Prevailing Wage for Epidemiologists
The prevailing wage for Epidemiologists (SOC 19-1041) sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer must pay when sponsoring a visa. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels, so whether your offer is for a Communicable Diseases Specialist, a Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, or an Environmental Epidemiologist, the floor varies by city and seniority.
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Entry-level epidemiologists with limited independent experience, typically recent master's or doctoral graduates working under close supervision on defined research tasks. DOL expects minimal prior professional practice in the occupation at this level.
Qualified epidemiologists with moderate independent experience who apply standard methods with some autonomy. Level 2 is the most common LCA filing level for Epidemiologists, reflecting mid-career professionals in staff scientist or investigator roles.
Experienced epidemiologists who exercise significant independent judgment, lead studies or surveillance programs, and may mentor junior staff. Often corresponds to senior investigator or program epidemiologist titles within public health agencies or research institutions.
Fully competent senior epidemiologists who direct programs, set methodology, and hold authority over study design and public health recommendations. Typical titles include Principal Epidemiologist, Chief Epidemiologist, or Epidemiology Program Director.
Prevailing Wage for Epidemiologists 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 Epidemiologists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Know where public health agencies file
Federal agencies, state health departments, and CDC-affiliated contractors file the majority of Epidemiologist LCAs. These employers typically file at Level 2 or Level 3, rarely Level 1, because most advertised roles require prior surveillance or research experience.
Watch the title-to-SOC aliasing risk
Titles like Infection Control Practitioner or Nurse Epidemiologist sometimes get filed under nursing SOC codes instead of SOC 19-1041, lowering the applicable wage floor. Confirm your LCA lists SOC 19-1041 explicitly before signing an offer.
Factor out research stipends and grant supplements
University and NIH-funded positions often include research supplements or fellowship stipends that DOL excludes from prevailing wage calculations. Only guaranteed base salary counts toward the floor; verify the base alone meets the Level 2 or Level 3 threshold for your worksite city.
Find employers sponsoring Epidemiologists on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Epidemiologists and lets you filter by visa type and location. Reviewing sponsorship history for public health agencies, academic medical centers, and research institutes narrows your list to realistic targets before you apply.
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Find Jobs for EpidemiologistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-1041.00 alongside Epidemiologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist positions fall under SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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.
Communicable Diseases Specialist Prevailing Wage
Communicable Diseases Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Communicable Diseases Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Environmental Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Environmental Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Environmental Epidemiologist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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.
Epidemiology Investigator Prevailing Wage
Epidemiology Investigator Prevailing Wage
Epidemiology Investigator positions fall under SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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.
Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) Prevailing Wage
Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Nurse Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Nurse Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Nurse Epidemiologist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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.
Public Health Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Public Health Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Public Health Epidemiologist positions fall under SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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.
Research Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
Research Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Research Epidemiologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
State Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
State Epidemiologist Prevailing Wage
State Epidemiologist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-1041.00 (Epidemiologists). 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 Epidemiologists?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for Epidemiologists using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metropolitan area, BLS surveys actual salaries paid to workers in SOC 19-1041. OFLC then assigns four wage levels based on the statistical distribution of those surveyed wages, so the floor reflects real market pay in each location rather than a single national figure.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified professionals with some independence; Level 3 covers experienced staff exercising significant judgment; Level 4 covers senior leaders directing programs. Your level is determined by the duties described in the LCA and I-129 petition, not just your job title. Review the position description your employer submits to USCIS and compare it against DOL's experience-level definitions to confirm the filing level matches your actual responsibilities.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Epidemiologist role differ so much by city?
Regional OES surveys capture actual wages paid in each labor market, so cities with dense concentrations of federal agencies, academic medical centers, or biotech employers show higher surveyed wages. DOL rules require employers to use the wage for the worksite listed on the LCA, not the company's headquarters. That means a remote-work arrangement or a field assignment can shift the applicable floor to a lower-wage metro, while positions in high-cost markets like San Francisco or Boston carry substantially higher floors than roles in smaller metros.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA filed with a wage below the applicable prevailing wage level violates DOL regulations. USCIS can deny the H-1B or E-3 petition on that basis, and OFLC can investigate the employer for back-wage liability. If you receive an offer below the floor for your worksite and level, the employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the requirement or refile under a lower level that accurately matches your duties. Accepting a below-floor wage does not protect the employee from status issues.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Epidemiologist position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 19-1041 wages by metropolitan area and wage level. Select the most recent wage year, enter your worksite metropolitan area, and review all four level figures. Cross-check against the O*NET profile for SOC 19-1041 to confirm the occupational classification. Migrate Mate also lets you filter Epidemiologist job listings by location and see which employers have sponsored the role historically, giving you a practical starting point before you run the OFLC lookup.
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