Prevailing Wage for Producers and Directors
Prevailing wages for Producers and Directors under SOC 27-2012 are set by the Department of Labor across four experience levels, from entry-level Director roles to fully competent Executive Producers. Whether your title is Producer, Artistic Director, or News Producer, the wage floor differs significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level candidates with limited professional experience in production or directing, typically recent graduates or those new to U.S. employers. Performs routine tasks under close supervision with little independent decision-making authority over creative or production outcomes.
Qualified candidates with moderate experience who handle standard production duties with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Producers and Directors, covering working professionals who manage projects but do not yet hold senior creative authority.
Experienced professionals who exercise significant independent judgment, manage complex productions, and often supervise other staff. Typically holds several years of demonstrated production or directing experience and routinely handles high-stakes creative and operational decisions.
Fully competent senior professionals such as Executive Producers or lead Directors who set creative direction, hold budget authority, and shape organizational strategy. Employers file at Level 4 for roles with top-tier responsibility and minimal external oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Producers and Directors 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 Producers and Directors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Check whether your title matches the filing
Titles like Creative Director or Showrunner are sometimes filed under management SOC codes rather than SOC 27-2012, which can shift the prevailing wage floor significantly. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 27-2012 before comparing your offer to this occupation's wage levels.
Account for Los Angeles and New York wage gaps
The L2 prevailing wage in Los Angeles runs roughly double the national median for this occupation. If your offer is set at the national floor but your worksite is in a major media market, the offer may not satisfy DOL's worksite-based wage requirement.
Exclude bonuses and residuals from the wage test
Residual payments, project bonuses, and backend compensation common in film and television production do not count toward the required wage under DOL rules. Only guaranteed base salary satisfies the prevailing wage obligation for sponsored Producers and Directors.
Use Migrate Mate to find studios with sponsorship history
Entertainment studios and broadcast networks vary widely in how often they sponsor Producers and Directors. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored this occupation, so you can focus your search on companies with an established filing track record.
Jobs for Producers and Directors are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Producers and DirectorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-2012.00 alongside Producers and Directors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Artistic Director Prevailing Wage
Artistic Director Prevailing Wage
Artistic Director positions fall under SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
Director Prevailing Wage
Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Executive Producer Prevailing Wage
Executive Producer Prevailing Wage
Executive Producer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
Multimedia Producer Prevailing Wage
Multimedia Producer Prevailing Wage
Multimedia Producer positions fall under SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
News Producer Prevailing Wage
News Producer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a News Producer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Producer Prevailing Wage
Producer Prevailing Wage
Producer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
Production Director Prevailing Wage
Production Director Prevailing Wage
Production Director positions fall under SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
Radio Producer Prevailing Wage
Radio Producer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Radio Producer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Television News Producer (TV News Producer) Prevailing Wage
Television News Producer (TV News Producer) Prevailing Wage
Television News Producer (TV News Producer) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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.
Television Producer (TV Producer) Prevailing Wage
Television Producer (TV Producer) Prevailing Wage
Television Producer (TV Producer) positions fall under SOC 27-2012.00 (Producers and Directors). 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 Producers and Directors?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Producers and Directors from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The resulting figures are published through OFLC and reflect actual wages paid across surveyed employers in each metro area. Employers must pay at least the DOL-set level corresponding to the experience and duties of the sponsored position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level tasks under close oversight; Level 2 applies to qualified professionals working with moderate independence; Level 3 covers experienced workers exercising significant judgment; Level 4 applies to fully competent senior roles with top-tier authority. USCIS and OFLC both expect the level on the LCA to reflect the actual duties of the position, not just the job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Producers and Directors role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so the floor reflects what employers in each metro actually pay. Dense production markets like Los Angeles and New York have a high concentration of well-capitalized studios that push local survey wages up significantly. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so a production role based in a major media hub triggers that metro's higher floor, not a national average.
What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite and experience level. Without a certified LCA, the H-1B or E-3 petition cannot proceed. If the shortfall is discovered after certification, DOL can pursue back-wage liability against the employer. Candidates should verify their offered salary against the correct level before the employer files.
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 27-2012 wages for any of the 530 covered areas. Select the correct metropolitan statistical area matching your worksite, then review all four levels to identify which applies to your role. Migrate Mate also shows which employers have sponsored Producers and Directors in specific markets, helping you identify opportunities in cities where the prevailing wage aligns with your experience level.
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