Prevailing Wage for Human Resources Specialists
The prevailing wage for Human Resources Specialists under SOC 13-1071 sets the minimum a U.S. employer can pay a sponsored worker in this occupation. Whether your offer is for an HR Generalist, Corporate Recruiter, or Employment Representative role, DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level HR professionals with limited experience, typically recent graduates or those new to HR work. Job duties are routine and closely supervised, with little independent judgment expected. Employers most commonly file at this level for HR Coordinators or HR assistants in structured training programs.
Level 2 applies to qualified HR professionals with a few years of experience who handle assignments with moderate complexity and some independence. This is the most common filing level for Human Resources Specialists, covering HR Generalists and HR Analysts performing standard recruiting, onboarding, and employee-relations functions.
Level 3 covers experienced HR professionals who exercise significant independent judgment, manage complex employee-relations issues, or lead project-based work. An HR Analyst designing compensation frameworks or an Employment Representative managing high-volume recruiting pipelines without close supervision would typically fall here.
Level 4 is reserved for fully competent HR professionals at the senior or lead level, including those who set policy, manage programs across business units, or advise senior management. Corporate Recruiters leading enterprise-wide talent strategy or HR Representatives overseeing compliance programs across multiple sites fit this tier.
Prevailing Wage for Human Resources Specialists 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 Human Resources Specialists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing in HR filings
Titles like Talent Acquisition Specialist or People Operations Coordinator sometimes get filed under Management Analysts (SOC 13-1111) or Training and Development Specialists (SOC 13-1151), missing the SOC 13-1071 wage floor entirely. Confirm the LCA lists your exact SOC code before accepting an offer.
Account for excluded compensation in HR offers
DOL prevailing wage is met through base salary alone. Signing bonuses, annual performance bonuses, and equity grants do not count toward the floor. HR roles at startups often front-load equity, so verify the base salary clears the applicable level independently.
Prioritize tech-sector employers for HR roles
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Human Resources Specialists, letting you target companies in tech-dense metros like San Jose and Seattle where both sponsorship volume and filed wage levels for HR roles run significantly higher than the national median.
Expect level upgrades when joining in-house from agency
HR professionals moving from staffing agencies into in-house corporate roles often see their DOL filing level jump from L1 to L2 or L3. In-house scope typically involves broader independence and program ownership, which employers and DOL reviewers map to higher experience levels.
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Find Jobs for Human Resources SpecialistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-1071.00 alongside Human Resources Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Corporate Recruiter Prevailing Wage
Corporate Recruiter Prevailing Wage
Corporate Recruiter positions fall under SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
Employment Representative Prevailing Wage
Employment Representative Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Employment Representative for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst) Prevailing Wage
HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst) Prevailing Wage
HR Analyst (Human Resources Analyst) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator) Prevailing Wage
HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator) Prevailing Wage
HR Coordinator (Human Resources Coordinator) positions fall under SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist) Prevailing Wage
HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a HR Generalist (Human Resources Generalist) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Human Resources Representative (HR Rep) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Representative (HR Rep) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Representative (HR Rep) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Specialist (HR Specialist) positions fall under SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
Personnel Analyst Prevailing Wage
Personnel Analyst Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Personnel Analyst for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Personnel Officer Prevailing Wage
Personnel Officer Prevailing Wage
Personnel Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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.
Recruiter Prevailing Wage
Recruiter Prevailing Wage
Recruiter positions fall under SOC 13-1071.00 (Human Resources Specialists). 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 Human Resources Specialists?
DOL derives prevailing wages for SOC 13-1071 from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC processes those survey results into four wage levels for each metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area. Employers sponsoring a worker must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 covers qualified professionals handling standard HR duties with moderate independence, and it is the most common level filed for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced specialists exercising significant judgment. Level 4 is for fully competent senior professionals setting policy or leading programs. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision in the job description, not just your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same HR role vary so much by city?
OFLC publishes separate wage tables for roughly 530 geographic areas based on regional BLS survey data. Labor markets in San Jose or San Francisco reflect higher local compensation norms, so the floor there is substantially above the national median. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, and the wage floor applies to that specific area, not the employer's headquarters. Dense employer markets with high demand for HR talent drive local survey wages upward.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application with a wage below the DOL-determined floor. If the offer is below the applicable level, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and USCIS will not approve the H-1B or other sponsored petition without a certified LCA. The employer must raise the offered salary to at least the prevailing wage before the petition can proceed. Underpayment after approval can trigger DOL investigation and back-wage liability.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 13-1071 wages for any metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area. Enter the occupation code, select the worksite area, and the tool returns the four wage levels currently in effect. Cross-reference against your offer letter to confirm the stated level matches the wage. For finding employers that actively sponsor Human Resources Specialists, Migrate Mate filters listings by visa type and shows each employer's historical sponsorship record.
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