Prevailing Wage for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

The prevailing wage for an Administrative Aide under SOC 43-6011 is set by the DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your offer is for an Administrative Assistant, Administrative Coordinator, or Administrative Specialist role, DOL assigns one of four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts significantly by city.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$47K
$22.54/hr

Level 1 applies to entry-level Administrative Aides with limited experience performing routine tasks under close supervision. These positions typically involve basic calendar management, correspondence, and visitor coordination with little independent judgment expected.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$56K
$26.80/hr

Level 2 covers Administrative Assistants who work with moderate supervision and handle a broader range of tasks independently. This is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting the qualified professional who manages schedules, prepares reports, and supports senior staff.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$64K
$30.89/hr

Level 3 applies to experienced Administrative Coordinators who exercise significant judgment, handle complex scheduling and research tasks, and may guide junior staff. Employers filing at this level typically expect several years of progressively responsible experience in the occupation.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$73K
$35.14/hr

Level 4 reflects a fully competent Administrative Specialist functioning at senior scope, often training or overseeing lower-level staff, managing executive-level logistics independently, and handling sensitive information with minimal oversight. This level commands the highest prevailing wage floor in each metro.

Prevailing Wage for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

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$21K/yr$76K/yr

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

1
San Jose, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro
$76K$36.67/hr
2
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$71K$33.97/hr
3
Bridgeport, CT
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro
$70K$33.64/hr
4
Kahului, HI
Kahului-Wailuku, HI metro
$66K$31.50/hr
5
New York, NY
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro
$64K$30.74/hr
6
Seattle, WA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro
$63K$30.37/hr
7
Boston, MA
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro
$63K$30.19/hr
8
Kennewick, WA
Kennewick-Richland, WA metro
$63K$30.12/hr
9
Washington, DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro
$62K$29.81/hr
10
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro
$62K$29.63/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants

Confirm your worksite city before accepting

For Administrative Aide roles, the LCA must list the actual worksite address, not corporate headquarters. If your employer is headquartered in a low-wage metro but you work in San Jose or San Francisco, the higher local prevailing wage applies to your position.

Watch for title aliasing into lower SOC codes

Administrative Assistant and Administrative Coordinator titles are sometimes filed under SOC 43-6014 (Secretaries, except Legal and Medical) instead of 43-6011, which carries a lower wage floor. Verify your offer letter and LCA list SOC 43-6011 specifically if your role involves executive-level support.

Exclude bonuses and equity when comparing to the floor

Prevailing wage compliance for Administrative Aide positions is measured against base salary only. Signing bonuses, annual performance bonuses, and any equity components do not count toward meeting the DOL wage floor on your LCA.

Search sponsored Administrative Aide employers on Migrate Mate

Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented history of sponsoring Administrative Assistant and Administrative Coordinator roles. Filtering by that history helps you focus on companies already familiar with the DOL filing process for this occupation.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-6011.00 alongside Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Administrative Aide Prevailing Wage

Administrative Aide positions fall under SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Administrative Assistant Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Administrative Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Administrative Associate Prevailing Wage

Administrative Associate is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Administrative Coordinator Prevailing Wage

Administrative Coordinator positions fall under SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Administrative Secretary Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Administrative Secretary for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Administrative Specialist Prevailing Wage

Administrative Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Executive Administrative Assistant Prevailing Wage

Executive Administrative Assistant positions fall under SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Executive Assistant Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Executive Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Executive Secretary Prevailing Wage

Executive Secretary is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Office Assistant Prevailing Wage

Office Assistant positions fall under SOC 43-6011.00 (Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$47K
$22.54/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.80/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.89/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$73K
$35.14/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Administrative Aide positions?

DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages. For Administrative Aide roles under SOC 43-6011, the OFLC derives four wage levels from the occupational wage distribution in each metropolitan area. Employers must certify on the LCA that they will pay at least the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite location.

What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?

The four levels reflect increasing experience and responsibility: Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 is qualified with moderate independence, Level 3 is experienced with significant judgment, and Level 4 is fully competent with senior scope. Your level should match your actual duties and years of relevant experience. Review the job description and compare it against OFLC's level definitions to identify the correct level for your Administrative Assistant or Administrative Coordinator role.

Why does the prevailing wage for the same Administrative Aide role vary so much by city?

DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so the wage floor reflects actual pay in each local labor market. Dense employer markets with high concentrations of large corporations, such as San Jose or San Francisco, push regional wage distributions significantly higher than lower-cost metros. Critically, the LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the relevant floor is the one for the city where you physically work, not where your employer is incorporated.

What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

If the offered salary falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite, the employer cannot lawfully certify the LCA, which is required before USCIS can approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition. USCIS may deny the petition, and if an error is discovered after approval, the employer faces back-pay liability. Candidates should verify the prevailing wage before signing an offer for any sponsored Administrative Aide role.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Administrative Aide role in a specific U.S. city?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up SOC 43-6011 wages by metropolitan area. Select the correct metro for your worksite and identify the level that matches your experience and duties. To see which employers have sponsored Administrative Assistant or Administrative Coordinator positions in practice, Migrate Mate filters by role and location and shows each employer's historical sponsorship activity.

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