Prevailing Wage for Directors, Religious Activities and Education
Prevailing wage for Directors, Religious Activities and Education (SOC 21-2021) is set by the DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level positions to fully competent senior roles. Whether your offer is for a Christian Education Director, a Campus Ministries Director, or a Religious Education Coordinator, the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Entry-level candidates with limited experience in religious education or program coordination, typically recent graduates or those new to a formal directorship role. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and close supervision throughout daily responsibilities.
Qualified candidates with some years of experience managing religious programs or education curricula independently. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Directors, Religious Activities and Education, reflecting typical mid-career professionals in established ministry or education roles.
Experienced professionals who lead complex denominational programs, supervise staff or volunteers, and operate with significant autonomy. DOL expects a demonstrated track record of program development and community outreach beyond routine coordination duties.
Fully competent senior directors responsible for organization-wide religious education strategy, multi-site program oversight, or denominational leadership. DOL reserves Level 4 for roles requiring mastery of the occupation and recognized authority within the employing organization.
Prevailing Wage for Directors, Religious Activities and Education 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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Watch for title aliasing in religious organizations
Titles like Ministry Coordinator or Faith Formation Director are sometimes filed under broader SOC codes, bypassing the SOC 21-2021 floor entirely. Confirm your LCA cites SOC 21-2021 before signing an offer from any denominational employer.
Account for the wide metro pay spread
The prevailing wage for this occupation varies dramatically by city. San Francisco and Atlanta set floors well above national medians, while Salt Lake City and New Orleans sit near the bottom. Verify the worksite city on the LCA, not your employer's headquarters location.
Recognize the Level 2 filing norm for this role
Most sponsors file Religious Education Directors at Level 2 because denominational employers typically hire experienced program managers, not entry-level staff. If an offer is benchmarked at Level 1, ask the employer to justify the scope and supervision structure in writing.
Use Migrate Mate to find religious-sector sponsors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Directors, Religious Activities and Education roles, including faith-based organizations and nonprofits that actively file H-1B or green card petitions for this occupation. Filter by location to see regional sponsor activity.
Jobs for Directors, Religious Activities and Education are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 21-2021.00 alongside Directors, Religious Activities and Education, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Adult Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Adult Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Adult Ministries Director positions fall under SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Campus Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Campus Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Campus Ministries Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Children's Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Children's Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Children's Ministries Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Christian Education Director Prevailing Wage
Christian Education Director Prevailing Wage
Christian Education Director positions fall under SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Religious Education Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Religious Education Coordinator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Religious Education Coordinator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Religious Education Director Prevailing Wage
Religious Education Director Prevailing Wage
Religious Education Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Senior Adults Director Prevailing Wage
Senior Adults Director Prevailing Wage
Senior Adults Director positions fall under SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Women's Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Women's Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Women's Ministries Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Youth Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Youth Ministries Director Prevailing Wage
Youth Ministries Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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.
Youth Pastor Prevailing Wage
Youth Pastor Prevailing Wage
Youth Pastor positions fall under SOC 21-2021.00 (Directors, Religious Activities and Education). 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 the DOL set the prevailing wage for Directors, Religious Activities and Education?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For SOC 21-2021, it calculates four wage levels based on experience, complexity, and supervision. Employers filing an LCA through OFLC must attest that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level roles under close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified professionals working independently, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced directors leading complex programs. Level 4 is reserved for senior leaders with organization-wide authority. Review the LCA your employer filed with OFLC to see which level they selected.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role differ so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages using regional OES surveys, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. A Religious Education Director role in San Francisco is benchmarked against Bay Area wages, while the same title in Milwaukee is benchmarked against Wisconsin data. Critically, the worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's floor applies, not your employer's billing or headquarters address.
What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or employment-based green card petition if the LCA wage attestation is deficient. OFLC can also audit or investigate non-compliant LCAs. If an offer is below the applicable prevailing wage floor, the employer must either increase the salary or refile the LCA at the correct level before the petition can proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Directors, Religious Activities and Education role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 21-2021 by metropolitan area and wage level. This returns the current DOL prevailing wage directly. You can also cross-reference the O*NET occupation profile for job zone and title context. Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored job postings for this role by location, so you can see which employers are actively hiring and what salary ranges they are posting.
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