Prevailing Wage for Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
Prevailing wage rules for Classroom Aide positions cover every sponsored hire, whether the employer knows the role as an Educational Assistant, Instructional Assistant, or Paraeducator. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, and the floor varies significantly depending on the worksite city, so a competitive offer in one metro may fall short in another.
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Entry-level Classroom Aides with limited experience who work under close supervision, follow detailed instructions, and perform routine support tasks in a structured classroom setting. Candidates newly entering the field or transitioning from unrelated roles typically file at Level 1.
The most common filing level for this occupation. Qualified Classroom Aides with one to three years of relevant experience who work with moderate supervision, handle varied instructional support tasks, and apply established classroom management practices.
Experienced Educational Assistants who work with considerable independence, adapt support strategies across diverse student needs, and may informally guide newer aides. Generally requires several years of consistent classroom experience in the same grade band or subject area.
Fully competent Paraeducators or senior Instructional Assistants who set worksite-level standards, exercise independent judgment across complex student situations, and may coordinate the work of other support staff. Typically reflects five or more years of demonstrated experience.
Prevailing Wage for Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Classroom Aide and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your district files under SOC 25-9042
Public school districts and staffing agencies sometimes classify Instructional Assistants under special-education SOC codes, which carry different wage floors. Verify your offer letter references the correct SOC before signing, since a misclassified LCA could expose you to a compliance gap at renewal.
Factor in the wide metro wage spread
Seattle and San Jose area wages for this role run more than double those in markets like Hattiesburg or Gadsden. If your offer relocates you to a lower-wage district, recheck the prevailing wage using the OFLC Wage Search for that specific worksite county, not the national median.
Watch for benefit deductions that reduce base pay
Some school districts structure aide compensation with unpaid prep periods or mandatory benefit deductions that lower the effective hourly rate. DOL counts only cash wages toward prevailing wage compliance, so confirm the annualized base salary, not the benefits-inclusive total package, clears the applicable level floor.
Use Migrate Mate to find districts with sponsorship history
Very few school districts sponsor Classroom Aide positions, making employer selection critical. Migrate Mate shows which districts and education staffing agencies have actually sponsored this occupation before, so you can focus your search on employers already familiar with the LCA process for paraprofessional roles.
Jobs for Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Classroom AidePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-9042.00 alongside Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Classroom Aide Prevailing Wage
Classroom Aide Prevailing Wage
Classroom Aide positions fall under SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
Educational Assistant Prevailing Wage
Educational Assistant Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Educational Assistant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Instructional Assistant Prevailing Wage
Instructional Assistant Prevailing Wage
Instructional Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
Kindergarten Assistant Prevailing Wage
Kindergarten Assistant Prevailing Wage
Kindergarten Assistant positions fall under SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
Paraeducator Prevailing Wage
Paraeducator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Paraeducator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Paraprofessional Prevailing Wage
Paraprofessional Prevailing Wage
Paraprofessional is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
Preschool Aide Prevailing Wage
Preschool Aide Prevailing Wage
Preschool Aide positions fall under SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
TA (Teacher Assistant) Prevailing Wage
TA (Teacher Assistant) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a TA (Teacher Assistant) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
TA (Teaching Assistant) Prevailing Wage
TA (Teaching Assistant) Prevailing Wage
TA (Teaching Assistant) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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.
Teacher Aide Prevailing Wage
Teacher Aide Prevailing Wage
Teacher Aide positions fall under SOC 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special 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 DOL set the prevailing wage for a Classroom Aide position?
DOL bases prevailing wages on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels tied to experience and responsibility. Employers sponsoring a Classroom Aide must file a Labor Condition Application certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location, as administered by OFLC.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level aides under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified candidates with moderate experience, and is the level most Classroom Aide sponsorships use. Level 3 reflects experienced professionals working independently, and Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Your level should match your actual duties and years of relevant experience, not simply the title on your offer letter. If the duties described in your LCA do not match your assigned responsibilities, the level may be misclassified.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so wages reflect local labor market conditions for each metro area. An employer must use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite listed on the LCA, not a statewide or national figure. Districts in high-cost metros like Seattle or San Francisco draw on surveys with far higher local wages, while rural Mississippi or Alabama districts reflect much lower regional rates. Moving worksites mid-sponsorship triggers a new prevailing wage determination.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Classroom Aide position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or PERM petition if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and level. The employer must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor, refile the LCA at a lower wage level if the duties genuinely support it, or withdraw the sponsorship. Accepting an offer below the prevailing wage as a sponsored worker also creates back-wage liability for the employer under DOL enforcement rules.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Classroom Aide role in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 25-9042 by metro area or county. Enter the worksite ZIP code or metro name, select the occupation, and the tool returns all four wage levels for that area. Cross-reference with recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers in that district have certified. Migrate Mate can also show you which school districts and education staffing firms have sponsored this role historically, helping you target employers already set up to file.
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