Prevailing Wage for Cashiers
The prevailing wage for Cashiers under SOC 41-2011 is set by DOL and varies meaningfully depending on where the job is located. Whether the role is titled Checker, Center Aisle Cashier, or Customer Assistant, the floor shifts across four experience levels. Sponsored candidates should confirm their offer clears the applicable level for their worksite city.
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Entry-level cashiers with no prior experience in the occupation, performing routine transaction duties under close supervision. Employers filing at this level typically document that the hire requires only basic on-the-job orientation and minimal independent judgment.
Qualified cashiers with one to two years of relevant experience handling standard point-of-sale workflows with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for sponsored Cashiers positions, covering the broad range of typical retail and hospitality floor roles.
Experienced cashiers who independently manage complex transactions, train junior staff, or operate specialized systems such as cage or vault reconciliation. Employers document that the hire brings demonstrated proficiency requiring limited day-to-day oversight.
Fully competent cashiers in senior or lead roles with broad responsibility, including shift oversight, escalation handling, and procedural compliance. Employers filing at Level 4 document that the position requires deep expertise and functions with substantial autonomy.
Prevailing Wage for Cashiers 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 Cashiers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your title matches SOC 41-2011
Retail employers sometimes post titles like Sales Associate or Customer Assistant that get filed under a different SOC code, shifting the prevailing wage floor. Verify your offer letter title aligns with the Cashiers occupation before assuming this wage applies.
Watch how bonuses affect your base wage
DOL prevailing wage compliance for Cashiers is measured against base pay only. Signing bonuses, shift differentials, and tips do not count toward the floor, so an offer with a low base rate and high bonus may still fall short of the required level.
Prioritize West Coast metros for wage headroom
Cashier prevailing wages in San Jose, Seattle, and San Francisco run substantially above the national median across all four levels. Candidates comparing multiple offers should weigh the worksite city carefully, since the geographic gap between top and bottom metros is especially wide for this occupation.
Find employers who have sponsored Cashiers before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a verified history of sponsoring roles in this occupation, so you can filter for companies that have actually filed for Cashiers rather than relying on a job post that may never reach LCA stage.
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Find Jobs for CashiersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 41-2011.00 alongside Cashiers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cage Cashier Prevailing Wage
Cage Cashier Prevailing Wage
Cage Cashier positions fall under SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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.
Center Aisle Cashier Prevailing Wage
Center Aisle Cashier Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Center Aisle Cashier for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Central Aisle Cashier Prevailing Wage
Central Aisle Cashier Prevailing Wage
Central Aisle Cashier is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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.
Checker Prevailing Wage
Checker Prevailing Wage
Checker positions fall under SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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.
Customer Assistant Prevailing Wage
Customer Assistant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Customer Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Sales Associate Prevailing Wage
Sales Associate Prevailing Wage
Sales Associate is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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.
Store Attendant Prevailing Wage
Store Attendant Prevailing Wage
Store Attendant positions fall under SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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.
Store Clerk Prevailing Wage
Store Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Store Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Toll Collector Prevailing Wage
Toll Collector Prevailing Wage
Toll Collector is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 41-2011.00 (Cashiers). 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 Cashiers?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Cashiers from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metropolitan or non-metropolitan area, BLS collects employer-reported wage data for SOC 41-2011 and DOL uses that data to set four wage levels. Employers who sponsor foreign workers must pay at least the level corresponding to the position's duties and the worker's experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels reflect increasing experience and responsibility. Level 1 covers entry-level hires with no prior experience; Level 2 covers qualified workers with moderate experience and is the most common filing level for Cashiers; Level 3 covers experienced workers who operate with limited oversight; Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with substantial autonomy. The level your employer files on the LCA must accurately reflect the actual duties and experience the position requires, not simply the title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Cashiers role differ so much by city?
DOL sets wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local labor market conditions. A San Jose or Seattle market has a higher cost of labor than a rural or lower-wage region, so the survey data produces a higher floor there. When an employer files an LCA for a sponsored Cashiers position, they must use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite address listed on that LCA, not a national average. This worksite rule means the floor for the same job title can differ by tens of thousands of dollars annually depending on location.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
If the offered wage falls below the applicable DOL prevailing wage for the worksite, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and without a certified LCA the H-1B or other sponsored visa petition cannot proceed. USCIS also reviews wage compliance during adjudication. An employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or refile at the correct level before the sponsorship can move forward. This content is informational and does not constitute legal advice.
How do I find and verify the Cashiers prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up prevailing wages by SOC code, experience level, and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 41-2011, select the relevant geographic area, and review the four level wages for that worksite. O*NET provides additional context on the occupation's scope. Migrate Mate can help you identify employers with a track record of sponsoring Cashiers positions in specific cities, which can inform where to focus your search.
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