Prevailing Wage for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Prevailing wage for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (SOC 13-2081) is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your offer is for a Revenue Agent role, a Collections Specialist position, or a Revenue Officer title, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$45K
$21.50/hr

Entry-level revenue examiners with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates or those new to tax administration. Work is closely supervised, covers routine compliance tasks, and does not require independent judgment on complex tax liability determinations.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$56K
$26.71/hr

Qualified professionals with one to three years of tax examination or collections experience. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents, reflecting standard independent caseload management under general supervision.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$66K
$31.74/hr

Experienced examiners who handle complex audits, multi-entity cases, or contested collections independently. Typically five or more years in the occupation, with a track record of resolving disputes and interpreting nuanced statutory provisions without routine oversight.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$76K
$36.70/hr

Fully competent senior revenue professionals at the top of the occupation. Scope includes leading examination teams, setting audit strategy, mentoring junior staff, and serving as the subject-matter authority on complex or precedent-setting tax liability cases.

Prevailing Wage for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents by OES area

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

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$20K/yr$81K/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
Modesto, CA
Modesto, CA metro
$81K$39.01/hr
2
Santa Rosa, CA
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro
$80K$38.45/hr
3
San Jose, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro
$76K$36.43/hr
4
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$74K$35.40/hr
5
Vallejo, CA
Vallejo, CA metro
$73K$35.01/hr
6
Anchorage, AK
Anchorage, AK metro
$73K$34.99/hr
7
Oxnard, CA
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA metro
$70K$33.74/hr
8
Hartford, CT
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro
$70K$33.74/hr
9
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro
$68K$32.76/hr
10
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro
$67K$32.16/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents

Verify which SOC your title maps to

Titles like Revenue Specialist or City Tax Auditor sometimes get filed under accounting SOC codes rather than SOC 13-2081, which can set a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA lists the correct occupational code before signing an offer.

Watch how bonuses factor into compliance

For Revenue Agent roles, performance bonuses tied to collection targets are common but may not count toward the required wage if structured as discretionary pay. Only guaranteed, annualized compensation counts against the prevailing wage floor on the LCA.

Compare California metros before accepting

The gap between the highest-paying California metros and the lowest-paying Southern metros for this occupation is unusually wide. If you have flexibility on location, the L2 floor in the San Francisco Bay Area substantially exceeds the national median for the same level.

Find employers who have sponsored Revenue Agents

Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents on work visas, so you can focus your search on agencies and firms with an actual track record rather than employers new to visa sponsorship for this occupation.

Jobs for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 13-2081.00 alongside Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

City Tax Auditor Prevailing Wage

City Tax Auditor positions fall under SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Collections Specialist Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Collections Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Revenue Agent Prevailing Wage

Revenue Agent is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Revenue Collector Prevailing Wage

Revenue Collector positions fall under SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Revenue Officer Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Revenue Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Revenue Specialist Prevailing Wage

Revenue Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Tax Collector Prevailing Wage

Tax Collector positions fall under SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Tax Compliance Officer Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Tax Compliance Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Tax Examiner Prevailing Wage

Tax Examiner is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Tax Examining Technician Prevailing Wage

Tax Examining Technician positions fall under SOC 13-2081.00 (Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents). 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
$45K
$21.50/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$56K
$26.71/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$66K
$31.74/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$76K
$36.70/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents?

DOL sets the prevailing wage using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 13-2081, BLS surveys employers across every metro area annually and DOL's OFLC publishes the resulting four-level wage tables. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored position must offer at least the wage corresponding to the assigned experience level at the specific worksite location.

What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?

DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level examiners under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified professionals managing independent caseloads, and is the most commonly filed level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced examiners handling complex audits independently. Level 4 applies to senior or lead professionals. Your employer assigns the level based on the actual duties and supervision in the job description, not your title alone.

Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much by city?

DOL calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so each metro reflects local employer pay practices rather than a national average. California metros like Modesto and San Francisco consistently show much higher floors than markets in Alabama or Pennsylvania. The worksite-on-LCA rule requires the employer to use the wage for the actual work location, not the company's headquarters. Dense public-sector and financial-services labor markets in California drive higher survey medians for revenue and tax roles.

What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

An LCA certifying a wage below the applicable prevailing wage level is invalid, and USCIS will not approve the associated H-1B or other work visa petition. The employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the floor before filing, or the petition cannot proceed. Underpaying a sponsored worker after approval can trigger DOL back-wage liability and debarment from future sponsorship. The prevailing wage is a legal minimum, not a negotiating starting point.

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

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up current DOL wage tables by SOC code and metro area. Enter SOC 13-2081 and the metro covering your worksite to see all four level wages. You can also check OFLC's LCA disclosure data to see what wage level and amount your prospective employer filed for similar positions. For finding employers with a history of sponsoring this occupation, Migrate Mate filters by role and shows each employer's past sponsorship activity.

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