Prevailing Wage for Podiatrists
Prevailing wages for Podiatrists under SOC 29-1081 are set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether your offer letter names you a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), a Foot and Ankle Surgeon, or an Attending Physician, the same floor applies. DOL assigns four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Entry-level podiatrists new to independent practice, typically within the first one to two years post-residency. Limited scope, working under supervision in a group practice or hospital setting with no specialty subspecialty caseload expected.
Qualified podiatrists with two to four years of post-residency experience handling a full general caseload independently. Level 2 is the most common LCA filing level for Podiatrists, reflecting the profession's standard post-training employment profile.
Experienced podiatrists with a defined subspecialty focus, such as foot and ankle reconstruction or diabetic limb salvage, typically five or more years post-residency. Expected to mentor junior staff and manage complex surgical cases with minimal oversight.
Fully competent senior podiatrists in lead clinical, department-director, or academic roles. Sets protocols, supervises fellows or residents, and holds recognized expertise in a surgical subspecialty. Represents a small fraction of sponsored positions.
Prevailing Wage for Podiatrists 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 Podiatrists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your filing level matches your residency year
Most podiatrists sponsored directly after residency are filed at Level 2, not Level 1. Employers who file at Level 1 for a board-certified DPM may be below the correct floor, which creates LCA compliance risk at audit.
Treat productivity bonuses as separate from the wage floor
Many podiatry practices offer RVU-based bonuses on top of base salary. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against guaranteed base pay only. Productivity bonuses, signing bonuses, and malpractice stipends do not count toward meeting the floor.
Watch the pay gap between Texas metros and Ohio metros
Dallas and Houston prevailing wages for this occupation run roughly two to three times higher than Dayton or Cleveland at the same level. If you are comparing offers across states, the worksite city on the LCA, not your home address, determines which floor applies.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with DPM sponsorship history
Podiatry practices and hospital systems that have sponsored DPMs before are easier to move quickly with on an H-1B or green card. Migrate Mate shows which employers have active sponsorship histories for this occupation so you can focus your search there.
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Find Jobs for PodiatristsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1081.00 alongside Podiatrists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Attending Physician Prevailing Wage
Attending Physician Prevailing Wage
Attending Physician positions fall under SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). 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.
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Prevailing Wage
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery) Prevailing Wage
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery) Prevailing Wage
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). 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.
Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Prevailing Wage
Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Prevailing Wage
Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM) positions fall under SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). 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.
Foot and Ankle Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Foot and Ankle Surgeon Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Foot and Ankle Surgeon for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Physician Prevailing Wage
Physician Prevailing Wage
Physician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). 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.
Podiatric Physician Prevailing Wage
Podiatric Physician Prevailing Wage
Podiatric Physician positions fall under SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). 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.
Podiatric Surgeon Prevailing Wage
Podiatric Surgeon Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Podiatric Surgeon for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1081.00 (Podiatrists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Podiatrists?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 29-1081, DOL maps survey responses to four wage levels based on experience and complexity. An employer sponsoring a DPM for an H-1B or green card must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the DOL-determined floor for that level and worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 covers entry-level positions, typically new post-residency hires under supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified practitioners working an independent full caseload, which fits most sponsored podiatrists. Level 3 reflects experienced specialists with a defined subspecialty. Level 4 covers senior or directorial roles. Your level should match your actual job duties and experience, not just your title. USCIS and DOL both scrutinize mismatches during audits.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage distribution. Podiatry demand, cost of living, and the density of competing employers all influence local survey results. On an LCA, the employer must use the wage for the actual worksite address, not the company headquarters. A DPM hired in Dallas faces a different floor than the same role filled in Dayton, even within one practice group.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with an offered wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor. If the offer is under the floor, the employer must either raise the salary before filing or request a different wage level that matches your actual duties. Filing with an inaccurate wage level exposes the employer to OFLC audit, debarment, and back-pay liability. USCIS may also issue a Request for Evidence challenging the LCA if the wage level appears inconsistent with the position description.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 29-1081 for any metropolitan area. Enter the job title, SOC code, and worksite zip code or metro area to retrieve the four wage levels published by DOL. Cross-check against recent LCA disclosure data OFLC publishes quarterly to see what wages employers have actually certified for Podiatrists in that city. Migrate Mate also filters sponsored job listings by location, letting you see which employers are actively hiring and have prior sponsorship records for this occupation.
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