Prevailing Wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
Prevailing wage for Cafeteria Manager positions is set by DOL using Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, covering four experience levels from entry through fully competent. Whether your title is Dietary Supervisor, Food and Beverage Director, or Dining Services Director, the wage floor shifts significantly by city, so location matters as much as level.
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Entry-level filing for candidates new to supervisory food service roles, typically with limited direct oversight experience and a basic understanding of food preparation workflows. Common for workers transitioning from line positions into their first supervisory assignment.
The most common filing level for Cafeteria Manager positions. Applies to candidates with a few years of supervisory experience, working with established procedures and limited independent judgment on staffing or menu decisions.
For experienced food service supervisors who regularly exercise independent judgment, handle complex scheduling or multi-unit coordination, and bring several years of demonstrated team leadership in institutional or commercial food environments.
Senior-level Dining Services Directors or Food and Nutrition Services Supervisors with broad operational authority, budget responsibility, and a track record leading large teams across high-volume or multi-location food service operations.
Prevailing Wage for First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers 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 worksite city before accepting an offer
Cafeteria Manager wages in Hawaii and coastal metros run significantly above the national median, while Puerto Rico metros sit well below it. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so a corporate headquarters in one city cannot substitute for where you will physically supervise staff.
Watch for bonus and tips exclusions in comp packages
Tipped or service-charge income paid through the establishment does not count toward the prevailing wage floor on an LCA. Confirm your base salary alone clears the DOL threshold, independent of any performance bonuses or revenue-sharing components common in hospitality food service roles.
Confirm your job title maps to SOC 35-1012
Titles like Food Production Supervisor or Food and Beverage Director sometimes get filed under a general manager SOC code, which can shift the prevailing wage floor entirely. Ask your employer which SOC they used on the Labor Condition Application before the filing is submitted.
Find employers sponsoring Cafeteria Manager roles on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented history of sponsoring food service supervisory roles, filtered by visa type and location. That historical sponsorship data helps you identify institutional employers, healthcare systems, and university dining operations that have navigated the process before.
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Find Jobs for Cafeteria ManagerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 35-1012.00 alongside First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cafeteria Manager Prevailing Wage
Cafeteria Manager Prevailing Wage
Cafeteria Manager positions fall under SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Dietary Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Dietary Supervisor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Dietary Supervisor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Dining Services Director Prevailing Wage
Dining Services Director Prevailing Wage
Dining Services Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Food and Beverage Director Prevailing Wage
Food and Beverage Director Prevailing Wage
Food and Beverage Director positions fall under SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Food and Nutrition Services Supervisor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Food Production Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Food Production Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Food Production Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Food Service Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Food Service Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Food Service Supervisor positions fall under SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Kitchen Manager Prevailing Wage
Kitchen Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Kitchen Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Kitchen Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Kitchen Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Kitchen Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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.
Restaurant Manager Prevailing Wage
Restaurant Manager Prevailing Wage
Restaurant Manager positions fall under SOC 35-1012.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers). 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 Cafeteria Manager positions?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Cafeteria Manager roles using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer payroll surveys. OFLC maps those survey results to SOC 35-1012 and publishes four wage levels nationally and for each metro area. Employers must use these published figures when filing a Labor Condition Application for an H-1B or E-3 petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level supervisors with minimal independent judgment. Level 2, the most common filing level for this occupation, applies to workers with moderate experience following established procedures. Level 3 reflects experienced supervisors exercising independent judgment. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with broad operational authority. The level on your employer's Labor Condition Application should match the actual duties and decision-making scope described in your job offer.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Cafeteria Manager role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys to set metro-specific wage floors. Labor markets in Hawaii, Seattle, and San Jose reflect higher local wages for food service supervisors, pushing those floors well above the national median. The employer must use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite city listed on the LCA, not a company headquarters or average national figure, so where you physically work determines the applicable floor.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored Cafeteria Manager position is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application with an offered wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage for the worksite. USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition backed by a non-certified LCA. If the offer falls short, the employer must either raise the salary to meet the floor, correct the wage level assignment, or verify that the correct worksite metro was used before refiling.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific Cafeteria Manager location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 35-1012 in any metro area. Select the occupation code, enter the worksite state and metropolitan area, and choose the wage level that matches your job duties. OFLC updates its wage tables annually, so confirm you are viewing the current program year's figures when comparing against your offer letter.
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