Prevailing Wage for Tour Guides and Escorts
Prevailing wage requirements for Tour Guides and Escorts (SOC 39-7011) apply to every H-1B, E-3, and green card filing in this occupation, covering roles from Art Museum Docent to Discovery Guide and Docent positions. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level guides with limited experience in structured touring or interpretation roles. Typically new to the occupation, performing routine tasks under close supervision, with no expectation of independent program development or specialized subject expertise.
Qualified guides with a working knowledge of tour delivery and some independent judgment. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Tour Guides and Escorts, reflecting the mid-career professionals who handle standard tours with moderate autonomy.
Experienced guides who handle complex itineraries, specialized subject matter, or supervisory responsibilities over junior staff. Expected to adapt presentations independently and may develop content for new tours or interpretive programs.
Fully competent senior guides or lead docents who set program standards, train others, and work without direct supervision. May oversee museum education departments, manage large group logistics, or serve as subject-matter authorities for institutional partners.
Prevailing Wage for Tour Guides and Escorts 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 Tour Guides and Escorts and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your worksite city before the LCA
Wages for Tour Guides and Escorts swing sharply by city. Seattle and Boulder floor rates run nearly double those in Gulfport or Beaumont. The worksite listed on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which metro rate applies.
Watch how museums and parks classify your title
Roles titled Docent or Historical Interpreter sometimes get filed under education or recreation SOC codes rather than 39-7011, which can produce a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA lists SOC 39-7011 specifically before signing an offer.
Check which employers have sponsored this role
Sponsorship history for Tour Guides and Escorts is thin outside major cultural institutions and tourism-heavy metros. Migrate Mate filters by visa type and shows which employers have sponsored this occupation before, so you can target realistic prospects rather than cold-approaching employers unfamiliar with the process.
Account for part-time and seasonal wage structuring
Many tour guide positions are structured as part-time or seasonal, which can mask an annualized rate below the prevailing wage floor. Verify that your offer letter states an annualized full-time equivalent salary, not an hourly or per-tour rate, before the LCA is filed.
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Find Jobs for Tour Guides and EscortsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 39-7011.00 alongside Tour Guides and Escorts, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Art Museum Docent Prevailing Wage
Art Museum Docent Prevailing Wage
Art Museum Docent positions fall under SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Discovery Guide Prevailing Wage
Discovery Guide Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Discovery Guide for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Docent Prevailing Wage
Docent Prevailing Wage
Docent is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Guide Prevailing Wage
Guide Prevailing Wage
Guide positions fall under SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Historical Interpreter Prevailing Wage
Historical Interpreter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Historical Interpreter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Museum Docent Prevailing Wage
Museum Docent Prevailing Wage
Museum Docent is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Museum Educator Prevailing Wage
Museum Educator Prevailing Wage
Museum Educator positions fall under SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Museum Guide Prevailing Wage
Museum Guide Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Museum Guide for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Science Interpreter Prevailing Wage
Science Interpreter Prevailing Wage
Science Interpreter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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.
Tour Guide Prevailing Wage
Tour Guide Prevailing Wage
Tour Guide positions fall under SOC 39-7011.00 (Tour Guides and Escorts). 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 Tour Guides and Escorts?
DOL sources wage data from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For SOC 39-7011, those survey results are processed through the OFLC Wage Search system and published as four wage levels. Employers must request a prevailing wage determination or use published OFLC data before filing an LCA for a sponsored Tour Guides and Escorts position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL assigns levels based on experience, supervision, and job complexity. Level 1 covers entry-level roles under close supervision; Level 2 applies to qualified workers with independent judgment; Level 3 covers experienced staff with specialized duties or supervisory scope; Level 4 applies to fully competent senior professionals. Your level is determined by the job duties described in the LCA, not your personal resume, so review the employer's description carefully.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Tour Guides and Escorts role vary so much by city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, which reflect local labor market conditions. A docent role in Seattle draws from a higher-wage labor pool than the same role in rural Mississippi. Critically, the worksite address on the LCA determines which metro rate governs, not the employer's billing address or corporate headquarters, so remote or multi-site assignments require careful worksite classification.
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 floor violates DOL regulations. USCIS can deny the H-1B or E-3 petition, and employers found to have underpaid sponsored workers face back-wage liability and potential debarment from future sponsorships. If your offer is below the floor, the employer must either raise the offered wage or file at the correct level before LCA certification.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Tour Guides and Escorts position in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, select SOC code 39-7011, and enter the worksite metropolitan area. The tool returns all four wage levels for that geography. You can also review LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have certified for this occupation historically. For finding employers that have actually sponsored Tour Guides and Escorts roles, Migrate Mate lists vetted sponsoring employers with historical sponsorship counts by role and visa type.
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