Prevailing Wage for Cost Estimators
The prevailing wage for Cost Estimators under SOC 13-1051 is set by the DOL and forms the mandatory salary floor for H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship. Whether your offer is for a Construction Estimator, Cost Analyst, or Acquisition Cost Estimator role, DOL sets four experience levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Entry-level Cost Estimators with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates or those new to estimating work. Duties are routine, performed under close supervision, and do not require independent judgment on complex pricing or project scope decisions.
Qualified estimators with a few years of applied experience who handle standard cost analysis assignments with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Cost Estimators, reflecting mid-career professionals managing typical project scopes independently.
Experienced Cost Estimators who lead complex estimates, mentor junior staff, and exercise considerable independent judgment. These professionals typically have specialized sector knowledge, such as construction, manufacturing, or defense contracting, and manage multi-phase project cost models.
Fully competent senior estimators or Cost Engineers operating at the top of the occupation. They set estimating methodology, handle high-value or high-complexity bids, and may supervise an estimating team. Employers filing at Level 4 acknowledge a correspondingly higher wage floor.
Prevailing Wage for Cost Estimators 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 Cost Estimators and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title mismatches in construction and defense
Titles like Cost Engineer or Cost Consultant sometimes get filed under engineering SOC codes rather than SOC 13-1051, exposing you to a different wage floor. Confirm your offer letter title aligns with the SOC code on the LCA before signing.
Factor out signing bonuses before comparing offers
DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary only. A signing bonus amortized over one year can inflate an apparent offer for Cost Estimators without actually satisfying the wage floor, so compare base figures directly against the Level 2 or Level 3 floor.
Check which employers have sponsored Cost Estimators before
Construction firms, defense contractors, and large engineering consultancies dominate Cost Estimator sponsorship. Migrate Mate shows which specific employers have historical visa sponsorship counts for this occupation, so you can prioritize outreach to proven sponsors.
Beware low-paying metros when negotiating relocation
The prevailing wage floor for Cost Estimators in markets like Monroe, Louisiana or San Juan, Puerto Rico sits well below national medians. Accepting a relocation package tied to a low-metro wage rate locks your base to that floor for the duration of that LCA.
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Find Jobs for Cost EstimatorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-1051.00 alongside Cost Estimators, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Acquisition Cost Estimator Prevailing Wage
Acquisition Cost Estimator Prevailing Wage
Acquisition Cost Estimator positions fall under SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Analyst Prevailing Wage
Analyst Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Analyst for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Construction Estimator Prevailing Wage
Construction Estimator Prevailing Wage
Construction Estimator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Cost Analyst Prevailing Wage
Cost Analyst Prevailing Wage
Cost Analyst positions fall under SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Cost Consultant Prevailing Wage
Cost Consultant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Cost Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Cost Engineer Prevailing Wage
Cost Engineer Prevailing Wage
Cost Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Cost Estimating Analyst Prevailing Wage
Cost Estimating Analyst Prevailing Wage
Cost Estimating Analyst positions fall under SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Estimating Specialist Prevailing Wage
Estimating Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Estimating Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Estimator Prevailing Wage
Estimator Prevailing Wage
Estimator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1051.00 (Cost Estimators). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Cost Estimators?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer surveys across every metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area. For SOC 13-1051, those survey results are translated into four wage levels, and OFLC publishes them annually. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the wage level that matches the actual job duties and experience required.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL defines the four levels by experience, supervision, and complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level duties under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified professionals handling standard assignments. Level 3 applies to experienced estimators with specialized sector knowledge and independent judgment. Level 4 covers fully competent seniors setting methodology or leading teams. Your level should match the duties described in the LCA, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Cost Estimators role differ so much by city?
DOL's wage floors are built from regional OES surveys, so they reflect actual local employer pay data rather than a single national rate. Dense, high-cost markets like San Francisco and Boston produce higher survey medians, which become higher floors. The LCA rules also require employers to use the worksite location, not headquarters, meaning a remote worker assigned to a low-wage metro is benchmarked to that metro's floor regardless of where the company is based.
What happens if my sponsored offer is below the prevailing wage floor?
An employer cannot certify an LCA at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite and level. If the offer falls short, OFLC will not certify the LCA, which blocks the H-1B or green card petition. For existing sponsored workers, a wage below the LCA-certified rate can trigger DOL wage and hour liability for the employer and jeopardize the underlying visa status. USCIS also reviews LCA wage compliance during adjudication.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Cost Estimators in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current DOL prevailing wage by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 13-1051 and your target worksite to see all four levels for that location. You can also review the O*NET profile for SOC 13-1051 to confirm the occupation description matches your duties. For finding employers who have actively sponsored this role, Migrate Mate lists jobs filtered by visa type and role with historical sponsorship data by employer.
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