Prevailing Wage for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
Prevailing wage for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Four experience levels establish the floor, and the wage varies significantly by worksite city. Checking your offer against the correct level and location is the first step for H-1B, E-3, and green card candidates.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Entry-level technicians new to the occupation, typically with an associate or bachelor's degree and no prior professional experience in the specific scientific or technical area. Work is closely supervised with limited independent judgment expected.
Qualified technicians with moderate experience applying established procedures independently. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other, reflecting the practical, hands-on nature of most positions in research and applied science settings.
Experienced technicians who handle complex assignments, exercise significant independent judgment, and may guide junior staff. Often specialists within a sub-discipline such as environmental monitoring, forensic analysis, or laboratory quality assurance.
Fully competent senior technicians with broad expertise and supervisory or program-lead responsibilities. Expected to design procedures, oversee compliance, and function as the technical authority for their unit or project team.
Prevailing Wage for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other 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
See all jobs for this role
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
Confirm your SOC code before the LCA
Science technician roles are frequently misfiled under adjacent SOC codes such as biological technicians or environmental science technicians. Verify that the employer's LCA cites SOC 19-4099 specifically, since each code carries its own wage floor and a mismatch can trigger a USCIS request for evidence.
Flag government-funded worksite wage gaps
Many Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians work on federally or state-funded research projects, where the listed budget rate may lag behind current OES prevailing wages. Confirm the certified LCA wage reflects the actual worksite location, not the grant institution's headquarters city.
Watch signing bonuses excluded from the wage calculation
One-time signing bonuses and annual performance bonuses are generally excluded from the prevailing wage base calculation for sponsored technician positions. Only the recurring base salary counts toward meeting the DOL floor, so an offer with a low base and a large bonus may still fall short.
Search sponsor history on Migrate Mate
Research labs, environmental consulting firms, and government contractors all sponsor Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, but at very different rates. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical sponsorship records for this occupation, helping you prioritize outreach to proven sponsors.
Jobs for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other?
DOL bases prevailing wages on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For SOC 19-4099, the OFLC assigns one of four wage levels depending on experience, education, and job complexity. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the specific worksite.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which level applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level positions with close supervision; Level 2 reflects qualified technicians working independently on routine tasks; Level 3 applies to experienced technicians handling complex work with some supervisory duties; Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead roles with broad program responsibility. The employer selects the level on the LCA based on the actual duties and supervision structure of the position, not just the job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much from city to city?
OFLC uses regional OES wage surveys, so each metropolitan statistical area produces its own wage distribution. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which area's wages apply. Dense research and government contractor markets such as Washington DC or San Francisco reflect higher local labor costs, while smaller metros in Texas or Puerto Rico show substantially lower floors for the same occupation.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
If the offered wage falls below the DOL-certified prevailing wage for the worksite and level, USCIS can deny the H-1B petition or green card application. The employer is also legally required to pay the LCA-certified wage for the full period of authorized employment. An offer that clears the floor on paper but includes non-wage compensation credited toward the base can raise the same compliance problem.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up current prevailing wages by SOC code and metropolitan area. Select SOC 19-4099 and enter the city or county where the job is located. USCIS independently verifies the certified wage level during petition adjudication, so always confirm the figure matches the area where you will physically perform the work, not where the employer's office is registered.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other right now.
Search Jobs for this role