Prevailing Wage for First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers
Prevailing wage for First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers is set by DOL under SOC 33-1091, covering roles titled Security Director, Campus Safety Chief, and Public Safety Manager across U.S. employers. DOL defines four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts substantially by city, so a sponsored position in one metro may carry a very different floor than an identical role elsewhere.
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Entry-level candidates with limited supervisory experience in security operations, typically recent promotions from guard or patrol roles. Work is closely overseen, with narrowly defined responsibilities and minimal independent decision-making authority over security programs or staff.
Qualified supervisors with moderate experience directing security personnel and implementing protocols. Level 2 is the most common filing level for First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, reflecting candidates who operate independently on routine assignments but still receive guidance on complex situations.
Experienced supervisors who manage larger teams, design shift schedules, and handle escalated incidents with minimal oversight. Candidates typically bring several years of progressive responsibility across security operations, often including coordination with law enforcement or facility management.
Fully competent senior supervisors or security chiefs with broad authority over departmental policy, staffing decisions, and compliance programs. These professionals set standards for subordinate staff, lead investigations, and may oversee multiple sites or an entire organizational security function.
Prevailing Wage for First-Line Supervisors of Security 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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Confirm your title maps to SOC 33-1091
Titles like Security Supervisor, Public Safety Manager, and Campus Safety Chief all map to SOC 33-1091. If an employer files your LCA under a general management SOC instead, your offer may be benchmarked against a different wage floor entirely, potentially undercutting this occupation's prevailing wage.
Watch for wage gaps in contract security versus in-house roles
Contract security agencies typically file at Level 1 or Level 2, while in-house corporate or campus security departments more often file at Level 2 or Level 3. Knowing which employer category applies helps you identify whether an offer sits at or above the floor for your experience.
Factor out bonuses before comparing to the floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary only. Signing bonuses, shift differentials, and on-call premiums common in security supervision roles do not count toward meeting the wage floor, even if they substantially raise total annual compensation.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring this role
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers or related security management titles before, letting you prioritize companies with a real track record of H-1B or green card filings in this occupation before you apply.
Jobs for First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 33-1091.00 alongside First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Campus Safety Chief Prevailing Wage
Campus Safety Chief Prevailing Wage
Campus Safety Chief positions fall under SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Public Safety Manager Prevailing Wage
Public Safety Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Public Safety Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Public Safety Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Public Safety Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Public Safety Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Security Chief Prevailing Wage
Security Chief Prevailing Wage
Security Chief positions fall under SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Security Director Prevailing Wage
Security Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Security Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Security Guard Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Security Guard Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Security Guard Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Security Lieutenant Prevailing Wage
Security Lieutenant Prevailing Wage
Security Lieutenant positions fall under SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Security Shift Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Security Shift Supervisor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Security Shift Supervisor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Security Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Security Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Security Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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.
Shift Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Shift Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Shift Supervisor positions fall under SOC 33-1091.00 (First-Line Supervisors of Security 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 First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employer surveys across hundreds of metro areas. For SOC 33-1091, DOL calculates four wage levels by applying statistical percentile breakpoints to the regional wage distribution. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored position must pay at or above the level that matches the role's actual duties and the worker's experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 covers entry supervision with close oversight; Level 2 reflects qualified independent work and is the most common filing level for this occupation; Level 3 applies to experienced supervisors leading larger teams or programs; Level 4 covers senior security chiefs with policy-setting authority. Your level should reflect actual job duties, not just your years of experience. USCIS and OFLC both scrutinize mismatches between stated duties and the wage level filed.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same security supervisor role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wage floors from regional OES surveys, so each metro area produces its own wage distribution for SOC 33-1091. A denser labor market with higher overall compensation, like Minneapolis, pushes the floor up significantly compared to lower-wage metros. Critically, the LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the prevailing wage that applies is the one for the city where you will physically work, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA filed at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage will not be certified by OFLC, blocking the H-1B or green card process before it starts. If an underpayment is discovered after approval, DOL can require back wages and bar the employer from future sponsorship. Workers cannot waive the prevailing wage requirement, and employers cannot offset the shortfall with benefits or bonuses.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 33-1091 by metro area and wage level. Enter the occupation code and select the worksite area to retrieve the four level figures. You can also cross-reference with BLS occupational wage data. Migrate Mate complements this by filtering open security supervisor roles by location and showing which employers have sponsored this occupation historically, so you can focus on realistic targets.
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