Prevailing Wage for General Internal Medicine Physicians
The prevailing wage for General Internal Medicine Physicians is set by DOL across four experience levels, and the floor varies significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your offer is for an internist, a general internist, or an IM physician, understanding which level applies to your role is the first step before accepting any sponsored position.
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Level 1 covers entry-level internists with limited clinical experience, typically completing or recently finishing residency. Duties are closely supervised, with limited independent decision-making. Employers sponsoring new graduates or physicians in their first year of independent practice typically file at this level.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for General Internal Medicine Physicians. It covers qualified internists with some independent practice experience who handle a standard patient panel without close supervision. Most community-based and employed-physician roles fall here.
Level 3 applies to experienced internists who regularly handle complex or medically challenging cases, may precept or supervise residents, and carry broader clinical responsibilities. Hospitalist leads, academic medicine physicians, and those with subspecialty referral depth often qualify at this level.
Level 4 covers fully competent, senior internists in roles requiring independent expert-level judgment, program leadership, or directing clinical protocols. Department chiefs, physician leads at multispecialty groups, or internists with administrative and teaching responsibilities typically fall at this level.
Prevailing Wage for General Internal Medicine Physicians 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 General Internal Medicine Physicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your hospitalist versus outpatient classification
Hospital-employed hospitalists and outpatient internists often share the same SOC code but draw from different OES wage surveys. Confirm which worksite classification your employer uses on the LCA, as hospitalist roles frequently file at higher wage levels than outpatient clinic positions in the same metro.
Watch for productivity bonuses excluded from the wage floor
Many internist compensation packages include wRVU-based productivity bonuses, signing bonuses, and loan-repayment stipends. DOL counts only base salary toward prevailing wage compliance. Confirm your guaranteed base meets the applicable level floor before counting variable physician compensation.
Check employer sponsorship history for internist roles on Migrate Mate
Health systems vary widely in their experience sponsoring internists. Migrate Mate shows each employer's historical visa sponsorship counts by role, so you can identify which hospitals and physician groups have actually sponsored General Internal Medicine Physicians before applying.
Scrutinize title aliasing in multispecialty group offers
Offers from multispecialty groups may list your title as a gastroenterologist or subspecialist even when your duties match a general internist role, routing your LCA to a different SOC. Verify the SOC code on any LCA before signing to ensure the correct prevailing wage floor applies.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1216.00 alongside General Internal Medicine Physicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Doctor Prevailing Wage
Doctor Prevailing Wage
Doctor positions fall under SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Gastroenterologist Prevailing Wage
Gastroenterologist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Gastroenterologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
General Internist Prevailing Wage
General Internist Prevailing Wage
General Internist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Internal Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
Internal Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
Internal Medicine Doctor positions fall under SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician) Prevailing Wage
Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Internist Prevailing Wage
Internist Prevailing Wage
Internist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Medical Doctor (MD) Prevailing Wage
Medical Doctor (MD) Prevailing Wage
Medical Doctor (MD) positions fall under SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Physician Prevailing Wage
Physician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Physician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Primary Care Physician Prevailing Wage
Primary Care Physician Prevailing Wage
Primary Care Physician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for General Internal Medicine Physicians?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each SOC code and geographic area, BLS surveys employer-reported wages and DOL converts those into four wage levels. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application that they will pay at least the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and experience level.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and supervision requirements. Level 1 is entry-level with close oversight; Level 2 covers qualified physicians working independently on standard cases; Level 3 applies to experienced physicians handling complex cases or supervisory duties; Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead roles. Your level is determined by the actual duties and responsibilities in the position, not solely by years of experience, and is declared by the employer on the LCA.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same internist role vary so much by city?
DOL uses regional OES survey data, so wages reflect actual employer-reported pay in each metropolitan area. Physician markets differ sharply by region due to local physician supply, hospital system density, and cost of living. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the prevailing wage is drawn from the survey area covering that specific city, not a national average. OFLC's Wage Search tool lets you look up the floor by metro area.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file or certify an LCA at a salary below the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite. If the offer is below the floor, the LCA will not be certifiable by DOL, which blocks the H-1B or PERM filing entirely. USCIS also reviews wage compliance during adjudication. If an offer is below prevailing wage, the employer must either raise the salary to the floor or file at the correct wage level before proceeding.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a General Internal Medicine Physicians role in a specific U.S. city?
Use OFLC's Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current prevailing wage by SOC code, experience level, and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 29-1216 and select the metro covering your worksite. Cross-check against disclosed LCA filings in the OFLC public disclosure data to see what wage level your prospective employer has filed at for similar roles. Migrate Mate also shows which employers have sponsored internists and general physicians, helping you identify active sponsors before you negotiate.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for General Internal Medicine Physicians right now.
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