Prevailing Wage for Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Prevailing wage for Special Education Teachers, Preschool (SOC 25-2051) is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether your offer letter names you an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher), Early Intervention Teacher, or Preschool Special Education Teacher, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level preschool special education teachers with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates who follow detailed lesson plans and work under direct supervision. Employers filing at Level 1 generally cite minimal independent caseload management and ongoing mentorship from senior staff.
Qualified teachers with a few years of classroom experience who manage their own IEP caseloads with general supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Special Education Teachers, Preschool, reflecting standard professional practice with moderate autonomy in curriculum and behavior support decisions.
Experienced practitioners who lead assessment and IEP development independently, mentor junior staff, and may coordinate with multidisciplinary teams. Employers filing at Level 3 typically cite specialized expertise in a disability category such as autism spectrum disorder or visual impairment.
Fully competent lead teachers or program coordinators who set instructional standards, supervise paraprofessionals, and contribute to district-level curriculum decisions. Level 4 filings reflect top-of-range scope with minimal oversight and recognized expertise across multiple disability classifications.
Prevailing Wage for Special Education Teachers, Preschool 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 Special Education Teachers, Preschool and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your IEP caseload matches your filed level
Employers sometimes file H-1B or PERM petitions at Level 1 for teachers who independently manage full IEP caseloads, which is Level 2 work. If your offer letter describes autonomous IEP development and family coordination, the prevailing wage floor should reflect that scope.
Watch wage gaps in Southern and rural districts
Metros like Brownsville, TX and Fayetteville, AR have prevailing wages well below the national median for preschool special education roles. If an offer from a low-wage metro anchors your salary, verify it against the worksite-specific OES data, not the national figure.
Check how signing bonuses are treated on your LCA
Signing bonuses paid only in year one are not always counted toward ongoing prevailing wage compliance. For sponsored ECSE Teacher roles, confirm that your base salary alone clears the DOL wage floor, not a blended total that includes one-time payments.
Use Migrate Mate to find districts with sponsorship history
Public school districts and early intervention programs vary widely in H-1B and green card sponsorship activity. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Special Education Teachers, Preschool roles, so you can focus applications on districts already familiar with the process.
Jobs for Special Education Teachers, Preschool are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-2051.00 alongside Special Education Teachers, Preschool, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (ECSE Teacher) positions fall under SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Early Intervention Teacher Prevailing Wage
Early Intervention Teacher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Early Intervention Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher) Prevailing Wage
Exceptional Student Education Teacher (ESE Teacher) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Handicapped Teacher Prevailing Wage
Handicapped Teacher Prevailing Wage
Handicapped Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Preschool Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
Preschool Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Preschool Special Education Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Resource Teacher Prevailing Wage
Resource Teacher Prevailing Wage
Resource Teacher is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Severe/Profound Mental Handicaps Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
Severe/Profound Mental Handicaps Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
Severe/Profound Mental Handicaps Special Education Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Special Education Resource Teacher Prevailing Wage
Special Education Resource Teacher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Special Education Resource Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
Special Education Teacher Prevailing Wage
Special Education Teacher is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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.
Teacher Prevailing Wage
Teacher Prevailing Wage
Teacher positions fall under SOC 25-2051.00 (Special Education Teachers, Preschool). 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 Special Education Teachers, Preschool?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mapped to SOC 25-2051. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification then assigns four wage levels based on experience, education, and supervisory scope. Employers sponsoring H-1B or PERM applicants must offer at least the wage DOL certifies for the relevant level and worksite area.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level teachers working under close supervision with limited independent caseload responsibility. Level 2 applies to qualified practitioners managing IEPs with general oversight, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced specialists with significant autonomy. Level 4 covers lead teachers or program coordinators. Your level should match the actual duties in your job offer, not just your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same preschool special education role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates wages using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan statistical area produces its own wage distribution. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's wage floor applies, not the employer's headquarters. Dense urban districts in New York or San Francisco reflect higher local educator salaries, while rural Southern metros reflect local market rates. The gap between the highest and lowest metros for this occupation is substantial.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
DOL will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the stated occupation and worksite. For PERM cases, OFLC will deny certification. For H-1B petitions, USCIS can deny or issue a Request for Evidence if the underlying LCA wage is deficient. The employer must correct the wage offer before refiling; the candidate cannot waive the prevailing wage requirement.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 25-2051 at a specific metropolitan area. Select the occupation code, choose your state and metro, and compare all four wage levels against your offer. For a broader employer search, Migrate Mate lists sponsoring employers for Special Education Teachers, Preschool and lets you filter by location and salary range from the posting.
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