Prevailing Wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Prevailing wage for Assistant Professor positions is set by DOL at four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on where the job is located. Whether your offer is for an Associate Professor, Child Development Instructor, or Food and Nutrition Professor role, knowing which level applies is the first step in evaluating any sponsored position.

See all jobs for Assistant Professor

Look up your work address

Level 1Entry
National median
$50K
$23.95/hr

Level 1 covers entry-level instructors new to postsecondary teaching, typically with limited classroom experience and a recently completed graduate degree. Work is performed under close supervision with assignments that are routine in scope.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$67K
$32.23/hr

Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation. It applies to qualified instructors with established teaching competency, a defined research or service record, and moderate autonomy in course development and student advising.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$84K
$40.52/hr

Level 3 applies to experienced faculty who independently design curricula, lead departmental initiatives, and may hold a named rank such as Associate Professor. Peer-reviewed publications or recognized applied scholarship typically support this level.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$102K
$48.80/hr

Level 4 reflects fully competent senior faculty, often tenured or in a named chair, who set departmental direction, mentor junior colleagues, and contribute scholarship that shapes the field at a regional or national level.

Prevailing Wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary by OES area

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

Loading map…
$41K/yr$112K/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
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro
$77K$37.04/hr
2
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh-Cary, NC metro
$67K$32.09/hr
3
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro-High Point, NC metro
$58K$27.84/hr
4
Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT metro
$42K$20.08/hr

See all jobs for Assistant Professor

See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Assistant Professor and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.

Search visa-sponsored jobs

Prevailing Wage Guide for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Check whether your title aligns with the filed SOC

Titles like Dietetics Professor or Child Development Instructor sometimes get filed under broader postsecondary teacher codes rather than SOC 25-1192, which can shift the prevailing wage floor. Confirm the exact SOC on the LCA before accepting an offer.

Understand what counts toward your base wage

Faculty compensation often includes summer research stipends, course overload pay, or one-time startup packages. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against the base salary alone, so ensure that figure clears the floor independently of supplemental payments.

Account for the wide spread between metro floors

The L1 prevailing wage in Los Angeles is roughly double that in Salt Lake City for this occupation. If your offer is for a position in a lower-wage metro, verify the worksite address on the LCA matches where you will actually teach.

Use Migrate Mate to find employers who have sponsored before

Family and Consumer Sciences and nutrition faculty roles rarely appear on general job boards with sponsorship history attached. Migrate Mate shows which universities and colleges have previously sponsored this occupation, so you can target your search toward institutions with a real sponsorship track record.

Jobs for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary are hiring across the US. Find yours.

Find Jobs for Assistant Professor

Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-1192.00 alongside Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage

Assistant Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Associate Professor Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Associate Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Child Development Instructor Prevailing Wage

Child Development Instructor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Dietetics Professor Prevailing Wage

Dietetics Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor) Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Food and Nutrition Professor Prevailing Wage

Food and Nutrition Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Human Development Professor Prevailing Wage

Human Development Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Instructor Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Instructor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Lecturer Prevailing Wage

Lecturer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Professor Prevailing Wage

Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1192.00 (Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary). 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
$50K
$23.95/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$67K
$32.23/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$84K
$40.52/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$102K
$48.80/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Assistant Professor roles?

DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer surveys across defined metro and non-metro areas. For SOC 25-1192, OFLC maps those survey results to four wage levels based on experience and complexity. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored Assistant Professor position must offer at least the wage that corresponds to the appropriate level for that worksite.

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

Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with some independent judgment, and it is the most common level filed for this occupation; Level 3 reflects experienced faculty with substantial autonomy; Level 4 covers fully competent senior faculty. Your level is determined by the duties described in the LCA, not your title. Review the job description carefully and compare it against DOL's experience-based level definitions to identify where your role sits.

Why does the prevailing wage for the same Assistant Professor role vary so much by city?

OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so wages reflect what employers in each metro actually pay for the occupation. Dense academic markets with higher costs of living, like Los Angeles, produce higher survey medians and therefore higher floors. The LCA rule requires the employer to use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite listed on the form, not a national average, so even a small campus location change can shift the applicable floor significantly.

What happens if a sponsored Assistant Professor offer is below the prevailing wage?

An employer cannot certify an LCA with a wage below the applicable prevailing wage floor. If the offered salary is below the level OFLC determines for the worksite, DOL will not certify the LCA, and USCIS will not approve the H-1B or other work visa petition that depends on it. Candidates should request the LCA wage level and compare the offered salary against the published floor before signing any agreement.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary position at a specific U.S. location?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up SOC 25-1192 wages by metropolitan area. Select the metro that matches the actual worksite address from the LCA, then identify the four level amounts. Cross-reference with O*NET for the occupation's experience-level definitions. If an employer has already filed an LCA, the certified wage level and offered wage are public record in OFLC's disclosure data.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary right now.

Search Jobs for Assistant Professor