Prevailing Wage for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
The prevailing wage for Building Custodian roles in the United States is set by the Department of Labor across four experience levels, and the floor varies significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your offer is titled Building Custodian, Building Services Technician, or Custodial Worker, the same SOC 37-2011 wage floors apply to any sponsored position.
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Entry-level filing for workers new to the occupation, typically with less than two years of experience and limited independent responsibility. Employers filing H-1B or PERM at this level are sponsoring candidates who require close supervision and on-the-job training.
The most common filing level for this occupation. Covers custodians with two or more years of experience who perform routine cleaning duties independently without close oversight. Most sponsored Building Custodian positions are filed at Level 2.
Workers with substantial hands-on experience who handle a broader range of duties, such as basic maintenance tasks, equipment operation, and coordinating with facilities management. May train or informally guide junior staff on site.
Senior custodians or lead building services workers with full occupational competency. Typically oversee cleaning operations across a facility, manage scheduling or supply logistics, and are the primary point of contact for maintenance escalations.
Prevailing Wage for Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 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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Watch for contract-to-employer title mismatches
Custodial roles at hospitals, universities, and large commercial properties are often staffed through facilities-management contractors who file under a different SOC code, bypassing the SOC 37-2011 wage floor entirely. Confirm the SOC on your LCA before accepting an offer.
Prioritize West Coast worksites for higher floors
San Francisco and Seattle metros carry prevailing wages for this role that are roughly 35 to 40 percent above the national median at every level. If you have flexibility on location, these metros substantially raise the wage floor your employer must meet.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring custodians
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented history of sponsoring Building Custodian and Building Services Technician positions, so you can focus your search on facilities teams and property management companies that already know the process.
Verify the worksite address before your LCA is filed
Custodial work is always performed on-site, so the LCA worksite address must match where you will actually work. If your employer lists a corporate headquarters in a lower-wage city instead of the actual facility, the prevailing wage determination will be incorrect.
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Find Jobs for Building CustodianPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 37-2011.00 alongside Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Building Custodian Prevailing Wage
Building Custodian Prevailing Wage
Building Custodian positions fall under SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
Building Services Technician (Building Services Tech) Prevailing Wage
Building Services Technician (Building Services Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Building Services Technician (Building Services Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Building Services Worker Prevailing Wage
Building Services Worker Prevailing Wage
Building Services Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
Cleaner Prevailing Wage
Cleaner Prevailing Wage
Cleaner positions fall under SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
Custodial Worker Prevailing Wage
Custodial Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Custodial Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Custodian Prevailing Wage
Custodian Prevailing Wage
Custodian is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
Facilities Worker Prevailing Wage
Facilities Worker Prevailing Wage
Facilities Worker positions fall under SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
Heavy Duty Custodian Prevailing Wage
Heavy Duty Custodian Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Heavy Duty Custodian for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Janitor Prevailing Wage
Janitor Prevailing Wage
Janitor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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.
School Custodian Prevailing Wage
School Custodian Prevailing Wage
School Custodian positions fall under SOC 37-2011.00 (Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners). 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 the DOL set the prevailing wage for Building Custodian roles?
DOL bases prevailing wages for SOC 37-2011 on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. The agency sets four wage levels by dividing the local wage distribution into percentile bands. Employers sponsoring a Building Custodian must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and required experience, as certified through the OFLC wage determination process.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level custodians under close supervision. Level 2, the most common filing level for this occupation, applies to workers who perform routine duties independently. Level 3 reflects experienced workers with broader responsibilities. Level 4 covers senior or lead staff managing building services operations. The level should reflect the actual duties in the job description, not the title, so review the employer's LCA carefully against your real scope of work.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same custodian role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC uses regional wage surveys to capture local labor market conditions, so the floor in San Francisco or Seattle reflects wages in those high-cost metros, while areas like Puerto Rico reflect significantly lower local pay scales. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, not the employer's headquarters, because the wage obligation is tied to where the work is physically performed. Dense urban markets with unionized facilities workers or tight labor supply tend to report higher survey wages.
What happens if a sponsored Building Custodian offer is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify an LCA for a wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage. If the offered salary falls short, OFLC will not certify the LCA, which means USCIS cannot approve the visa petition. For green card PERM applications, a wage below the prevailing wage determination is grounds for denial. If you discover the offer is below floor after certification, the employer must increase the wage before you begin work.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Building Custodian position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up SOC 37-2011 wages by metropolitan area and wage level. Enter the worksite metro, select the occupation code, and the tool returns the current prevailing wage for each of the four levels. Cross-check the result against the wage listed on your employer's filed LCA. You can also search O*NET for occupation details that help confirm the correct SOC code applies to your specific duties.
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