Prevailing Wage for Emergency Management Directors
Prevailing wage floors for Emergency Management Directors, including roles filed under titles like Emergency Management Coordinator and Emergency Management System Director, are set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. DOL establishes four experience levels, each with a different wage floor, and the threshold shifts significantly depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience in emergency preparedness or crisis management, typically working under close supervision on defined procedures. Most hold a relevant bachelor's degree but have not yet led independent program development or agency-wide planning.
The most common filing level for Emergency Management Directors. Covers professionals with several years of hands-on experience managing preparedness programs, drafting emergency plans, or coordinating multi-agency response, working with moderate independence under general supervision.
Experienced directors who function with significant autonomy, regularly developing complex emergency management systems, leading training programs, and coordinating across government or private-sector stakeholders. Typically involves oversight responsibilities and specialized expertise in a hazard type or sector.
Senior or lead emergency management professionals with comprehensive program authority, including policy development, budget control, and cross-jurisdictional coordination. Often serve as the primary agency or organizational spokesperson for disaster preparedness and response at the executive level.
Prevailing Wage for Emergency Management Directors 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 Emergency Management Directors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title mismatches on LCAs
Titles like Emergency Planner or 911 Communications Manager sometimes get filed under adjacent SOC codes outside 11-9161, which sets a different wage floor. Confirm your offer letter title aligns with this occupational code before comparing wages.
Factor out grant-funded comp before comparing
Many emergency management positions at state and local agencies are partially grant-funded, with one-time program stipends or project bonuses excluded from the base wage. Only the guaranteed annual base salary counts toward prevailing wage compliance.
Compare metros before targeting your job search
The prevailing wage for this occupation ranges from well below the national median in metros like Jackson and Little Rock to roughly double the national median in San Francisco and Washington DC. Target metros where your experience level clears a competitive floor.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented H-1B or green card sponsorship history for emergency management positions, so you can focus applications on agencies and organizations that have actually navigated the process for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for Emergency Management DirectorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 11-9161.00 alongside Emergency Management Directors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
911 Communications Manager Prevailing Wage
911 Communications Manager Prevailing Wage
911 Communications Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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.
Emergency Management Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Emergency Management Coordinator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Emergency Management Coordinator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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.
Emergency Manager Prevailing Wage
Emergency Manager Prevailing Wage
Emergency Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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.
Emergency Planner Prevailing Wage
Emergency Planner Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Emergency Planner for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Emergency Preparedness Manager Prevailing Wage
Emergency Preparedness Manager Prevailing Wage
Emergency Preparedness Manager is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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.
Emergency Services Director Prevailing Wage
Emergency Services Director Prevailing Wage
Emergency Services Director positions fall under SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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.
Emergency Services Program Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Emergency Services Program Coordinator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Emergency Services Program Coordinator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Public Safety Director Prevailing Wage
Public Safety Director Prevailing Wage
Public Safety Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors). 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 Emergency Management Directors?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages by occupation, experience level, and metropolitan area. For Emergency Management Directors, OFLC maps the role to SOC code 11-9161 and assigns a wage floor at one of four levels based on the position's scope, supervision requirements, and complexity.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level roles under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified professionals with independent responsibilities, and is the level most commonly filed for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced directors with significant autonomy. Level 4 applies to senior leaders with executive-level authority. The level is determined by the actual job duties in the employer's petition, not the job title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much from city to city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan area reflects local labor market conditions. For Emergency Management Directors, the gap between high-cost metros like San Francisco and lower-wage metros like Tulsa is substantial. USCIS and DOL require employers to use the wage for the actual worksite location listed on the Labor Condition Application, not the company's headquarters.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
For H-1B and other sponsored visa categories, the employer must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage. An offer below the floor cannot be legally certified. The employer must raise the offer before filing. A certified LCA with a wage below the required floor exposes the employer to DOL audit and debarment risk.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Emergency Management Directors in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current DOL wage by SOC code 11-9161, experience level, and metropolitan area. Select the worksite city that your employer will list on the Labor Condition Application. For a broader view of which employers have sponsored this occupation and in which locations, Migrate Mate lets you filter by role and visa type to see historical sponsorship patterns.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Emergency Management Directors right now.
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