Prevailing Wage for Project Management Specialists
The prevailing wage for Project Management Specialists is set by the Department of Labor using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. DOL assigns four experience-based levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Any H-1B, E-3, or green card sponsor must pay at or above the certified level for the position's city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level project coordinators with limited independent scope. These filings typically reflect candidates early in their careers who work under close supervision and handle defined segments of a project rather than owning the full lifecycle.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Project Management Specialists. It fits professionals with a few years of experience who manage projects with moderate complexity, coordinate cross-functional teams, and work with limited but real autonomy on schedule and budget decisions.
Level 3 applies to experienced practitioners who independently manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects. These professionals typically hold PMP certification or equivalent credentials, set project methodology, and mentor junior staff without requiring day-to-day supervisory oversight.
Level 4 is reserved for senior or program-level specialists who set organizational project standards, lead portfolios of projects, and serve as the primary point of contact for executive stakeholders or major clients. Filings at this level are relatively uncommon.
Prevailing Wage for Project Management Specialists 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 Project Management Specialists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your title maps to SOC 13-1082
Titles like Program Coordinator, PMO Analyst, or Delivery Manager sometimes get filed under operations or IT management SOC codes instead of 13-1082, resulting in a different prevailing wage floor that may not reflect Project Management Specialists rates for your worksite.
Exclude bonuses and equity from the compliance floor
Project management roles in tech and consulting often carry signing bonuses and RSU grants. DOL counts only guaranteed base wages toward prevailing wage compliance on the LCA, so an offer with a high total compensation package may still fall short if the base salary is below the certified level.
Factor in Puerto Rico and Gulf Coast wage gaps
Metros like Ponce and Laredo set prevailing wage floors well below the national median for this occupation. If your offer is in a low-wage metro but your employer's headquarters is elsewhere, confirm the LCA worksite matches where you will actually perform the work.
Find employers who have sponsored Project Management Specialists before
Migrate Mate shows which companies have active H-1B and E-3 sponsorship histories for this role, letting you focus on employers already familiar with the LCA and I-129 process for project management positions rather than educating a first-time sponsor.
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Find Jobs for Project Management SpecialistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-1082.00 alongside Project Management Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Design Project Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
Design Project Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
Design Project Management Specialist positions fall under SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Grant Assistant Prevailing Wage
Grant Assistant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Grant Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Human Resources Project Manager (HR Project Manager) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Project Manager (HR Project Manager) Prevailing Wage
Human Resources Project Manager (HR Project Manager) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Implementation Project Manager Prevailing Wage
Implementation Project Manager Prevailing Wage
Implementation Project Manager positions fall under SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Implementations Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
Implementations Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Implementations Management Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Movie Project Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
Movie Project Management Specialist Prevailing Wage
Movie Project Management Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Planning Development Specialist Prevailing Wage
Planning Development Specialist Prevailing Wage
Planning Development Specialist positions fall under SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Project Administrator Prevailing Wage
Project Administrator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Project Administrator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Project Communications Officer Prevailing Wage
Project Communications Officer Prevailing Wage
Project Communications Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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.
Project Controller Prevailing Wage
Project Controller Prevailing Wage
Project Controller positions fall under SOC 13-1082.00 (Project Management Specialists). 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 Project Management Specialists?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metro area, BLS collects reported wages for SOC 13-1082 and DOL converts those figures into four wage levels. Employers file a Labor Condition Application through OFLC and must attest that the offered wage meets or exceeds the certified level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified professionals with moderate autonomy, which is where most project management sponsorships land. Level 3 covers experienced practitioners managing complex programs independently. Level 4 applies to senior specialists setting organizational standards. The level on your employer's LCA filing must match the actual duties and experience requirements of the role.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same project management role vary so much by city?
DOL uses regional OES surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. A metro with a dense concentration of tech or defense employers, like San Jose or Washington DC, produces higher survey wages than smaller or lower-cost markets. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, so if you are working in a high-cost metro your employer cannot use a lower-wage location to satisfy the prevailing wage requirement.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or E-3 petition if the LCA wage is below the DOL-certified prevailing wage for the worksite. If an employer certifies a wage on the LCA that is higher than what they actually intend to pay, they risk DOL audit, back-wage liability, and debarment from future sponsorships. As a candidate, you should confirm that the base salary in your offer letter matches or exceeds the wage listed on the LCA before you sign.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for Project Management Specialists?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 13-1082 for any metro area. Select the relevant experience level and the tool returns the current DOL wage floor for that worksite. You can cross-reference against O*NET for occupational context. Migrate Mate also lets you filter open Project Management Specialists roles by location and salary range, so you can see what sponsoring employers are actually offering relative to the local floor.
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