Prevailing Wage for Pediatric Surgeons
Prevailing wage for Pediatric Surgeons, as classified under SOC 29-1243, is set by the DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your offer is for a General Surgeon or a Cardiovascular Surgeon role, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts meaningfully depending on the city where you'll work.
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Level 1 covers entry-level pediatric surgeons with limited post-training experience, typically completing a fellowship or in their first supervised attending position. Employers file here for candidates whose scope is defined by close oversight and a narrow procedural range.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Pediatric Surgeons. It covers surgeons with independent attending status and a standard breadth of pediatric cases, functioning without routine supervision and meeting typical hospital credentialing requirements for the specialty.
Level 3 applies to experienced pediatric surgeons who handle complex or subspecialty cases, often supervise residents or fellows, and bring a demonstrated record across a wide procedural range. Employers file here for candidates whose expertise exceeds baseline credentialing expectations.
Level 4 is reserved for fully competent senior surgeons in division chief, program director, or department leadership roles. These individuals set clinical protocols, direct training programs, and carry institutional responsibilities well beyond direct patient care.
Prevailing Wage for Pediatric Surgeons 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 Pediatric Surgeons and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm which surgical subspecialty drives your level
Pediatric surgery spans subspecialties from fetal intervention to pediatric oncology surgery. Employers sometimes file at Level 2 for a candidate whose subspecialty caseload, such as neonatal or hepatobiliary surgery, would justify a Level 3 designation. Verify the filed level matches your actual procedural scope.
Watch how signing bonuses affect your wage floor
Large signing bonuses are common in pediatric surgery recruitment but cannot be counted toward DOL prevailing wage compliance. Only regular base salary satisfies the floor. Confirm your base salary alone, before any bonus, clears the applicable level's threshold.
Search Migrate Mate for employers with pediatric surgery sponsorship history
Children's hospitals and academic medical centers dominate pediatric surgery hiring. Migrate Mate shows which of these institutions have sponsored international surgeons before, helping you identify employers already familiar with H-1B or green card filing for this specialty.
Check how your worksite city affects the wage floor
Pediatric surgery positions in major children's hospital markets, such as Chicago, carry different DOL wage floors than smaller metro areas. The worksite city listed on the LCA determines which OES-derived floor applies, not the employer's headquarters location.
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Find Jobs for Pediatric SurgeonsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1243.00 alongside Pediatric Surgeons, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cardiovascular Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Cardiovascular Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Cardiovascular Surgeon positions fall under SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). 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 Surgeon Prevailing Wage
General Surgeon Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a General Surgeon for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Hand Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Hand Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Hand Surgeon is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). 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.
Physician Prevailing Wage
Physician Prevailing Wage
Physician positions fall under SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). 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.
Plastic Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Plastic Surgeon Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Plastic Surgeon for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Surgeon is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). 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.
Thoracic Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Thoracic Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Thoracic Surgeon positions fall under SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). 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.
Vascular Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Vascular Surgeon Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Vascular Surgeon for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1243.00 (Pediatric Surgeons). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Pediatric Surgeons?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Pediatric Surgeons using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through regional employer surveys. For each metro area, DOL derives four wage levels from the occupational wage distribution. Employers sponsoring a foreign national must request a prevailing wage determination from OFLC, which assigns the applicable level and floor based on the job duties and location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels correspond to increasing experience and responsibility: Level 1 for entry or supervised positions, Level 2 for fully independent standard practice, Level 3 for experienced surgeons with complex caseloads or supervisory duties, and Level 4 for senior leadership roles. The employer selects the level when filing the LCA with OFLC based on the actual job duties. You can cross-check by comparing the posted duties against DOL's level definitions available through the OFLC Wage Search.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same pediatric surgery role vary so much between cities?
DOL derives wage floors from regional OES surveys that reflect local compensation markets. A children's hospital in a high-cost metro typically reports higher wages to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, raising the local floor. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's home state, determines which regional floor applies. Metros with dense academic medical centers and high competition for pediatric surgeons tend to report higher survey wages, which feeds directly into a higher DOL wage floor.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
If the offered salary falls below the DOL-certified prevailing wage, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or PERM petition. The employer must either increase the base salary to meet the floor or refile the LCA at a level consistent with the actual offered wage. Accepting an offer below prevailing wage also exposes the employer to DOL enforcement and back-pay liability. The prevailing wage floor is a legal minimum for sponsored positions, not a negotiating benchmark.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Pediatric Surgeons position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up current DOL prevailing wages by occupation, SOC code, wage level, and metro area. Search under SOC 29-1243 and select the city where the role is based. The result shows the certified wage floor for each of the four levels at that location. For finding employers who have sponsored pediatric surgeons before, Migrate Mate filters listings by visa type and shows each employer's historical sponsorship record.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Pediatric Surgeons right now.
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