Prevailing Wage for Coaches and Scouts
Prevailing wage requirements for Coaches and Scouts (SOC 27-2022) apply to sponsored positions including Baseball Coach, Basketball Coach, Football Coach, and related titles. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city, so the same coaching role can carry a very different minimum depending on where the job is located.
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Entry-level coaches with limited professional experience, typically in assistant or support roles with close supervision. Work is routine, follows established methods, and requires minimal independent judgment. Most newly sponsored coaches entering U.S. professional or collegiate programs start here.
Qualified coaches with moderate experience who work with some independence and handle a defined range of coaching or scouting responsibilities. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Coaches and Scouts, covering the broad middle of working professionals in the occupation.
Experienced coaches with a track record of independent performance, often managing programs or leading scouting units. Work involves complex situations, mentoring junior staff, and contributing to strategic decisions about athlete development or recruitment.
Fully competent coaches and scouts at the top of their field, typically head coaches, director-level scouts, or specialists with recognized expertise. They set program direction, exercise broad independent judgment, and may represent the organization in high-profile recruitment or competition contexts.
Prevailing Wage for Coaches and Scouts 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 Coaches and Scouts and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Know where collegiate coaching wages cluster
University athletic programs dominate sponsorship filings for this SOC. Markets near major college athletic conferences, such as Corvallis, Tuscaloosa, and Lafayette, show the widest spread between Level 1 and Level 4 wages, so worksite city matters more here than in most occupations.
Watch for title aliasing on coaching offers
Employers sometimes file LCAs under broader education or recreation SOC codes rather than 27-2022. If your offer letter says Athletic Coordinator or Sports Instructor, confirm the LCA uses the Coaches and Scouts SOC so the correct prevailing wage floor applies to your position.
Exclude performance bonuses when checking the floor
Signing bonuses, win-based incentive pay, and performance stipends common in coaching contracts do not count toward prevailing wage compliance. Only guaranteed base salary and non-discretionary allowances satisfy the DOL floor for a sponsored coaching position.
Use Migrate Mate to find coaches and scouts sponsors
Coaching and scouting sponsorship is concentrated among a small set of universities and professional franchises. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B or green card sponsorship records for this occupation, so you can focus applications on organizations that have actually filed before.
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Find Jobs for Coaches and ScoutsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-2022.00 alongside Coaches and Scouts, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Baseball Coach Prevailing Wage
Baseball Coach Prevailing Wage
Baseball Coach positions fall under SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Basketball Coach Prevailing Wage
Basketball Coach Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Basketball Coach for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Coach Prevailing Wage
Coach Prevailing Wage
Coach is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Cross Country Coach Prevailing Wage
Cross Country Coach Prevailing Wage
Cross Country Coach positions fall under SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Football Coach Prevailing Wage
Football Coach Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Football Coach for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Gymnastics Coach Prevailing Wage
Gymnastics Coach Prevailing Wage
Gymnastics Coach is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Soccer Coach Prevailing Wage
Soccer Coach Prevailing Wage
Soccer Coach positions fall under SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Softball Coach Prevailing Wage
Softball Coach Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Softball Coach for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Track and Field Coach Prevailing Wage
Track and Field Coach Prevailing Wage
Track and Field Coach is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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.
Volleyball Coach Prevailing Wage
Volleyball Coach Prevailing Wage
Volleyball Coach positions fall under SOC 27-2022.00 (Coaches and Scouts). 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 Coaches and Scouts?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels tied to experience and complexity. Employers sponsoring a coach or scout must request a prevailing wage determination from OFLC and pay at least the level that matches the position before the LCA is certified.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
The four levels reflect increasing experience and independence. Level 1 covers entry positions under close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified professionals working with moderate independence, Level 3 covers experienced coaches who operate largely on their own, and Level 4 covers fully competent leaders setting program direction. The level that applies to your position is determined by the actual duties described in the job offer, not your personal experience alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same coaching role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional OES surveys that reflect local labor markets, so a head coach salary in Corvallis, Oregon, which is anchored by a major university program, differs sharply from one in a smaller market like Gadsden, Alabama. Under the LCA rule, the prevailing wage is tied to the worksite address on the application, meaning the city where coaching duties are actually performed controls which metro survey applies.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA filed with a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and level will not be certified by OFLC, which blocks the H-1B or PERM process from moving forward. If the LCA is already certified but the actual salary falls short, the employer faces back-pay liability and potential DOL investigation. Candidates should verify the floor before accepting an offer rather than after.
How do I find the prevailing wage for a specific coaching or scouting position in a particular U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 27-2022 by metro area. Select the worksite metropolitan statistical area, enter the occupation code, and the tool returns all four level wages for that location. Cross-check with recent LCA disclosure data to see what wages employers have actually certified for similar coaching titles. Migrate Mate can also show which employers have sponsored Coaches and Scouts roles, helping you identify organizations actively filing in your target market.
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