cartographer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Cartographer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Cartographic Designer Prevailing Wage
Cartographic Designer Prevailing Wage
Cartographic Designer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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.
Digital Cartographer Prevailing Wage
Digital Cartographer Prevailing Wage
Digital Cartographer positions fall under SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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.
Mapper Prevailing Wage
Mapper Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mapper for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Photogrammetric Technician Prevailing Wage
Photogrammetric Technician Prevailing Wage
Photogrammetric Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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.
Photogrammetrist Prevailing Wage
Photogrammetrist Prevailing Wage
Photogrammetrist positions fall under SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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.
Stereo Compiler Prevailing Wage
Stereo Compiler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Stereo Compiler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Stereoplotter Operator Prevailing Wage
Stereoplotter Operator Prevailing Wage
Stereoplotter Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-1021.00 (Cartographers and Photogrammetrists). 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 Cartographers and Photogrammetrists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish prevailing wages for SOC 17-1021. The OFLC publishes four wage levels derived from the regional wage distribution for this occupation. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 covers qualified professionals performing independent tasks, and it is the most frequently filed level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced specialists exercising independent judgment. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Your level should reflect actual job duties and years of relevant experience, not just the title on the offer letter.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same cartographer role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions. The LCA must list the actual worksite, not the employer's headquarters, so remote-work arrangements in lower-wage metros use that metro's floor. Dense employer markets like San Jose produce higher survey medians than smaller markets like Columbia, SC, which is why city selection matters significantly for this occupation.
What happens if an employer's offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or PERM petition if the LCA shows a wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage level. The employer must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor or reclassify the role at a lower level if duties genuinely support it. Filing with a below-floor wage exposes the employer to OFLC audit and potential debarment.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Cartographers and Photogrammetrists role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 17-1021 by metropolitan area. Select the correct wage year and worksite location to retrieve all four level wages for that area. You can also review the O*NET occupation profile for context on typical duties and experience ranges. Migrate Mate lists employers with historical sponsorship activity for this role, helping you target companies already familiar with the filing process.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Cartographers and Photogrammetrists right now.
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