Prevailing Wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
The prevailing wage for Academic Advisor roles in the U.S. is set by the DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level Academic Counselors through fully competent Career Counselors and College Counselors. The floor varies significantly by city, so the same position can carry a meaningfully different minimum depending on where the worksite is located.
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Level 1 applies to entry-level Academic Advisors with limited experience, typically working under close supervision on routine caseloads. Candidates who recently completed a master's degree in counseling or a related field and have minimal post-degree experience generally fall here.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Academic Advisors. It covers qualified professionals with a few years of independent advising experience who handle standard caseloads without close supervision and apply established institutional practices.
Level 3 applies to experienced Career Counselors or Academic Advisors who exercise independent judgment, manage complex cases or populations, and may informally guide junior staff. Candidates with five or more years in a substantive advising or counseling role typically qualify.
Level 4 covers fully competent Academic Advisors in senior or lead roles, often setting departmental advising practices, overseeing program development, or managing institutional partnerships. This level reflects top-of-range scope and is the least common filing level.
Prevailing Wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors 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 Academic Advisor and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for school versus nonprofit wage gaps
Academic Advisors at K-12 districts and community colleges are often classified under a school-district wage schedule, while those at private nonprofits or workforce agencies are benchmarked separately. Confirm which employer category your worksite falls under before accepting an offer.
Verify your worksite city on the LCA
Prevailing wages for Career Counselors vary sharply between metros, with California coastal markets paying roughly double what Puerto Rico or Guam MSA areas require. The city named on the LCA as the worksite determines your floor, not your employer's headquarters.
Check which employers have sponsored this role
Sponsorship history for Academic Counselor and Career Counselor titles is concentrated in higher education and large workforce development agencies. Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and shows which employers have a track record of sponsoring this occupation.
Confirm bonus and stipend exclusions before comparing
Professional development stipends, relocation allowances, and one-time signing bonuses do not count toward prevailing wage compliance for Academic Advisors on sponsored visas. Only recurring base salary is measured against the DOL floor.
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Find Jobs for Academic AdvisorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 21-1012.00 alongside Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Academic Advisor Prevailing Wage
Academic Advisor Prevailing Wage
Academic Advisor positions fall under SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
Academic Counselor Prevailing Wage
Academic Counselor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Academic Counselor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Admissions Counselor Prevailing Wage
Admissions Counselor Prevailing Wage
Admissions Counselor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
Career Counselor Prevailing Wage
Career Counselor Prevailing Wage
Career Counselor positions fall under SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
College Counselor Prevailing Wage
College Counselor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a College Counselor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Elementary School Counselor Prevailing Wage
Elementary School Counselor Prevailing Wage
Elementary School Counselor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
Guidance Counselor Prevailing Wage
Guidance Counselor Prevailing Wage
Guidance Counselor positions fall under SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
School Counselor Prevailing Wage
School Counselor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a School Counselor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Student Services Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Student Services Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Student Services Coordinator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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.
Vocational Counselor Prevailing Wage
Vocational Counselor Prevailing Wage
Vocational Counselor positions fall under SOC 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). 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 Academic Advisor positions?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For Academic Advisor roles under SOC 21-1012, the agency sets four wage levels based on experience and job complexity within each geographic area. Employers must use the OFLC Wage Search tool to pull the correct level for the worksite location before filing an LCA.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels correspond to increasing experience and independence: Level 1 is entry-level under close supervision, Level 2 is qualified with independent caseload management, Level 3 is experienced with complex cases or lead responsibilities, and Level 4 is a senior or program-lead scope. DOL and OFLC expect the level to reflect the actual duties described in the job offer, not just the candidate's total years in any field.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Academic Counselor role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metro area reflects local employer pay patterns. Dense higher-education markets like San Francisco and San Jose push regional medians up, while territories like Guam or Puerto Rico have structurally lower wage floors. The wage that controls your LCA is tied to the physical worksite address, regardless of where your employer is headquartered or where you work remotely from.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Academic Advisor position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with a wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage floor. If the offered salary falls short, OFLC will not certify the application, which blocks the H-1B or PERM filing entirely. The employer must raise the offered wage to meet the floor or reclassify the position at the correct level before proceeding with sponsorship.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Academic Advisor role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website, select SOC code 21-1012, and enter the worksite metropolitan area. The tool returns all four wage levels for that location based on the current survey period. Cross-check against USCIS guidance if the petition involves an H-1B, since USCIS reviews whether the LCA wage level matches the duties described in the petition. For finding employers who have actively sponsored this role, Migrate Mate lists verified sponsoring employers filtered by occupation and location.
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