Prevailing Wage for Chief Executives
Prevailing wage requirements for Chief Executives are set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, covering roles from CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) to Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). DOL assigns four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts considerably by city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level executive roles with limited policy-setting scope, typically newly appointed to a C-suite position or stepping into an executive function for the first time, performing duties under general oversight rather than setting independent organizational direction.
Level 2 applies to qualified executives with moderate independent authority, established executive experience, and a defined scope of organizational oversight. This is the most common filing level for Chief Executives, reflecting the typical experience profile employers sponsor.
Level 3 applies to experienced Chief Executives who exercise broad independent judgment, lead multiple business units or divisions, and bring a track record of formulating enterprise-wide policy with minimal oversight from a governing board.
Level 4 covers fully competent Chief Executives at the top of organizational authority, including long-tenured CEOs and C-suite officers directing large enterprises, setting strategic direction independently, and accountable to a board of directors or equivalent governing body.
Prevailing Wage for Chief Executives 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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Watch how equity is excluded from the wage floor
DOL's prevailing wage floor for Chief Executives counts only guaranteed cash compensation. RSUs, performance bonuses, and signing packages do not count toward meeting the floor, so a competitive total-comp offer can still fall short of the LCA-certified wage.
Verify your title maps to SOC 11-1011
Titles like Chief Financial Officer and Chief Technical Officer appear on the O*NET alternate title list for SOC 11-1011, but some employers file CFO and CTO petitions under finance or IT SOC codes instead, which carry different wage floors. Confirm the SOC code on your LCA before accepting an offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with Chief Executives sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which companies have sponsored Chief Executives roles in the past. Because C-suite sponsorships are rare relative to technical roles, filtering by employers with documented sponsorship history significantly narrows your search to realistic targets.
Account for Puerto Rico metros if relocating there
The lowest prevailing wages for Chief Executives are concentrated in Puerto Rico metros including Mayaguez, Arecibo, and Aguadilla. If an employer cites a Puerto Rico worksite on the LCA, the certified wage floor will be substantially below national medians, which affects both negotiation and long-term compensation benchmarking.
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Find Jobs for Chief ExecutivesPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 11-1011.00 alongside Chief Executives, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Prevailing Wage
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Prevailing Wage
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) positions fall under SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
Chief Information Officer (CIO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Information Officer (CIO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Information Officer (CIO) positions fall under SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Operating Officer (COO) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Chief Operating Officer (COO) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Prevailing Wage
Chief Technical Officer (CTO) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
Executive Director Prevailing Wage
Executive Director Prevailing Wage
Executive Director positions fall under SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
Executive Vice President (EVP) Prevailing Wage
Executive Vice President (EVP) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Executive Vice President (EVP) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Operations Vice President (Operations VP) Prevailing Wage
Operations Vice President (Operations VP) Prevailing Wage
Operations Vice President (Operations VP) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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.
President Prevailing Wage
President Prevailing Wage
President positions fall under SOC 11-1011.00 (Chief Executives). 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 Chief Executives?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For Chief Executives under SOC 11-1011, regional wage surveys establish four wage levels for each metropolitan area. Employers file a Labor Condition Application certifying they will pay at least the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and experience level.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, complexity of duties, and degree of supervision. Level 1 reflects entry-level executive scope; Level 2 applies to qualified executives with established independent authority and is the most common filing level for this occupation; Level 3 covers experienced leaders with broad organizational scope; Level 4 applies to fully competent, long-tenured executives directing large enterprises. The employer selects the level that matches the actual job duties described in the LCA.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Chief Executives role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional OES surveys, so the prevailing wage reflects local labor market conditions rather than a national average. The LCA worksite rule requires the employer to use the wage for the city where work is actually performed. Dense executive markets with high employer concentration, such as major financial or technology hubs, produce significantly higher survey wages than smaller metros or territories. OFLC's OFLC Wage Search reflects these regional differences at each experience level.
What happens if a sponsored offer falls below the prevailing wage for Chief Executives?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition if the LCA wage falls below the DOL-certified prevailing wage for the worksite and level. The employer must either amend the LCA to certify a compliant wage before filing with USCIS, or the petition is at risk of denial or a Request for Evidence. Back-wage liability can also arise if OFLC audits the employer's wage records after certification.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Chief Executives role in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up current DOL prevailing wages by SOC code 11-1011 and metropolitan area. Select the metro that matches the worksite on your LCA, then confirm the wage level your employer assigned. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers have sponsored Chief Executives roles in specific locations, so you can cross-reference employer filing patterns with the applicable wage floor for that metro.
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