Prevailing Wage for Library Technicians
Prevailing wage for Library Technicians (SOC 25-4031) is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your job title reads Library Aide, Library Assistant, or Circulation Clerk, the same four experience levels apply, and the wage floor shifts considerably depending on the metro where you'll work.
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Entry-level filers with limited library experience, typically performing routine circulation tasks under close supervision. Most have an associate degree or are recent graduates with less than one year of relevant library work. Employers filing for new hires with no prior library technology background use this level.
The most common filing level for Library Technicians. Covers staff with one to three years of experience handling cataloging, database searches, and patron services with moderate independence. Workers at this level apply established library procedures without requiring constant oversight from a supervising librarian.
Experienced technicians who independently manage specialized library functions such as digital resource coordination, interlibrary loan processing, or branch-level collection maintenance. Typically three or more years in the occupation, with demonstrated ability to train junior staff or manage discrete library projects.
Fully competent technicians with broad expertise across library systems, often in lead or senior roles. May oversee circulation operations, supervise library aides, or serve as a primary technical resource for a library unit. Employers filing at this level are sponsoring workers who require minimal supervisory direction.
Prevailing Wage for Library Technicians 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 Library Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title-aliasing across SOC codes
Roles titled Library Media Technician or Library Associate sometimes get filed under an education support SOC rather than 25-4031, which carries a different wage floor. Confirm your LCA references SOC 25-4031 specifically before signing an offer letter.
Prioritize California and Connecticut metro offers
San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Rosa, and New Haven metros set prevailing wage floors for Library Technicians well above the national median at every level. If you have location flexibility, these markets offer the strongest wage-floor protection for sponsored positions.
Check Migrate Mate for employers with Library Technician sponsorship history
Public libraries and university systems sponsor Library Technicians far more often than private employers. Migrate Mate shows which institutions have actual H-1B or green card sponsorship counts for this occupation, helping you target realistic opportunities rather than cold outreach.
Separate signing bonuses from the annual wage floor
DOL requires the prevailing wage be met through the guaranteed annual salary, not one-time bonuses. A signing bonus offered by a public library system does not count toward satisfying the Level 2 or Level 3 floor on your LCA, so verify base pay alone clears the threshold.
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Find Jobs for Library TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-4031.00 alongside Library Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Circulation Clerk Prevailing Wage
Circulation Clerk Prevailing Wage
Circulation Clerk positions fall under SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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.
Library Aide Prevailing Wage
Library Aide Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Library Aide for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Library Assistant Prevailing Wage
Library Assistant Prevailing Wage
Library Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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.
Library Associate Prevailing Wage
Library Associate Prevailing Wage
Library Associate positions fall under SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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.
Library Clerk Prevailing Wage
Library Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Library Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Library Media Technician Prevailing Wage
Library Media Technician Prevailing Wage
Library Media Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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.
Library Specialist Prevailing Wage
Library Specialist Prevailing Wage
Library Specialist positions fall under SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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.
Library Technical Assistant (LTA) Prevailing Wage
Library Technical Assistant (LTA) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Library Technical Assistant (LTA) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Page Technician Prevailing Wage
Page Technician Prevailing Wage
Page Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-4031.00 (Library Technicians). 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 Library Technicians?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employers across every metro area. For SOC 25-4031, DOL maps those survey results to four experience levels and publishes them through the OFLC Wage Search. Employers sponsoring a Library Technician must pay at least the wage level that matches the position's actual duties and required experience.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry positions under close supervision with little prior experience. Level 2 applies to qualified workers handling standard library duties with some independence, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced staff working with broad autonomy. Level 4 applies to fully competent senior or lead technicians. The employer determines the level based on the actual job duties listed on the LCA, not your personal preference or negotiation.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Library Technician role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions. A library in San Francisco draws from a high-cost labor pool, pushing the surveyed wage up at every level. A library in rural Mississippi surveys a much lower wage market. Crucially, the worksite address listed on the LCA controls which metro's wage floor applies, not where your employer is headquartered, so remote or multi-location roles require careful worksite classification.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with a wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition backed by a non-compliant LCA, and OFLC can deny or invalidate the labor certification for PERM-based green card cases. If an offer is below the floor, the employer must either increase the salary, reclassify the position to a lower experience level that the duties genuinely support, or withdraw the sponsorship.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Library Technicians in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool and enter SOC code 25-4031 along with the worksite metro area. The tool returns current wage floors for all four levels. Cross-check against recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wage levels employers have actually filed for Library Technician roles in that market. For finding employers with a demonstrated sponsorship track record in this occupation, Migrate Mate filters by role and location to show companies that have sponsored Library Technicians before.
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