Prevailing Wage for Farm Labor Contractors
Prevailing wage for Farm Labor Contractors under SOC 13-1074 is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your offer is titled Field Manager, Field Supervisor, or another alias, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts significantly by worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level contractors with limited independent authority, typically performing tasks under close supervision. Workers at this stage have minimal experience coordinating agricultural labor crews and are still developing knowledge of federal and state agricultural employment requirements.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Farm Labor Contractors. It applies to workers with solid hands-on experience managing seasonal crews, handling transportation and housing logistics, and operating with moderate independence from direct employer oversight.
Level 3 applies to experienced contractors who routinely exercise independent judgment, manage larger or more complex crews across multiple worksites, and take responsibility for compliance with labor protection statutes such as the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.
Level 4 covers fully competent contractors functioning at a senior or lead capacity, often overseeing other contractors or broad regional operations. These professionals set crew deployment strategies and carry primary accountability for regulatory compliance and workforce planning outcomes.
Prevailing Wage for Farm Labor Contractors 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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Verify your filing level against crew scope
Farm Labor Contractors who manage multi-site seasonal crews or carry MSPA compliance responsibility typically warrant Level 3 or Level 4 filings. If your offer letter reflects that scope but the LCA shows Level 1, the wage floor may be understated for your actual duties.
Watch for title-aliasing under agricultural SOCs
Offers titled Field Supervisor or Field Manager are sometimes filed under crop production or general agriculture SOCs rather than 13-1074. A misclassified SOC means a different prevailing wage floor, so confirm the LCA lists SOC 13-1074 specifically before signing any sponsored offer.
Search Migrate Mate for employers with sponsorship history
Farm Labor Contractors roles are concentrated among large agricultural staffing agencies and vertically integrated produce operations. Migrate Mate shows which of those employers have sponsored this occupation before, letting you focus applications on companies with a documented track record.
Account for worksite location on the LCA
Farm Labor Contractors regularly move crews across county and state lines. The prevailing wage on the LCA must reflect the primary intended worksite, not the employer headquarters. A mismatch between listed and actual worksite location can trigger a DOL compliance review.
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Find Jobs for Farm Labor ContractorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-1074.00 alongside Farm Labor Contractors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Field Manager Prevailing Wage
Field Manager Prevailing Wage
Field Manager positions fall under SOC 13-1074.00 (Farm Labor Contractors). 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.
Field Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Field Supervisor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Field Supervisor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1074.00 (Farm Labor Contractors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Farm Labor Contractors?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish four wage levels for each SOC code by geographic area. For Farm Labor Contractors under SOC 13-1074, OFLC applies a formula that anchors Level 2 near the regional median and spaces the other levels above and below it. Employers file a Labor Condition Application citing the level that matches the offered position's duties and experience requirements.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL defines the four levels by complexity, supervision, and judgment. Level 1 is entry-level work under close direction. Level 2 reflects qualified, largely independent performance. Level 3 covers experienced workers exercising significant judgment, often across multiple sites. Level 4 applies to fully competent senior practitioners who set strategy or supervise others. Match your level to the actual duties described in your job offer, not just your years of experience, since scope of responsibility carries more weight than tenure alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much city to city?
OFLC derives wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. An agricultural hub with high seasonal labor demand will produce a different survey result than a rural county with sparse comparable employment. The worksite-on-LCA rule requires the employer to list the location where work actually occurs, meaning the city on the LCA determines which regional wage applies, not where the company is headquartered.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable DOL prevailing wage level for that worksite. If the LCA is denied, the H-1B or other sponsored petition cannot proceed. For PERM-based green card cases, OFLC will reject a wage that fails to meet the prevailing wage determination. The employer must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor or refile at the correct wage level before sponsorship can advance.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 13-1074 by worksite state and metropolitan area. The tool returns all four wage levels for the most recent survey period. Cross-check results against publicly available LCA disclosure data, which shows what wages employers have actually certified for Farm Labor Contractors filings. Migrate Mate can supplement this by showing which employers have sponsored the occupation and in which locations, helping you assess whether posted salaries align with regional floors.
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