Prevailing Wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists
The prevailing wage for Benefits Analyst roles is set by DOL at four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on the worksite city. Whether your offer letter says Benefits Specialist, Compensation Analyst, or Benefits Consultant, the same SOC code and wage floor applies. Sponsored candidates on H-1B, E-3, or green card pathways must clear the level their employer certifies on the LCA.
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Entry-level filings cover Benefits Analysts with limited professional experience, typically under two years, performing routine tasks under close supervision. Employers filing at Level 1 generally expect the candidate to follow established procedures rather than exercise independent judgment on program design.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Benefits Analysts. It covers qualified professionals with a few years of hands-on experience who apply established methods independently, handle moderately complex compensation or benefits programs, and require only general supervision.
Experienced Benefits Analysts filed at Level 3 typically lead analysis projects, develop program recommendations, and exercise considerable independent judgment. Employers use this level for candidates who can consult across business units or manage a defined portfolio of compensation or benefits programs.
Fully competent professionals at Level 4 operate with broad autonomy, often setting methodology, overseeing junior analysts, or serving as the subject-matter authority on executive compensation, equity plan design, or complex benefits structures for large or multi-site employers.
Prevailing Wage for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists 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 Benefits Analyst and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing between SOC codes
Roles titled Compensation Manager or HR Business Partner sometimes get filed under a different SOC, pulling the prevailing wage away from the Benefits Analyst floor. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 13-1141 before you sign an offer.
Account for bonus exclusions in your base offer
DOL prevailing wage for Benefits Analysts must be met by the base salary alone. Signing bonuses, equity grants, and RSU tranches do not count toward clearing the floor, so a headline package that looks above floor may not satisfy the LCA wage requirement.
Check whether in-house or agency placement changes your level
Benefits Analysts placed at a client site through an HR consulting firm or staffing agency are subject to the worksite wage, not the staffing firm's home office wage. FAANG and large financial employers typically file at Level 2 or 3 even for early-career hires.
Find sponsors with a Benefits Analyst hiring history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Benefits Analysts and Compensation Specialists, so you can focus applications on companies with an established track record of H-1B or green card filings for this specific occupation.
Jobs for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Benefits AnalystPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-1141.00 alongside Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Benefits Analyst Prevailing Wage
Benefits Analyst Prevailing Wage
Benefits Analyst positions fall under SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Benefits Consultant Prevailing Wage
Benefits Consultant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Benefits Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Benefits Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Compensation Analyst Prevailing Wage
Compensation Analyst Prevailing Wage
Compensation Analyst positions fall under SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Compensation and Benefits Analyst Prevailing Wage
Compensation and Benefits Analyst Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Compensation and Benefits Analyst for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Compensation and Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Compensation and Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Compensation and Benefits Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Compensation Consultant Prevailing Wage
Compensation Consultant Prevailing Wage
Compensation Consultant positions fall under SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Compensation Specialist Prevailing Wage
Compensation Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Compensation Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Employee Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Employee Benefits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Employee Benefits Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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.
Position Classification Specialist Prevailing Wage
Position Classification Specialist Prevailing Wage
Position Classification Specialist positions fall under SOC 13-1141.00 (Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists). 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 Benefits Analysts?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For Benefits Analysts under SOC 13-1141, OFLC converts those survey percentiles into four wage levels. Employers certify one level on the Labor Condition Application, and that certified wage becomes the minimum base salary they must pay the sponsored worker.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels map to experience and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified independent contributors; Level 3 covers experienced analysts who lead projects; Level 4 covers fully competent specialists with broad authority. The level your employer selects must match the actual job duties and your qualifications. If the duties description on the LCA reads as Level 3 work, filing at Level 1 creates compliance risk for the employer.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Benefits Analyst role differ so much by city?
OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro area produces its own wage distribution for SOC 13-1141. The LCA rule requires employers to use the wage for the actual worksite address, not their headquarters. Markets with dense concentrations of tech and financial employers, such as San Jose or San Francisco, push survey percentiles significantly higher than smaller metros in the South or Puerto Rico.
What happens if my offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite. If they attempt to file with a below-floor salary, OFLC will not certify the LCA, which blocks the H-1B or PERM process entirely. For active visa holders, a salary reduction below the LCA-certified wage can put the employer in violation of attestation conditions and expose the worker's status to risk. Consult a licensed immigration attorney if you believe your offer or current salary may be out of compliance.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Benefits Analyst position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up current wage levels for SOC 13-1141 by metro area. Enter the occupation code and the worksite county or metro to retrieve all four level wages. For a broader picture of which employers have historically sponsored Benefits Analysts and Compensation Specialists in a given market, Migrate Mate filters job listings by role and location and shows each employer's prior sponsorship history, helping you identify realistic targets before you negotiate.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists right now.
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