Prevailing Wage for Social and Community Service Managers
Prevailing wage requirements for Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151) are set by DOL and apply to every H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship. Whether your title is Community Services Director, Child Welfare Services Director, or Adoption Services Manager, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on where the job is located.
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Level 1 covers entry-level positions where the worker performs routine tasks under close supervision, typically with limited professional experience in program or organizational management. Employers filing at this level generally expect the candidate to build core skills on the job.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Social and Community Service Managers. It applies to qualified professionals who work independently on standard duties, have some supervisory responsibility, and bring solid experience directing programs or coordinating community outreach activities.
Level 3 applies to experienced managers who handle complex assignments, exercise independent judgment, and often supervise other professional staff. Workers at this level typically have a track record leading multi-program operations or managing significant budgets within a social services organization.
Level 4 covers fully competent senior managers who set policy, direct large teams, and carry strategic responsibility for program outcomes. These professionals are recognized for specialized expertise, often overseeing department-wide or organization-wide social service delivery.
Prevailing Wage for Social and Community Service Managers 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 Social and Community Service Managers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Social and Community Service Managers
Confirm which program scope drives your level
Social and community service roles span single-program coordinators to multi-department directors. DOL wage levels track supervisory scope and budget authority closely, so a Clinical Services Director overseeing multiple licensed staff typically warrants Level 3 or Level 4, not Level 2.
Watch for SOC misclassification on your LCA
Titles like Children's Service Supervisor or Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor sometimes get filed under social work SOC codes instead of SOC 11-9151, landing below the correct managerial wage floor. Verify the SOC code on the Labor Condition Application before signing the offer.
Factor in the wide Pacific Northwest wage premium
Seattle and Olympia rank among the highest-paying metros for this occupation, with Level 2 wages well above the national median. If you receive an offer in a lower-cost metro, compare it against the specific worksite city listed on the LCA, not the national figure.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Nonprofit agencies and government contractors dominate hiring for Community Services Directors, but sponsorship rates vary sharply by organization type. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored Social and Community Service Managers before, so you can target organizations with a real track record.
Jobs for Social and Community Service Managers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 11-9151.00 alongside Social and Community Service Managers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Adoption Services Manager Prevailing Wage
Adoption Services Manager Prevailing Wage
Adoption Services Manager positions fall under SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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.
Child Welfare Services Director Prevailing Wage
Child Welfare Services Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Child Welfare Services Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Children's Service Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Children's Service Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Children's Service Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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.
Clinical Services Director Prevailing Wage
Clinical Services Director Prevailing Wage
Clinical Services Director positions fall under SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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.
Community Services Director Prevailing Wage
Community Services Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Community Services Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric Social Worker Supervisor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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.
Social Services Director Prevailing Wage
Social Services Director Prevailing Wage
Social Services Director positions fall under SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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.
Transitional Care Director Prevailing Wage
Transitional Care Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Transitional Care Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator Prevailing Wage
Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator Prevailing Wage
Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-9151.00 (Social and Community Service Managers). 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 DOL set the prevailing wage for Social and Community Service Managers?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metro area, BLS collects wage data by occupation and DOL's OFLC translates that into four wage levels based on experience and complexity. The employer must pay at least the level corresponding to the position before USCIS will approve the petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I figure out which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified, largely independent work and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced professionals handling complex tasks. Level 4 is reserved for fully competent senior leaders setting policy. Compare the duties, supervisory scope, and budget authority described in your job offer letter against these definitions to identify the correct level, then confirm it matches the LCA.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much city to city?
OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, so each metro area has its own wage floor reflecting local labor market conditions. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, not a company headquarters. High-cost markets like Seattle and New York carry significantly higher floors than smaller or lower-cost metros. Remote work complicates this further: if you work from a different city than the employer's address, that city's prevailing wage governs.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a Labor Condition Application if the offered salary falls below the applicable prevailing wage. If the LCA is not certified, USCIS will not approve the H-1B or other sponsored visa petition. For green card PERM cases, a below-floor wage causes OFLC to deny the application. In short, the sponsorship process stops before it starts, and the employer must either raise the offered salary or reclassify the position.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Social and Community Service Managers in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you enter SOC code 11-9151 and a worksite metro area to retrieve the current four-level wage table. Cross-check the result against O*NET to confirm the occupation definition matches your duties. If you want to see which employers have sponsored this role in particular cities, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location so you can identify active hiring companies alongside their sponsorship history.
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