Prevailing Wage for Office Clerks, General
The prevailing wage for Office Clerks, General (SOC 43-9061) sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring an Administrative Clerk, General Clerk, or Clerical Assistant on an H-1B, E-3, or green card. DOL establishes four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level clerks with limited experience performing routine clerical tasks under direct supervision, typically recent graduates or those new to office support roles. DOL assigns Level 1 when the position requires minimal independent judgment and follows established procedures closely.
Qualified clerks with moderate experience handling a broader mix of clerical duties with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Office Clerks, General, covering workers who apply established office procedures without requiring constant supervision.
Experienced clerks who exercise independent judgment, handle complex or varied clerical tasks, and may guide less experienced staff. DOL uses Level 3 for positions requiring specialized knowledge of office systems and multi-function responsibilities beyond routine clerical work.
Fully competent clerks in senior or lead roles, setting procedural standards and handling the most complex clerical assignments. DOL assigns Level 4 when the position requires comprehensive expertise, significant autonomy, and responsibility for guiding others in office procedures.
Prevailing Wage for Office Clerks, General 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 how temp agencies classify your title
Staffing agencies often place Office Clerks, General under miscellaneous administrative SOC codes when filing LCAs, which can shift the wage floor away from SOC 43-9061. Confirm your offer letter and LCA cite this specific SOC before signing.
Expect Level 2 filings in high-cost metros
Employers in Boulder and Denver routinely file Office Clerks, General at Level 2 because local OES survey wages already push entry rates well above the national median. Knowing this helps you assess whether a Level 1 offer in those cities is intentionally low.
Exclude bonuses when comparing to the floor
Signing bonuses and annual performance bonuses do not count toward the DOL prevailing wage for Office Clerks, General. Only guaranteed base salary satisfies the floor; verify your base alone clears the applicable level before factoring in any variable pay.
Use Migrate Mate to find Office Clerks sponsors
Migrate Mate lists employers with verified H-1B and green card sponsorship history for general clerk and administrative clerk roles. You can filter by location to see which companies have actually sponsored this occupation in your target city.
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Find Jobs for Office Clerks, GeneralPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-9061.00 alongside Office Clerks, General, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk) Prevailing Wage
Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk) Prevailing Wage
Administrative Clerk (Admin Clerk) positions fall under SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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.
Clerical Aide Prevailing Wage
Clerical Aide Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Clerical Aide for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Clerical Assistant Prevailing Wage
Clerical Assistant Prevailing Wage
Clerical Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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.
Clerk Prevailing Wage
Clerk Prevailing Wage
Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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.
General Clerk Prevailing Wage
General Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a General Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Office Assistant Prevailing Wage
Office Assistant Prevailing Wage
Office Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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.
Office Clerk Prevailing Wage
Office Clerk Prevailing Wage
Office Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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.
Office Services Specialist Prevailing Wage
Office Services Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Office Services Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Office Support Assistant Prevailing Wage
Office Support Assistant Prevailing Wage
Office Support Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-9061.00 (Office Clerks, General). 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 Office Clerks, General?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for Office Clerks, General using Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected from employers across each metropolitan area. OFLC then publishes four wage levels tied to experience and complexity. Employers sponsoring a worker on an H-1B or PERM application must pay at least the published level that matches the actual job duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels reflect increasing experience, independence, and complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level duties under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified workers with moderate independence; Level 3 covers experienced workers exercising judgment; Level 4 covers senior or lead positions. Your level is determined by the job duties described in the Labor Condition Application, not your years of experience alone. Review the LCA your employer files to confirm the level matches your actual role.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so the prevailing wage reflects what employers in each metro actually pay. Dense office markets like San Jose and San Francisco produce higher survey medians than smaller metros or Puerto Rico. The LCA rule requires employers to use the wage for the worksite city, not the company headquarters, so a remote arrangement or multi-site assignment can shift which local wage applies.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored position is below the prevailing wage?
USCIS will not certify an LCA if the offered wage falls below the applicable DOL prevailing wage for the worksite location and wage level. For PERM green card cases, OFLC will reject a below-floor application outright. An employer who pays less than the certified wage after a worker starts can face DOL back-wage liability and debarment from future sponsorship filings.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Office Clerks, General 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. Enter SOC 43-9061 and the worksite city to see all four level wages. For jobs already posted with sponsorship, Migrate Mate lists employers with a history of sponsoring general clerk and administrative clerk roles, so you can identify which companies in your target market actively file LCAs for this occupation.
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