Prevailing Wage for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Prevailing wage for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists, including roles filed under titles like Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) and Clinical Chemist, is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. DOL assigns four experience levels to each occupation, and the wage floor for Clinical Laboratory Technologist positions shifts significantly depending on the worksite city.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience, typically new graduates or those with less than two years in a clinical or diagnostic laboratory setting. Scope is supervised, routine testing with minimal independent judgment expected by the employer.
Qualified professionals with moderate experience performing standard laboratory procedures with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists, reflecting mid-career candidates in general diagnostic or clinical chemistry roles.
Experienced technologists who handle complex or specialized testing procedures, exercise significant independent judgment, and may informally guide junior staff. Employers filing at this level typically expect proficiency across multiple laboratory disciplines or specialty areas.
Fully competent senior laboratory professionals in lead or supervisory roles, often including oversight of staff, quality assurance programs, or method validation. Positions requiring advanced credentials, specialized subspecialty expertise, or departmental management responsibilities typically fall here.
Prevailing Wage for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists 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 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
Watch for title mismatches under SOC 29-2012
Job postings titled 'Medical Laboratory Technician' sometimes correspond to SOC 29-2012, a separate lower-wage occupation. Confirm your offer letter and LCA list SOC 29-2011 so your wage is benchmarked against the correct Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists floor.
Factor out shift differentials when checking compliance
Hospital and health system employers frequently structure lab compensation with night or weekend shift premiums. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary only; shift differentials do not count toward satisfying the wage floor for sponsored laboratory technologist positions.
Compare your metro to California outliers before negotiating
San Jose and San Francisco pay significantly above the national median for this occupation at every level. If you are offered a position in a lower-wage metro, use Migrate Mate to see which employers have sponsored Clinical Laboratory Scientist roles in higher-paying markets and compare sponsorship history.
Request the LCA before signing an offer
The certified Labor Condition Application specifies the exact wage level and worksite address your employer submitted to OFLC. For laboratory technologist roles that span multiple hospital campuses, the LCA worksite determines which metro wage applies, not your home address or headquarters location.
Jobs for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2011.00 alongside Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Clinical Chemist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Chemist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Chemist positions fall under SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Prevailing Wage
Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Clinical Laboratory Technologist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Laboratory Technologist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Laboratory Technologist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Histologist Technologist Prevailing Wage
Histologist Technologist Prevailing Wage
Histologist Technologist positions fall under SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Lab Tech (Laboratory Technologist) Prevailing Wage
Lab Tech (Laboratory Technologist) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Lab Tech (Laboratory Technologist) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Medical Lab Technologist (Medical Laboratory Technologist) Prevailing Wage
Medical Lab Technologist (Medical Laboratory Technologist) Prevailing Wage
Medical Lab Technologist (Medical Laboratory Technologist) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Medical Technologist (MT) Prevailing Wage
Medical Technologist (MT) Prevailing Wage
Medical Technologist (MT) positions fall under SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Microbiology Technologist (MT) Prevailing Wage
Microbiology Technologist (MT) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Microbiology Technologist (MT) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) Prevailing Wage
MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) Prevailing Wage
MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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.
Technologist Prevailing Wage
Technologist Prevailing Wage
Technologist positions fall under SOC 29-2011.00 (Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists). 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 Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages by occupation and geography. For Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists under SOC 29-2011, OFLC publishes four wage levels derived from the wage distribution for that occupation in each survey area. Employers file a Labor Condition Application citing the level and location that matches the actual position before USCIS can approve an H-1B or other work visa petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 as qualified with routine independent work, Level 3 as experienced with complex duties and some supervisory involvement, and Level 4 as fully competent in a lead or specialist capacity. To identify your level, compare the duties and supervision structure in your offer letter against these definitions. The certified LCA your employer files with OFLC will state the level officially, and that level must match the actual job duties.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same laboratory technologist role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage distribution for SOC 29-2011. Dense healthcare markets like San Jose or San Francisco reflect higher local wages, while smaller or lower-cost metros show lower floors. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which metro wage applies. Sponsored employees who work across multiple hospital campuses may need separate LCA filings for each location.
What happens if a sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage for this occupation?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage for the occupation and location. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve an H-1B or E-3 petition for that position. The employer must either raise the offered salary to meet or exceed the floor before filing, or contest the wage determination through the OFLC process. Accepting a verbal offer below the floor does not obligate either party until the LCA is certified.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which allows you to look up current prevailing wages by SOC code and geographic area. Enter SOC 29-2011 and the metropolitan statistical area that matches the worksite address your employer will use on the LCA. Cross-reference with Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for the same area. To see which employers have actively sponsored Clinical Laboratory Scientist or Clinical Chemist positions in a specific market, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location using verified employer sponsorship history.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists right now.
Search Jobs for this role