Prevailing Wage for Database Architects
Prevailing wage for Database Architects is set by the DOL under SOC 15-1243 and applies to every H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship for this role. Whether your title reads Data Architect, Data Engineer, or Database Developer, the floor your employer must meet varies by experience level and worksite city.
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Entry-level Data Architects with limited experience, typically following established patterns and working under close supervision. Roles involve assisting with database design tasks rather than independently leading architecture decisions. Most employers file at Level 1 for new graduates or candidates transitioning into the specialty.
Qualified professionals with moderate experience who apply database architecture principles with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Database Architects, reflecting mid-career Data Engineers and Database Developers who execute projects with general oversight rather than direct supervision.
Experienced architects who handle complex, multi-system database environments with considerable autonomy. Typically leads component design, mentors junior staff, and owns performance optimization across enterprise systems. Employers file here for senior Data Architects with a strong track record across multiple production environments.
Fully competent principals or lead architects who set organizational database strategy, define enterprise-wide standards, and operate without supervision. This level reflects recognized subject-matter authority, often including cross-functional leadership over data warehouse design and integration initiatives.
Prevailing Wage for Database Architects 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 Database Architects and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliases that change your SOC
Titles like Data Engineer and Data Analyst are frequently filed under different SOC codes, such as Software Developers (15-1252) or Data Scientists (15-2051), each with its own prevailing wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA cites SOC 15-1243 before signing an offer.
Know why FAANG filings cluster at Level 3 and above
Large technology employers in San Jose and San Francisco regularly file Database Architects at Level 3 or Level 4 due to scope expectations around distributed systems and petabyte-scale warehouses. A Level 2 offer from those markets may underprice your actual responsibilities significantly.
Flag worksite-city changes on multi-location contracts
Database Architects placed at client data centers in different metro areas trigger a new LCA tied to that worksite's prevailing wage. Moving from a lower-wage market to Washington, DC mid-assignment can create a compliance gap if the original LCA was not amended.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers who sponsor Data Architects
Migrate Mate filters visa-sponsorship jobs by role and location and shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts, so you can see which companies have actually sponsored Database Architects before applying to them.
Jobs for Database Architects are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Database ArchitectsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 15-1243.00 alongside Database Architects, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Data Architect Prevailing Wage
Data Architect Prevailing Wage
Data Architect positions fall under SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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.
Data Engineer Prevailing Wage
Data Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Data Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Data Officer Prevailing Wage
Data Officer Prevailing Wage
Data Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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.
Database Analyst Prevailing Wage
Database Analyst Prevailing Wage
Database Analyst positions fall under SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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.
Database Consultant Prevailing Wage
Database Consultant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Database Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Database Developer Prevailing Wage
Database Developer Prevailing Wage
Database Developer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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.
Database Programmer Prevailing Wage
Database Programmer Prevailing Wage
Database Programmer positions fall under SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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.
Enterprise Architect Prevailing Wage
Enterprise Architect Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Enterprise Architect for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Information Architect Prevailing Wage
Information Architect Prevailing Wage
Information Architect is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 15-1243.00 (Database Architects). 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 the DOL set the prevailing wage for Database Architects?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across more than 500 metropolitan areas. For SOC 15-1243, it calculates four wage levels from that regional data. Employers must submit a Labor Condition Application through OFLC certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry with limited experience, Level 2 as qualified with routine independent work, Level 3 as experienced with complex project ownership, and Level 4 as fully competent with enterprise leadership scope. To identify your level, compare your actual job duties, autonomy, and supervisory responsibilities against those definitions. The level on the employer's LCA must reflect your real role, not a lower designation.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Database Architect role vary so much by city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional labor market surveys, so the floor reflects local employer competition and cost of labor in each metropolitan area. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, not the employer's headquarters. Markets with high concentrations of technology employers, such as San Jose and Washington, DC, produce significantly higher floors than smaller metros with fewer competing data architecture roles.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Database Architect position?
DOL will not certify the LCA if the wage falls below the prevailing wage for that level and worksite. Without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or E-3 petition. If a violation is discovered after approval, the employer can face back-wage liability and debarment from future sponsorships. The candidate's status may also be jeopardized. USCIS treats wage compliance as a core petition requirement, not a technicality.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this role?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up current wage levels for SOC 15-1243 by metropolitan area. Enter the worksite city and select the appropriate experience level to see the floor your employer must meet. You can also review certified LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages other employers have filed for Database Architects in that market. Migrate Mate surfaces which employers have sponsored this role so you can cross-reference postings against that disclosure data.
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