Prevailing Wage for Pharmacy Aides
Prevailing wage floors for Pharmacy Aides (SOC 31-9095) are set by DOL using four experience levels, from Entry through Fully Competent. Whether your offer letter lists you as a Pharmacist Assistant, a Certified Pharmacist Assistant, or a Drug Purchaser, the same wage floors apply, and those floors shift significantly depending on which city the worksite is in.
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Level 1 covers entry-level aides with limited experience, typically performing routine tasks such as stocking shelves and recording deliveries under close supervision. Workers in this tier usually have no prior pharmacy-specific work history and are still developing basic occupational skills.
Level 2 applies to qualified aides with some hands-on experience who work with moderate supervision. This is the most common filing level for Pharmacy Aides, reflecting workers who handle daily intake, basic cash register operation, and routine stock management independently.
Level 3 covers experienced aides who exercise judgment, handle a broader range of tasks with minimal oversight, and may informally assist newer staff. Workers at this level typically bring several years of pharmacy support experience and consistent independent performance.
Level 4 applies to fully competent aides in senior or lead-level roles who set work pace, resolve complex stock or dispensing issues, and may coordinate workflow across the pharmacy support team. This tier is uncommon for Pharmacy Aides and requires documented senior-scope duties.
Prevailing Wage for Pharmacy Aides 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 Pharmacy Aides and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing on the LCA
Employers sometimes file LCAs under titles like Pharmacy Technician (SOC 29-2052) rather than Pharmacy Aides (SOC 31-9095). The Technician SOC carries a higher prevailing wage floor, so a misfiled title can make your offer appear compliant when it is not, or vice versa.
Confirm your worksite city before accepting
San Francisco-area Pharmacy Aides roles carry prevailing wage floors roughly double those in Puerto Rico metros like Mayaguez or Arecibo. Because the LCA must list the actual worksite address, a floated offer citing a low-cost metro may not satisfy requirements if you will work in a higher-wage area.
Expect Level 2 filings at most retail and hospital chains
Large pharmacy operators such as hospital systems and chain retail pharmacies routinely file at Level 2 for this occupation. If your offer letter describes independent routine duties without supervisory responsibilities, a Level 1 filing may understate your actual scope and expose the employer to audit risk.
Use Migrate Mate to check employer sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Pharmacy Aides and similar support roles, letting you focus on companies with a documented pattern of filing LCAs for this SOC before you invest time in an application process.
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Find Jobs for Pharmacy AidesPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 31-9095.00 alongside Pharmacy Aides, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Certified Pharmacist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Certified Pharmacist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Certified Pharmacist Assistant positions fall under SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). 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.
Drug Purchaser Prevailing Wage
Drug Purchaser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Drug Purchaser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Front Counter Clerk Prevailing Wage
Front Counter Clerk Prevailing Wage
Front Counter Clerk is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). 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.
Pharmacist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Pharmacist Assistant Prevailing Wage
Pharmacist Assistant positions fall under SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). 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.
Pharmacy Ancillary Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Ancillary Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pharmacy Ancillary for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Pharmacy Assistant Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Assistant Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). 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.
Pharmacy Cashier Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Cashier Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Cashier positions fall under SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). 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.
Pharmacy Clerk Prevailing Wage
Pharmacy Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pharmacy Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Pharmacy Aides?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Pharmacy Aides from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. OFLC publishes the resulting wage tables, which employers must use when submitting an LCA for any sponsored Pharmacy Aides position. The figures are updated on a regular cycle and apply to the worksite area listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
DOL defines four levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 is entry-level with close oversight; Level 2 covers qualified workers handling routine duties with moderate supervision; Level 3 reflects experienced workers with significant independent judgment; Level 4 designates fully competent senior or lead-scope workers. Review your job offer's duty description and supervision structure against those definitions. If the duties match independent day-to-day tasks, Level 2 is most common for this occupation.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Pharmacy Aides role vary so much by city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional BLS surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the figures. Dense, high-cost metropolitan areas such as San Francisco produce significantly higher floors than smaller or lower-cost metros. Because the LCA rules require the employer to use the wage for the actual worksite location, a candidate working in a California metro will face a much higher wage floor than one working in a rural or lower-wage area, even for identical duties.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Pharmacy Aides position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite area and wage level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other visa petition supported by a noncompliant LCA. If OFLC or DOL audits the filing and finds the wage insufficient, the employer may face back-pay liability and debarment from future sponsorship. The remedy is for the employer to raise the offered salary to at least the prevailing wage floor before filing.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Pharmacy Aides role in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you enter the SOC code 31-9095, select the state and metropolitan area, and retrieve the current four-level wage table for that worksite. Cross-check using O*NET to confirm the occupation description matches your duties. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsored Pharmacy Aides listings by location and see which employers have a track record of sponsoring the role in your target city.
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