Prevailing Wage for Computer Occupations, All Other
Prevailing wage for Computer Occupations, All Other (SOC 15-1299) is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels, and the floor your offer must clear depends on both your level and your worksite city. Wages vary significantly across U.S. metro areas.
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Level 1 covers entry-level computer workers performing routine tasks under close supervision, typically with limited professional experience and a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Employers file at this level for roles requiring basic technical skills with minimal independent judgment.
Level 2 applies to qualified professionals with moderate experience who work with some independence. This is the most common filing level for Computer Occupations, All Other, covering roles that require applied technical knowledge but not senior-level decision-making or specialized expertise.
Level 3 covers experienced professionals who handle complex tasks with significant autonomy, often mentoring junior staff. Workers at this level typically bring several years of specialized experience and apply advanced technical judgment across a defined scope of computer work.
Level 4 applies to fully competent professionals in senior or lead roles, exercising independent authority over complex computer work. These workers often set technical direction, lead projects, or possess highly specialized expertise that commands top-of-range compensation in their metro market.
Prevailing Wage for Computer Occupations, All Other 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 Computer Occupations, All Other and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title-to-SOC mismatches
Job titles like 'IT Specialist,' 'Systems Analyst,' or 'Technology Associate' sometimes get filed under SOC 15-1299 when they may fit a more specific computer SOC. Confirm your LCA lists this exact SOC code so the prevailing wage floor applies to your actual duties.
Factor out equity before comparing offers
Many computer-sector employers blend base salary with RSUs or stock options, but DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only cash wages. An offer in a high-paying metro like San Jose may appear strong on total comp yet still fall short of the L2 or L3 floor on base alone.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors in this SOC
Computer Occupations, All Other spans a wide range of IT roles, so sponsorship history varies sharply by employer type. Migrate Mate shows which companies have historically sponsored workers under this SOC, helping you target employers already familiar with this wage category.
Reassess your level after a promotion or title change
If your duties shift from supervised technical work to independent project ownership, your employer may need to file a new LCA at Level 3 or Level 4. Filing at the wrong level after a role change is a common compliance gap in this broad occupational category.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Computer Occupations, All Other?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages by occupation and metro area. For SOC 15-1299, OFLC derives four wage levels from the occupational wage distribution, with each level representing a distinct percentile band. Employers must pay at least the certified level for the worksite location listed on the LCA.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and complexity of duties. Level 1 is entry-level under close supervision. Level 2 is a qualified professional working with some independence, and it is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced workers handling complex tasks autonomously. Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead professionals. Your employer determines the level when completing the LCA, but it must reflect your actual job duties.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same computer role differ so much between cities?
OFLC calculates wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local labor market conditions. Tech-dense metros like San Jose and San Francisco report significantly higher wages because employer competition for computer workers drives up market rates. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, so a remote or hybrid arrangement with a worksite in a lower-wage region may yield a different floor than a position in a major tech hub.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored visa petition if the offered wage falls below the DOL-certified prevailing wage for the LCA worksite. The LCA itself will not be certified by DOL if the wage attestation is below the floor. An employer cannot substitute bonuses, equity, or other non-cash compensation to meet the wage requirement. If an offer is below the prevailing wage, the employer must either increase the base salary or the petition cannot proceed.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for Computer Occupations, All Other in a specific U.S. city?
The most direct method is the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current four-level prevailing wage for SOC 15-1299 by metropolitan area or county. Enter the worksite location and select the occupation to see the certified floor your employer must meet. You can also review O*NET for occupational context. Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored job listings by location and role so you can see which employers are actively hiring in the metro areas that matter to you.
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