Prevailing Wage for Registered Nurses
Prevailing wage for Registered Nurses is set by the DOL under SOC 29-1141 and applies to every H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship filing. Whether the position is a Charge Nurse role or a specialized Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR), DOL assigns one of four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably from city to city.
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Entry-level nurses with limited post-licensure experience and straightforward patient assignments. Typically recent NCLEX passers in their first staff RN position, working under close supervision with standard protocols and little independent clinical judgment required.
Qualified nurses with a few years of independent practice. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Registered Nurses, reflecting staff RNs who manage a full patient load, initiate care plans, and require only occasional clinical oversight.
Experienced nurses who function as clinical leads, precept new staff, or specialize in high-acuity settings such as ICU or NICU. They exercise substantial independent judgment and are often consulted on complex patient management decisions.
Fully competent nurses in senior or advanced practice-adjacent roles, such as charge nurse with unit oversight or highly specialized Oncology RN positions. They set clinical standards, lead quality initiatives, and operate with full professional autonomy.
Prevailing Wage for Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Match your licensure state to your LCA worksite
RN licensure is state-specific, and DOL requires the LCA to list the actual worksite state. If your job offer is in California but your license is only active in Texas, confirm reciprocity before the employer files, since a mismatched worksite triggers a new LCA.
Know that travel nurse contracts carry level filing risks
Staffing agencies frequently file RN H-1B petitions at Level 1 or Level 2 to hold costs down, even when the contract assignment is an ICU or OR role that warrants Level 3. Review the LCA wage level against your actual unit before accepting.
Watch the California metro wage gap for negotiation
San Jose and San Francisco prevailing wage floors for RNs run nearly double the national median. If your offer is in a high-cost California metro, use the published L2 or L3 floor as a documented starting point, not just a compliance threshold.
Find sponsors with RN filing history on Migrate Mate
Hospital systems and health networks vary widely in H-1B sponsorship activity for bedside nursing roles. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Registered Nurses before, so you can focus applications on facilities with a proven track record.
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Find Jobs for Registered NursesPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1141.00 alongside Registered Nurses, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) Prevailing Wage
Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) Prevailing Wage
Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) positions fall under SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Charge Nurse for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse) positions fall under SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN) Prevailing Wage
Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
Relief Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
Relief Charge Nurse Prevailing Wage
Relief Charge Nurse positions fall under SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
School Nurse Prevailing Wage
School Nurse Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a School Nurse for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Staff Nurse Prevailing Wage
Staff Nurse Prevailing Wage
Staff Nurse is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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.
Staff RN (Staff Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Staff RN (Staff Registered Nurse) Prevailing Wage
Staff RN (Staff Registered Nurse) positions fall under SOC 29-1141.00 (Registered Nurses). 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 Registered Nurses?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of geographic areas. For SOC 29-1141, DOL maps that wage data to four experience levels and publishes the resulting wage floors through OFLC. Employers must certify on the LCA that they will pay at least the applicable level before USCIS adjudicates the petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry, Level 2 is qualified, Level 3 is experienced, and Level 4 is fully competent. The employer selects the level when filing the LCA based on your duties, supervision requirements, and independence of judgment. Review the LCA carefully: if you are precepting staff, managing a specialty unit, or working with minimal oversight, Level 2 or Level 3 is more appropriate than Level 1, regardless of your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same RN role differ so much between cities?
DOL conducts regional occupational wage surveys through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and those surveys capture actual wages paid in each metropolitan area. High-cost markets like San Jose and San Francisco reflect the competitive wages that area hospitals pay. The LCA must list the specific worksite metropolitan area, so the floor that controls your offer is the one for the city where you will actually work, not a national average.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify the LCA if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level, and USCIS will deny the H-1B or green card petition without a certified LCA. The employer must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor or refile at the correct wage level. An offer that clears the floor for Level 1 but reflects Level 2 duties creates compliance exposure even after certification.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Registered Nurses in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 29-1141 wages by metropolitan area. Select the area matching your worksite city, choose the appropriate experience level, and confirm the annual figure against your offer letter. For a broader picture of which employers have actively sponsored RNs in that location, Migrate Mate lets you filter by role and geography to see historical sponsorship activity.
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