Prevailing Wage for Choreographers
Prevailing wage for Choreographers (SOC 27-2032) is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry through fully competent. Whether you hold a job offer as a Ballet Director, Dance Director, or Musical Choreographer, the wage floor your employer must meet varies by metro and by how DOL classifies your experience.
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Entry-level filing for candidates new to professional choreography, typically with limited independent credits and working under close supervision. DOL expects minimal occupational experience, often recent graduates or those transitioning into a first sponsored choreography role.
The most common filing level for Choreographers. Covers professionals with a foundation of independent credits, moderate rehearsal leadership, and some project autonomy. Candidates directing small productions or coordinating movement for ensemble casts typically fall here.
Experienced choreographers with a substantial body of credited work, demonstrated ability to lead full production teams, and recognized standing within a performing arts organization or company. Minimal supervision required and capable of mentoring junior creative staff.
Fully competent, senior-level scope covering artistic directors, lead choreographers overseeing multi-production seasons, or Opera Choreographers at major institutions. DOL expects expert-level judgment, broad creative authority, and a track record of high-profile, independently led work.
Prevailing Wage for Choreographers 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 Choreographers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your title maps to SOC 27-2032
Job postings for Dance Directors, Dance Makers, and Ballet Directors sometimes get filed under broader performing arts or production management codes. Confirm your employer's LCA cites SOC 27-2032 so the prevailing wage applies specifically to choreography roles, not a lower adjacent occupation.
Account for per-production pay structures
Choreographers are often compensated per production or contract engagement rather than an annual salary. DOL requires the annualized equivalent to meet the prevailing wage floor, so a series of short-term contracts must collectively satisfy the wage level when converted to an annual rate.
Expect wide metro variation in this occupation
Choreographer prevailing wages span a very wide range across metros. New York and San Francisco sit at the top of the scale while markets like Chicago and Provo anchor the bottom, so a role's geographic location can shift the wage floor dramatically compared to the national median.
Find employers who have sponsored Choreographers before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a history of sponsoring Choreographers and related performing arts roles, so you can focus your search on organizations that have already navigated the LCA and H-1B process for this occupation rather than educating a first-time sponsor.
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Find Jobs for ChoreographersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-2032.00 alongside Choreographers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Ballet Director Prevailing Wage
Ballet Director Prevailing Wage
Ballet Director positions fall under SOC 27-2032.00 (Choreographers). 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.
Dance Director Prevailing Wage
Dance Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Dance Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2032.00 (Choreographers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Dance Maker Prevailing Wage
Dance Maker Prevailing Wage
Dance Maker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2032.00 (Choreographers). 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.
Musical Choreographer Prevailing Wage
Musical Choreographer Prevailing Wage
Musical Choreographer positions fall under SOC 27-2032.00 (Choreographers). 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.
Opera Choreographer Prevailing Wage
Opera Choreographer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Opera Choreographer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2032.00 (Choreographers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Choreographers?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Choreographers from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC processes these figures into four wage levels for each metropolitan area. Employers sponsoring a Choreographer for H-1B or green card must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and the worker's experience, as certified on the Labor Condition Application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
The four levels reflect experience and responsibility: Level 1 is entry with limited credits and close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified professionals with moderate autonomy and is the most common filing level for Choreographers, Level 3 reflects experienced practitioners leading full productions, and Level 4 covers senior creative leaders. Your level is determined by the job duties on the LCA, not your title alone. USCIS and OFLC both review whether the level matches the actual scope of work described.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much by city?
OFLC calculates prevailing wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro reflects local labor market conditions. A Choreographer position in New York or San Francisco sits in a market with dense performing arts institutions, union scale contracts, and higher overall compensation, while lower-cost metros show substantially smaller figures. The LCA must cite the actual worksite location, meaning the employer's city determines which wage floor applies, regardless of where the company is headquartered.
What happens if a job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage level. If the offered salary is below the floor, DOL will not certify the LCA, which blocks the H-1B or PERM process from moving forward. USCIS also reviews wage compliance at the petition stage. If a discrepancy surfaces after approval, the employer faces potential back-pay liability and OFLC audit exposure. The offer must meet or exceed the prevailing wage for the certified level before any sponsorship can proceed.
How do I find and verify the Choreographers prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 27-2032 in any metro area covered by the survey. Enter the occupation code and your target city to see the four level wages. You can also cross-reference O*NET for occupation classification context. Migrate Mate lists jobs from employers with verified H-1B sponsorship history for performing arts roles, so you can also identify which organizations have actively filed for Choreographers in markets you are targeting.
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