Prevailing Wage for Rehabilitation Counselors
Prevailing wage for Rehabilitation Counselors is set by the DOL using four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the worksite is located. Whether your title reads Employment Advisor, Employment Services Case Manager, or Rehabilitation Specialist, the same SOC 21-1015 wage floor applies to your H-1B, E-3, or green card sponsorship.
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Entry-level counselors with limited experience, typically in their first years in the field, working under close supervision on routine caseloads. Most employers file at Level 1 for new graduates or candidates transitioning from adjacent human services roles.
Qualified counselors with a foundation of independent practice, handling moderate caseload complexity with some supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Rehabilitation Counselors, reflecting the typical hire profile for sponsored positions in clinical and agency settings.
Experienced counselors managing complex cases, often with a specialty such as vocational evaluation, traumatic brain injury, or transition services. May provide informal guidance to junior staff and operate with substantial autonomy on program design.
Fully competent senior counselors or program leads setting rehabilitation policy, supervising staff, and managing cross-agency partnerships. Level 4 filings are uncommon and typically reflect supervisory or director-level responsibilities within the occupation.
Prevailing Wage for Rehabilitation Counselors 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 Rehabilitation Counselors and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing across SOC codes
Titles like Job Coach and Employment Specialist sometimes get filed under social work or community service manager SOC codes, which carry different wage floors. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 21-1015 so your offer is measured against the correct Rehabilitation Counselors prevailing wage.
Flag low-wage metros before accepting offers
Areas like Fort Smith and Tulsa post Level 1 and Level 2 wages well below the national median for this occupation. If your offer is in one of these metros, the floor is lower, but so is the local salary ceiling, which can limit negotiation even for experienced counselors.
Distinguish agency from state government employers
State vocational rehabilitation agencies, which employ a large share of sponsored Rehabilitation Specialists, often structure pay on rigid civil service scales. Those scales may clear the prevailing wage floor but leave little room above it, unlike private disability management firms or hospital-based rehab programs.
Find employers who have sponsored Rehabilitation Counselors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a history of sponsoring the Rehabilitation Counselors role, so you can focus on organizations that have navigated the LCA and petition process for this occupation before, rather than employers new to sponsoring SOC 21-1015 positions.
Jobs for Rehabilitation Counselors are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Rehabilitation CounselorsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 21-1015.00 alongside Rehabilitation Counselors, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Employment Advisor Prevailing Wage
Employment Advisor Prevailing Wage
Employment Advisor positions fall under SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Employment Services Case Manager Prevailing Wage
Employment Services Case Manager Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Employment Services Case Manager for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Employment Specialist Prevailing Wage
Employment Specialist Prevailing Wage
Employment Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Human Services Care Specialist Prevailing Wage
Human Services Care Specialist Prevailing Wage
Human Services Care Specialist positions fall under SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Job Coach Prevailing Wage
Job Coach Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Job Coach for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Rehabilitation Specialist Prevailing Wage
Rehabilitation Specialist Prevailing Wage
Rehabilitation Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Vocational Case Manager Prevailing Wage
Vocational Case Manager Prevailing Wage
Vocational Case Manager positions fall under SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Vocational Placement Specialist Prevailing Wage
Vocational Placement Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Vocational Placement Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Prevailing Wage
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Prevailing Wage
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1015.00 (Rehabilitation Counselors). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Rehabilitation Counselors?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across geographic areas. For Rehabilitation Counselors under SOC 21-1015, it calculates four wage levels tied to experience and complexity. Employers sponsoring a visa must file an LCA through OFLC certifying they will pay at least the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and level.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 reflects independent qualified practice and is the most common filing level for sponsored Rehabilitation Counselors roles. Level 3 applies to experienced practitioners with specialty caseloads or informal supervisory duties. Level 4 is reserved for senior or program-lead positions. Your level should match your actual job duties, not just your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much by city?
OFLC bases wage floors on regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions. An LCA must list the actual worksite city, not the employer's headquarters, which means a Rehabilitation Specialist working in Anchorage faces a different floor than one in Fort Smith. Dense employer markets and higher costs of living generally push regional floors upward.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored position is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify the LCA if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for that location and level. OFLC will not approve the LCA, and without an approved LCA, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or other sponsored petition. If you receive an offer that appears below the floor, the employer must raise the salary or reclassify the role before proceeding.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Rehabilitation Counselors role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 21-1015 wages by metropolitan area. Enter the worksite city and select the experience level that matches your role. The result shows the current DOL wage floor your employer must meet on the LCA. You can also check recent LCA filings through OFLC disclosure data to see what comparable employers have certified in that metro. Migrate Mate lists employers with a track record of sponsoring this occupation if you want to focus your search on proven sponsors.
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