Prevailing Wage for Forest and Conservation Workers
Prevailing wage floors for Forest and Conservation Workers, classified under SOC 45-4011, are set by DOL across four experience levels. Whether your offer is for a Conservation Officer, Field Laborer, or Forest Resource Specialist position, the floor varies meaningfully by city and your level of experience.
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Level 1 covers entry-level workers with limited field experience, typically following close supervision on routine tasks such as seedling transport, planting, or basic erosion-control work. No prior professional forestry experience is generally required at this level.
Level 2 applies to workers with moderate experience performing standard conservation tasks with limited supervision. This is the most common filing level for Forest and Conservation Workers, covering roles that involve independent judgment on routine assignments in the field.
Level 3 covers experienced workers who handle complex assignments, exercise independent judgment regularly, and may provide informal guidance to junior staff. Candidates typically bring several years of applied field experience in forestry, rangeland management, or related conservation work.
Level 4 applies to fully competent workers at the top of the occupation, often coordinating crews or leading multi-site conservation projects. These professionals set practices and standards and operate with minimal oversight from supervisors.
Prevailing Wage for Forest and Conservation 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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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Forest and Conservation Workers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Forest and Conservation Workers
Verify your worksite before accepting a seasonal offer
Forest and Conservation Workers are often placed at remote worksites far from employer headquarters. The prevailing wage on your LCA must reflect the actual worksite location, not the employer's home city, which can shift your floor significantly.
Watch how non-cash comp is counted in forestry roles
Some employers include housing allowances or per diem payments in compensation packages common in forestry contracting. DOL generally excludes these from the wage calculation, so confirm your base cash wage alone clears the prevailing wage floor for your level.
Check employer sponsorship history for this occupation
Few employers sponsor visas for conservation and forestry labor roles. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Forest and Conservation Workers, helping you focus your search on the small pool of companies with an actual filing track record.
Understand the title-aliasing risk under SOC 45-4011
Titles like Forest Ranger, Conservation Officer, and Forestry Support Specialist all map to SOC 45-4011, but employers sometimes file under a different SOC. Confirm the SOC code on your LCA matches this occupation to ensure the right prevailing wage floor applies.
Jobs for Forest and Conservation Workers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 45-4011.00 alongside Forest and Conservation Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Christmas Tree Farmer Prevailing Wage
Christmas Tree Farmer Prevailing Wage
Christmas Tree Farmer positions fall under SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Conservation Officer Prevailing Wage
Conservation Officer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Conservation Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Field Laborer Prevailing Wage
Field Laborer Prevailing Wage
Field Laborer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Forest Ranger Prevailing Wage
Forest Ranger Prevailing Wage
Forest Ranger positions fall under SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Forest Resource Specialist Prevailing Wage
Forest Resource Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Forest Resource Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Forestry Support Specialist Prevailing Wage
Forestry Support Specialist Prevailing Wage
Forestry Support Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Park Maintainer Prevailing Wage
Park Maintainer Prevailing Wage
Park Maintainer positions fall under SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Reforestation Worker Prevailing Wage
Reforestation Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Reforestation Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Tree Farmer Prevailing Wage
Tree Farmer Prevailing Wage
Tree Farmer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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.
Tree Planter Prevailing Wage
Tree Planter Prevailing Wage
Tree Planter positions fall under SOC 45-4011.00 (Forest and Conservation 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 Forest and Conservation Workers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages for SOC 45-4011. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification then maps those figures to four experience levels, from Level 1 entry through Level 4 fully competent. Employers sponsoring a worker under H-1B, E-3, or PERM must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and required experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and independence on the job. Level 1 covers closely supervised entry work; Level 2 covers routine independent assignments and is the most common filing level for this occupation; Level 3 covers complex field assignments with senior judgment; Level 4 covers lead or crew-coordination scope. Match the level to the duties described in your job offer and the experience your employer listed on the LCA, not your title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much between cities?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions in each metropolitan area. The LCA must use the wage for the worksite location, not the employer headquarters. A conservation position in Chicago carries a significantly higher floor than the same role in Knoxville because local wage surveys in those markets produce different results. Employers with multi-state operations must file separate or amended LCAs if the worksite changes to a new metropolitan area.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Forest and Conservation Workers position?
An LCA certified at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor for the applicable level and worksite is invalid. USCIS can deny the H-1B or E-3 petition if the LCA wage does not meet the floor. For PERM, OFLC will reject a prevailing wage determination that understates the required level. The employer must refile with a corrected wage before the petition can proceed, which can delay your start date.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific Forest and Conservation Workers location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 45-4011 in the metropolitan area where you will be working. Enter the SOC code and select the relevant wage year to see all four levels for that location. You can also check the O*NET occupation profile for wage context. If you want to see which employers have sponsored this role in practice, Migrate Mate lists positions with verified sponsorship history filtered by role and location.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Forest and Conservation Workers right now.
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