Prevailing Wage for School Psychologists

Prevailing wage for School Psychologists is set by DOL under SOC 19-3034, covering roles filed under titles such as Bilingual School Psychologist, Autism Consultant, and Educational Diagnostician. DOL publishes four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts significantly by metropolitan area, so the same position in California pays far more than the same role in Arkansas.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$61K
$29.56/hr

Entry-level school psychologists with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates completing their first supervised role in a school setting. DOL expects minimal independent judgment, close supervision, and a narrow scope of casework aligned with standard district protocols.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$70K
$33.83/hr

Qualified school psychologists with some professional experience who handle a broader caseload with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for School Psychologists, as most sponsored candidates hold a specialist degree and prior practicum or internship hours.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$80K
$38.43/hr

Experienced school psychologists who manage complex cases, supervise interns or graduate students, or lead building-level intervention teams. DOL expects these professionals to exercise significant independent judgment and contribute to program development beyond direct student assessment.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$89K
$42.71/hr

Fully competent senior school psychologists in district-wide, supervisory, or consulting roles. These professionals typically design system-level frameworks, lead multidisciplinary teams, or serve as consulting psychologists advising on policy and specialized programs across multiple school sites.

Prevailing Wage for School Psychologists by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

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$30K/yr$107K/yr

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

1
El Centro, CA
El Centro, CA metro
$107K$51.56/hr
2
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$101K$48.63/hr
3
San Jose, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro
$100K$48.31/hr
4
Salinas, CA
Salinas, CA metro
$99K$47.73/hr
5
Modesto, CA
Modesto, CA metro
$99K$47.52/hr
6
Sacramento, CA
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro
$98K$47.34/hr
7
Oxnard, CA
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA metro
$98K$47.18/hr
8
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro
$98K$46.97/hr
9
Fresno, CA
Fresno, CA metro
$96K$46.38/hr
10
Yuba City, CA
Yuba City, CA metro
$96K$46.09/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for School Psychologists

Check whether your title matches SOC 19-3034

Roles filed under titles like Challenging Behavior Consultant or Early Intervention School Psychologist sometimes get misclassified under a counseling or social work SOC, which carries a different wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 19-3034 before signing an offer.

Understand why California metros set the ceiling

El Centro, San Jose, and San Francisco consistently produce the highest prevailing wages for school psychologists nationally. If your offer is in a California district, verify the L2 or L3 floor for that specific metro, as district budgets in these areas typically fund above-floor salaries.

Watch how district stipends affect prevailing wage compliance

Some school districts offer signing bonuses or professional-development stipends that are not counted as wages under DOL rules. Only guaranteed, recurring salary satisfies the prevailing wage floor; one-time payments cannot close a gap between an offer and the L2 or L3 wage.

Find employers who have sponsored school psychologists before

Migrate Mate shows which school districts and educational organizations have a history of sponsoring school psychologist roles, so you can focus your search on employers already familiar with the LCA and H-1B process rather than those encountering it for the first time.

Jobs for School Psychologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-3034.00 alongside School Psychologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Autism Consultant Prevailing Wage

Autism Consultant positions fall under SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Bilingual School Psychologist Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Bilingual School Psychologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Challenging Behavior Consultant Prevailing Wage

Challenging Behavior Consultant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Consulting Psychologist Prevailing Wage

Consulting Psychologist positions fall under SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Early Intervention School Psychologist Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Early Intervention School Psychologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Educational Diagnostician Prevailing Wage

Educational Diagnostician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Learning Consultant Prevailing Wage

Learning Consultant positions fall under SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Psychologist Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Psychologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

School Psychometrist Prevailing Wage

School Psychometrist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-3034.00 (School Psychologists). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$61K
$29.56/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$70K
$33.83/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$80K
$38.43/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$89K
$42.71/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for school psychologists?

DOL derives prevailing wages for School Psychologists from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metropolitan area, BLS collects reported wages for SOC 19-3034, and OFLC converts those survey results into four wage levels. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application 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 know which one applies to my offer?

DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level positions requiring close supervision, Level 2 to qualified practitioners with moderate experience, Level 3 to experienced professionals exercising significant independent judgment, and Level 4 to fully competent senior or supervisory roles. Your level is determined by the job duties described in the LCA, not your resume. Review the position description your employer files with OFLC and compare it against DOL's level definitions to confirm the classification is accurate.

Why does the prevailing wage for the same school psychologist role vary so much by city?

OFLC calculates a separate wage floor for each metropolitan statistical area using local BLS survey data, so wages reflect what employers in that labor market actually pay. A school district in El Centro or San Jose draws from a high-cost, high-demand pool, while a district in Fayetteville or Hickory reflects a much lower regional market rate. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, so if you work in multiple school buildings, the location where you spend the most time controls the applicable floor.

What happens if a school district's offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application if the offered wage is below the applicable OFLC prevailing wage for that metro and experience level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition without a certified LCA. If the offer is below the floor, the employer must either raise the salary to meet it or reclassify the position at a lower experience level, provided the duties genuinely support that level.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a school psychologist role in a specific U.S. location?

Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 19-3034 for the specific metropolitan area where the job is located. Select the correct area and experience level to see the current wage floor. You can also review O*NET for the occupation's profile and scope of work. To find school districts and educational organizations with a track record of sponsoring this role, Migrate Mate shows employer-level sponsorship history so you can identify which employers have successfully filed for school psychologists before.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for School Psychologists right now.

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