Prevailing Wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Prevailing wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses is set by DOL using four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your offer is for a Charge Nurse, Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN), or Home Health LPN role, the right level and city determine whether your sponsored position meets the minimum.
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Level 1 covers entry-level LPNs and LVNs who perform routine tasks under close supervision. Typically applies to new graduates with limited clinical experience who are still building independent assessment and care skills within structured settings like nursing homes or clinics.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for sponsored LPN and LVN positions. It covers qualified practitioners with some independent caseload responsibility who perform standard patient care duties with moderate oversight in hospitals, home health, or long-term care facilities.
Level 3 applies to experienced LPNs and LVNs who handle complex patient assignments, exercise significant independent judgment, and may informally guide newer staff. Common in specialty clinic settings or home health roles requiring more autonomous clinical decision-making.
Level 4 is reserved for fully competent LPNs and LVNs in senior or charge roles, including Charge Nurses who oversee a unit or shift. These practitioners set work standards, manage clinical workflows, and may supervise other licensed or unlicensed nursing staff.
Prevailing Wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses 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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Confirm your worksite city before comparing wages
LPN and LVN prevailing wages are tied to the worksite listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters. A home health LPN assigned to patient homes in multiple counties may have a different wage floor for each worksite location DOL uses.
Watch for agency versus direct-hire filing differences
Staffing agencies that place LPNs and LVNs in facilities often file LCAs at Level 1 or 2 even for experienced candidates. If you have more than two years of clinical experience, verify the level matches your actual scope before accepting a sponsored offer.
Check which SOC code your employer is filing under
Some employers file LPN and LVN roles under broader nursing or medical assistant SOC codes, which carry different wage floors. Confirm the LCA references SOC 29-2061 so your offer is measured against the correct Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses prevailing wage.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring LPN roles
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored LPN and LVN positions and lets you filter by visa type and location. This helps you focus on facilities and home health agencies with a real track record of sponsoring this specific occupation.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2061.00 alongside Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
Charge Nurse positions fall under SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN) Prevailing Wage
Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Clinic Licensed Practical Nurse (Clinic LPN) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Clinic Nurse Prevailing Wage
Clinic Nurse Prevailing Wage
Clinic Nurse is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse (Home Health LPN) Prevailing Wage
Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse (Home Health LPN) Prevailing Wage
Home Health Licensed Practical Nurse (Home Health LPN) positions fall under SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Office Nurse Prevailing Wage
Office Nurse Prevailing Wage
Office Nurse is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Pediatric LPN (Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Pediatric LPN (Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Pediatric LPN (Pediatric Licensed Practical Nurse) positions fall under SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Private Duty Nurse Prevailing Wage
Private Duty Nurse Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Private Duty Nurse for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Radiation Oncology Nurse Prevailing Wage
Radiation Oncology Nurse Prevailing Wage
Radiation Oncology Nurse is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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.
Triage LPN (Triage Licensed Practical Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Triage LPN (Triage Licensed Practical Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Triage LPN (Triage Licensed Practical Nurse) positions fall under SOC 29-2061.00 (Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses). 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 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?
DOL bases prevailing wages for this occupation on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC maps each LPN and LVN filing to SOC 29-2061 and assigns a wage floor from one of four levels based on the employer's described job duties and supervision structure. Employers certify the offered wage meets or exceeds that floor on the LCA.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and supervisory scope. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with moderate independence; Level 3 is experienced with complex caseloads; Level 4 is fully competent or charge-level with supervisory responsibilities. Review the LCA your employer files with DOL, which will state the level and corresponding wage floor for your specific position.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same LPN role vary so much by city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional OES surveys, which capture actual wages paid in each metropolitan area. Markets with higher costs of living and concentrated healthcare demand, such as Northern California metros, produce significantly higher survey wages than rural or lower-wage markets. The LCA must list the actual worksite, so the wage floor is always determined by where the LPN or LVN physically works, not where the employer is based.
What happens if a sponsored LPN or LVN offer is below the prevailing wage?
An LCA cannot be certified by DOL if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and wage level. For H-1B or PERM-based sponsorship, USCIS will not approve a petition backed by a non-certified LCA. In practice, the employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or file at a lower level that the actual job duties genuinely support before the LCA can proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 29-2061 for any metro area. Select the wage level that matches your job duties and the city where you will work. Migrate Mate also lets you filter LPN and LVN job listings by location and see which employers have an active sponsorship history for this occupation, helping you identify roles where the offer is likely to clear the applicable floor.
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