Prevailing Wage for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Prevailing wage for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (SOC 23-2093) is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Whether your offer is for an Abstractor, a Title Examiner, or a Commercial Title Examiner role, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the floor shifts substantially by city.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Entry-level abstractors and searchers with limited professional experience, typically under two years. Work is closely supervised, tasks are routine and well-defined, and independent judgment is minimal. Employers file at Level 1 for candidates newer to title research or real estate records work.
Qualified examiners with two or more years of experience handling standard title searches and LCA filings independently. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers, reflecting the occupation's moderate supervisory requirements and expected professional proficiency.
Experienced title professionals who exercise significant independent judgment, handle complex or commercial title examinations, and may guide junior staff. Typically five or more years in the occupation. Employers filing at Level 3 expect the candidate to resolve non-routine title issues without close oversight.
Fully competent senior examiners or lead abstractors with comprehensive expertise, including mentorship responsibilities or supervisory scope. These professionals set work standards, handle the most complex title disputes, and operate with full autonomy across transaction types and property classifications.
Prevailing Wage for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers 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
See all jobs for this role
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Watch how staffing agencies classify your role
Title examiners placed by staffing or title-agency intermediaries are sometimes filed under a clerical SOC rather than 23-2093, which sets a lower prevailing wage floor. Confirm your LCA cites SOC 23-2093 before the petition is filed.
Expect sharp wage gaps between California and Southern metros
San Jose and Santa Rosa carry prevailing wages more than double those in Atlanta or College Station. If your offer is in a lower-wage market, the L1 floor there is the binding minimum, not the national median, so worksite location drives compliance entirely.
Factor out signing bonuses when checking compliance
One-time signing bonuses do not count toward the prevailing wage for H-1B or PERM purposes. For title examiner roles that bundle a bonus with a modest base, the base salary alone must clear the DOL floor for your worksite and experience level.
Search Migrate Mate for employers who have sponsored title roles
Most title insurance companies and law firms that sponsor abstractors or searchers have done so repeatedly. Migrate Mate shows historical sponsorship counts by employer, letting you target companies already familiar with the 23-2093 filing process before you apply.
Jobs for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 23-2093.00 alongside Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Abstractor Prevailing Wage
Abstractor Prevailing Wage
Abstractor positions fall under SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). 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.
Commercial Title Examiner Prevailing Wage
Commercial Title Examiner Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Commercial Title Examiner for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Searcher Prevailing Wage
Searcher Prevailing Wage
Searcher is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). 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.
Title Abstractor Prevailing Wage
Title Abstractor Prevailing Wage
Title Abstractor positions fall under SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). 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.
Title Agent Prevailing Wage
Title Agent Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Title Agent for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Title Examiner Prevailing Wage
Title Examiner Prevailing Wage
Title Examiner is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). 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.
Title Officer Prevailing Wage
Title Officer Prevailing Wage
Title Officer positions fall under SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). 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.
Title Searcher Prevailing Wage
Title Searcher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Title Searcher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 23-2093.00 (Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to establish four wage levels for each SOC code. For SOC 23-2093, the agency calculates percentile thresholds from employer-reported wages across each geographic area. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable DOL level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 as qualified and working independently, Level 3 as experienced with complex duties and some team leadership, and Level 4 as fully competent with supervisory or expert scope. Your level is determined by the actual duties and supervision described in the job offer, not by your years of experience alone. The OFLC Wage Search lets you look up the dollar threshold for each level at your specific worksite.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same title examiner role vary so much city to city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so local employer pay practices drive each metro's figures. High-cost markets like San Jose reflect the concentration of well-capitalized title insurance firms and tech-sector real estate volume, while smaller Southern or Puerto Rican markets reflect lower regional norms. Under LCA rules, the wage that governs is always the one for the actual worksite address on the petition, not the employer's headquarters or national average.
What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage for this occupation?
USCIS will deny the H-1B petition if the LCA wage does not meet DOL's prevailing wage for the certified worksite and level. For PERM green card cases, OFLC can reject the application entirely. Even after approval, DOL can audit the LCA and assess back wages if the employer paid less than the certified amount. The employer, not the worker, bears legal liability for underpayment.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search on the DOL website, enter SOC code 23-2093, select the relevant metropolitan area, and choose the appropriate experience level. The result gives you the current DOL floor for that location. For finding employers who have actively sponsored abstractors and title examiners, Migrate Mate filters listings by role and visa type and shows each employer's historical sponsorship record, which helps you target companies with proven filing experience.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers right now.
Search Jobs for this role