Prevailing Wage for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary
The prevailing wage for Assistant Professor positions under SOC 25-1043 is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level instructors to fully competent senior faculty. Whether your offer is for a Conservation Biology Professor, Forestry Professor, or Associate Professor role, the floor varies by worksite city, so location matters as much as title.
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Entry-level Assistant Professor positions with limited independent teaching experience, typically new to postsecondary instruction with foundational responsibilities and close faculty oversight. DOL assigns Level 1 to roles requiring basic application of knowledge with minimal autonomy.
The most common filing level for this occupation. Covers Assistant Professors with solid independent teaching and some research output, applying established methods with moderate supervision. Most sponsored forestry faculty positions fall here.
Experienced faculty with a track record of independent research, graduate student mentorship, and departmental service. These professors operate with significant autonomy and are recognized contributors within their conservation or forestry program.
Senior faculty at the full professor level with extensive publication records, program leadership, and national or international recognition in forestry or conservation science. Level 4 reflects the highest complexity and fully autonomous professional judgment.
Prevailing Wage for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary 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 Assistant Professor and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your rank maps to the right SOC
Titles like Extension Professor or Forest Technology Professor are sometimes filed under broader education SOC codes rather than 25-1043, which can set a different wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 25-1043 specifically before accepting a sponsored offer.
Watch how research stipends are counted
Some universities structure forestry faculty compensation with a base salary plus research or grant stipends. Only guaranteed, non-contingent wages count toward prevailing wage compliance. Stipends tied to external grant funding generally do not satisfy the DOL floor.
Weigh Minneapolis data carefully for this occupation
Minneapolis is the only metro with OES survey data published for this SOC, and its wage levels run above the national median at each tier. If your worksite is outside surveyed metros, DOL applies national figures, which can meaningfully lower the floor.
Find employers who have sponsored forestry faculty before
Migrate Mate shows which universities and research institutions have historical H-1B and green card sponsorship records for academic roles like Associate Professor and Conservation Biology Professor, so you can focus applications on employers already familiar with the process.
Jobs for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Assistant ProfessorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-1043.00 alongside Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Professor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
Associate Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Associate Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Conservation Biology Professor Prevailing Wage
Conservation Biology Professor Prevailing Wage
Conservation Biology Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Extension Professor Prevailing Wage
Extension Professor Prevailing Wage
Extension Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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 Technology Professor Prevailing Wage
Forest Technology Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Forest Technology Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Forestry Professor Prevailing Wage
Forestry Professor Prevailing Wage
Forestry Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
Lecturer Prevailing Wage
Lecturer positions fall under SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Natural Resources Professor Prevailing Wage
Natural Resources Professor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Natural Resources Professor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Professor Prevailing Wage
Professor Prevailing Wage
Professor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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.
Research Professor Prevailing Wage
Research Professor Prevailing Wage
Research Professor positions fall under SOC 25-1043.00 (Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary). 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 Assistant Professor positions?
DOL derives prevailing wages for this occupation from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC publishes four wage levels based on experience and responsibility. Employers sponsoring an Assistant Professor must pay at least the level matching the position's actual duties, and they certify this on the Labor Condition Application filed through OFLC.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified independent practitioners, Level 3 applies to experienced professionals with specialized expertise, and Level 4 reflects fully competent senior roles. To identify your level, compare the position's duties, supervision, and complexity against DOL's published criteria. The level your employer selects on the LCA determines the minimum salary they must pay.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same forestry faculty role differ so much by city?
OFLC sets wages using regional OES survey data, which reflects actual employer compensation in each labor market. Demand for faculty, local university budgets, and cost of living all vary by region. The worksite address on the LCA determines which geographic wage applies, so an Associate Professor position at a university in a high-wage metro will carry a higher DOL floor than the same title in a lower-wage area.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored forestry faculty position is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot legally certify an LCA at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage level. USCIS and DOL require the offered salary to meet or exceed the floor for the position's level and worksite. If the offer falls short, the employer must raise it before filing. Accepting a below-floor offer in a sponsored position creates compliance risk for the employer and can affect your visa petition.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up wages by SOC code 25-1043 and your target worksite location. Select the geographic area matching the employer's address and the appropriate wage level for the role. You can also review O*NET for occupation details that help you assess which level applies. Migrate Mate can show you which employers have sponsored roles in this occupation, so you can cross-reference offers against employer-specific sponsorship history.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary right now.
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