Prevailing Wage for Financial Specialists, All Other
The prevailing wage for Financial Specialists, All Other (SOC 13-2099) is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Four experience levels establish the wage floor, and the applicable amount shifts significantly depending on where the work is performed. Sponsored candidates on H-1B, E-3, or green card pathways all share the same floor.
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Level 1 covers entry-level financial specialists with limited professional experience, typically recent degree holders performing routine tasks under direct supervision with little independent judgment. Employers filing at this level should document that the role does not require prior specialized financial work experience.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Financial Specialists, All Other. It applies to qualified professionals with some independent work experience who handle moderately complex assignments and occasionally guide junior staff, but do not hold primary responsibility for setting financial strategy.
Level 3 covers experienced financial specialists who work with significant autonomy, lead complex financial analyses or specialized projects, and may supervise others. Employers filing here should be prepared to document that the role goes beyond routine execution into judgment-intensive financial work.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior professionals who direct financial programs, set methodologies, and carry organization-wide accountability. Titles such as senior financial advisor, principal analyst, or financial program director typically align here when the scope matches the DOL definition.
Prevailing Wage for Financial Specialists, All Other 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 Financial Specialists, All Other and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Financial Specialists, All Other
Confirm the worksite city before your LCA is filed
For Financial Specialists, All Other, the wage gap between metros can be substantial. An employer headquartered in one city but placing you at a client site elsewhere must list the actual worksite on the LCA, which directly determines which prevailing wage floor applies.
Exclude bonuses and equity when checking the floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance for sponsored financial roles counts only guaranteed cash wages. Performance bonuses, signing bonuses amortized over a vesting period, and RSU grants cannot be used to meet the floor, a common misstep in financial services compensation packages.
Watch for SOC misfiling on hybrid finance-technology roles
Financial specialist roles that blend quantitative modeling with software development are sometimes filed under a technology SOC code. If your core duties are financial analysis, the correct code should be 13-2099, and misfiling can result in a prevailing wage set against the wrong occupation entirely.
Find employers who have sponsored financial specialists before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a verified history of sponsoring Financial Specialists, All Other, so you can focus your search on companies already familiar with the LCA and H-1B or E-3 process for this specific occupation rather than educating a first-time sponsor.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Financial Specialists, All Other?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for SOC 13-2099 using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The OFLC then assigns four wage levels based on experience, supervision, and complexity benchmarks. Employers must request a prevailing wage determination through OFLC or use the OFLC Wage Search to identify the applicable floor before filing an LCA or PERM application.
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 work, Level 3 is experienced with significant autonomy, and Level 4 is fully competent at a senior or lead scope. To identify your level, compare the job duties described in the offer letter and the LCA to the DOL level definitions. USCIS and DOL both review whether the assigned level accurately reflects the position, so mismatches can trigger requests for evidence.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same financial specialist role vary so much between cities?
DOL sets wages using regional OES surveys, meaning each metropolitan area has its own wage distribution for SOC 13-2099. Dense employer markets with high concentrations of finance and technology firms, such as the New York metro area or the San Jose metro area, produce significantly higher survey medians than smaller or lower-cost metros. The LCA must list the actual worksite, so the city where you physically work, not where your employer is incorporated, determines which regional floor applies.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An offer below the DOL prevailing wage will cause the LCA to be rejected by OFLC, which means no H-1B, E-3, or PERM-based green card petition can move forward. If an LCA is somehow certified and the underpayment is discovered later, DOL can require back wages and bar the employer from sponsoring workers. Candidates should verify the applicable floor using the OFLC Wage Search before accepting any sponsored offer.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Financial Specialists, All Other in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search, selecting SOC code 13-2099 and the specific metropolitan statistical area where the work will be performed. The tool returns all four wage levels so you can match them against your offer. For roles outside a defined metro, DOL uses statewide or nonmetropolitan area data. Migrate Mate can help you identify employers with a track record of sponsoring this occupation so you can compare actual offer patterns alongside the DOL floor.
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