Prevailing Wage for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Prevailing wage for farm laborers in the United States is set by the DOL across four experience levels, from entry through fully competent, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether you work as a greenhouse worker, field laborer, or grower, your visa sponsor must meet the level that matches your experience.
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Level 1 covers entry-level farm laborers with limited or no prior U.S. agricultural experience. Workers at this level perform routine tasks under close supervision, such as basic planting, weeding, or harvesting, with minimal independent judgment required.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation. Qualified farm laborers have one to three years of experience, can operate hand tools independently, and rotate through cultivation, transplanting, and post-harvest sorting tasks without constant supervision.
Level 3 applies to experienced farm laborers who handle a full range of crop, nursery, or greenhouse duties, including pesticide application and trellis or irrigation work. These workers often train newer crew members and manage quality checks during harvest.
Level 4 covers fully competent farm laborers or lead crew workers who oversee daily field or greenhouse operations, coordinate planting and harvest schedules, and are the primary point of contact for supervisors on task assignments and compliance.
Prevailing Wage for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 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 Farm Laborer and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Verify the worksite city on every LCA
Wages for crop and greenhouse laborers vary sharply by region. Portland, ME tops national averages while Ogden, UT and San Juan, PR sit well below them. The prevailing wage on your LCA must match the actual farm or nursery worksite, not the employer's headquarters.
Watch for H-2A to H-1B title switches
Many agricultural employers initially hire under H-2A, which uses AEWR rates rather than OES prevailing wages. If you transition to H-1B sponsorship for the same field laborer role, confirm the employer files under SOC 45-2092 and meets the OES floor, not just the H-2A rate.
Check whether seasonal bonuses count toward the floor
Harvest bonuses and piece-rate supplements common in crop labor are often excluded from the prevailing wage calculation. DOL requires the base hourly or annual rate to meet the floor on its own. Confirm the base wage meets the threshold before relying on supplemental pay.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a history of sponsoring greenhouse workers, growers, and crop laborers for H-1B or green card. Filtering by this occupation's past sponsorship counts helps you target farms and nurseries already familiar with the LCA process.
Jobs for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Farm LaborerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 45-2092.00 alongside Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Farm Laborer Prevailing Wage
Farm Laborer Prevailing Wage
Farm Laborer positions fall under SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Farmer Prevailing Wage
Farmer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Farmer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Field Irrigation Worker Prevailing Wage
Field Irrigation Worker Prevailing Wage
Field Irrigation Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Gardener Prevailing Wage
Gardener Prevailing Wage
Gardener positions fall under SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Greenhouse Worker Prevailing Wage
Greenhouse Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Greenhouse Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Grower Prevailing Wage
Grower Prevailing Wage
Grower is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Harvester Prevailing Wage
Harvester Prevailing Wage
Harvester positions fall under SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Nursery Worker Prevailing Wage
Nursery Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Nursery Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Orchard Worker Prevailing Wage
Orchard Worker Prevailing Wage
Orchard Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Picker Prevailing Wage
Picker Prevailing Wage
Picker positions fall under SOC 45-2092.00 (Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for farm laborers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish prevailing wages for each SOC code, including farm laborers. OFLC then publishes four wage levels for each metropolitan area. Employers sponsoring a visa must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the level that matches the worker's experience and duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 is entry-level with minimal prior experience. Level 2 is qualified and is the most common level filed for this occupation, covering workers with routine independent duties. Level 3 is experienced, covering workers with a full task range and some training responsibilities. Level 4 is fully competent, typically reserved for lead crew or supervisory roles. Your level should reflect your actual duties and years of experience, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same farm laborer role vary so much by city?
OFLC bases wages on regional OES surveys, which reflect local labor markets. A greenhouse worker in Portland, ME operates in a market with higher local wage norms than one in Ogden, UT. The LCA rules require employers to use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite metropolitan area, so even the same employer operating in two states will file different wage floors for each location.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored farm laborer position is below prevailing wage?
DOL will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve the H-1B or other visa petition. If an offer is below the floor, the employer must raise the base wage before filing, or the sponsorship process cannot move forward. This is non-negotiable under DOL rules.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific farm laborer location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up current prevailing wages by SOC code 45-2092 and metropolitan area. Select the correct worksite city, not the employer's mailing address, and match the level to your experience. You can also review O*NET for occupational context. Migrate Mate lets you filter crop and greenhouse laborer listings by location and see which employers have sponsored this role historically.
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