Prevailing Wage for Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Prevailing wage floors for Teaching Assistants, Special Education (SOC 25-9043) are set by the DOL using regional wage surveys, so what a paraeducator earns in Seattle differs sharply from what an educational assistant earns in Mississippi. DOL establishes four experience levels for this occupation, and the applicable floor depends on the level listed on the employer's Labor Condition Application.
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Entry-level paraprofessionals new to the role, typically with limited classroom support experience and working under close teacher supervision. Employers file at Level 1 for candidates who are still learning district-specific procedures and disability accommodation protocols.
Qualified special education aides with a few years of documented experience supporting students with IEPs. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Teaching Assistants, Special Education, reflecting standard paraeducator roles in established school programs.
Experienced co-teachers or lead paraeducators who work with reduced supervision and regularly adapt instructional materials for students with complex disabilities. Employers file at Level 3 when the candidate manages a caseload or mentors junior aides.
Fully competent assistant instructors who function as subject-matter resources within a special education department, often coordinating across classrooms or providing behavioral intervention support with minimal direct oversight from the classroom teacher.
Prevailing Wage for Teaching Assistants, 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 Teaching Assistants, Special Education and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Teaching Assistants, Special Education
Confirm your IEP caseload complexity matches your level
Special education aides supporting students with multiple or severe disabilities under individualized education programs typically qualify for Level 3 or higher. Filing at Level 1 or 2 for a complex caseload may misrepresent the role and expose the petition to scrutiny.
Watch for district versus agency employer differences
School districts filing LCAs directly often use higher wage levels than staffing agencies that place paraprofessionals in district classrooms. If an agency is sponsoring you, verify that the worksite school district's OES wage area applies, not the agency's home city.
Check wages in Washington state metros before negotiating
Seattle, Bremerton, and Mount Vernon rank among the top-paying areas for this occupation nationally. If you receive an offer from a Pacific Northwest district, the L2 prevailing wage floor there is substantially above the national median, giving you a stronger negotiating reference point.
Use Migrate Mate to find districts with sponsorship history
Special education sponsorships are concentrated in specific districts. Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored paraeducator and educational assistant roles, so you can target districts with a proven H-1B or green card filing track record rather than approaching cold.
Jobs for Teaching Assistants, Special Education are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 25-9043.00 alongside Teaching Assistants, Special Education, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Assistant Instructor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Instructor Prevailing Wage
Assistant Instructor positions fall under SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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.
Co-Teacher Prevailing Wage
Co-Teacher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Co-Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Educational Assistant Prevailing Wage
Educational Assistant Prevailing Wage
Educational Assistant is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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.
Paraeducator Prevailing Wage
Paraeducator Prevailing Wage
Paraeducator positions fall under SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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.
Paraprofessional (Para) Prevailing Wage
Paraprofessional (Para) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Paraprofessional (Para) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
SPED Aide (Special Education Aide) Prevailing Wage
SPED Aide (Special Education Aide) Prevailing Wage
SPED Aide (Special Education Aide) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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.
SPED Para (Special Education Paraprofessional) Prevailing Wage
SPED Para (Special Education Paraprofessional) Prevailing Wage
SPED Para (Special Education Paraprofessional) positions fall under SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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.
SPED TA (Special Education Teacher Assistant) Prevailing Wage
SPED TA (Special Education Teacher Assistant) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a SPED TA (Special Education Teacher Assistant) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, Special Education). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
TA (Teacher's Assistant) Prevailing Wage
TA (Teacher's Assistant) Prevailing Wage
TA (Teacher's Assistant) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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's Aide Prevailing Wage
Teacher's Aide Prevailing Wage
Teacher's Aide positions fall under SOC 25-9043.00 (Teaching Assistants, 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 Teaching Assistants, Special Education?
DOL uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys to calculate prevailing wages by occupation and metro area. For SOC 25-9043, the agency assigns four wage levels based on experience, complexity, and supervision. Employers sponsoring a paraeducator or educational assistant 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 levels reflect experience and autonomy. Level 1 covers entry-level aides under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified paraeducators with standard classroom responsibilities; Level 3 covers experienced co-teachers who work more independently; Level 4 covers fully competent assistant instructors in senior or lead roles. The level your employer lists on the LCA determines your floor. Review the job description against OFLC guidance and ask your employer which level they intend to file.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC derives prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so wages reflect what local employers actually pay. Public school funding structures, teacher union contracts, and cost of living all vary by metro, creating wide gaps. Importantly, the wage floor is tied to the worksite listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters. A staffing agency based in a low-wage state that places you in a Seattle school district must use the Seattle area wage.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
If the offered salary falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the listed level and worksite, USCIS can deny the H-1B petition or, for PERM-based green card cases, DOL can reject the application. The employer is legally required to pay at least the prevailing wage for the duration of the sponsored status. An offer below the floor must be corrected before filing; the employer cannot simply accept the risk and proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 25-9043 by metro area and experience level. Enter the worksite city, select the occupation, and choose the wage level that matches your role description. The result is the current DOL prevailing wage floor for that combination. Migrate Mate can also help you identify employers with active sponsorship histories in your target metro so you can compare offers against the verified floor before accepting.
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