Prevailing Wage for Transit and Railroad Police
Transit and Railroad Police roles filed under SOC 33-3052 are subject to DOL prevailing wage requirements whenever a U.S. employer sponsors a Patrol Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, or Patrolman for an H-1B, E-3, or green card. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on which metro the worksite is in.
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Entry-level officers with limited independent judgment, typically under two years of transit or railroad law enforcement experience. Work is closely supervised, assignments are routine, and the role involves applying standard patrol and incident-response procedures with minimal discretion.
The most common filing level for sponsored Transit and Railroad Police positions. Officers work with moderate supervision, apply established enforcement protocols independently, and bring two or more years of directly relevant patrol or transit security experience to the role.
Experienced officers who handle complex incidents with significant independent judgment, often mentoring junior staff or leading shift operations. Typically five or more years in transit or railroad law enforcement, with demonstrated expertise in specialized enforcement or investigative functions.
Senior officers, police specialists, or captains who set enforcement policy, manage personnel, and operate with full autonomy. This level reflects mastery of the occupation and typically corresponds to command-track or lead investigator designations within a transit or railroad authority.
Prevailing Wage for Transit and Railroad Police 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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Confirm your title maps to SOC 33-3052
Transit and railroad authorities sometimes post roles under titles like Police Specialist or Patrol Man that hiring systems classify under a different SOC code, causing the LCA to reference the wrong prevailing wage floor. Verify the SOC on the certified LCA before accepting an offer.
Flag the New York metro wage gap early
The New York-New Jersey metro posts the highest prevailing wage for this occupation across all four levels. If your offer letter cites a national median figure rather than the New York worksite rate, the LCA may be underfiled at a wage that does not clear the local floor.
Watch for overtime and shift-differential exclusions
Transit police compensation packages often include substantial overtime and shift-differential pay. DOL counts only the guaranteed base wage toward prevailing wage compliance. Ensure the base salary alone clears the applicable level floor before factoring in variable pay.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with transit police history
Transit and railroad authorities that have sponsored this occupation before are identifiable by their historical visa filing counts. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored patrol and railroad police roles, so you can prioritize agencies with a demonstrated sponsorship track record.
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Find Jobs for Transit and Railroad PolicePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 33-3052.00 alongside Transit and Railroad Police, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Law Enforcement Officer Prevailing Wage
Law Enforcement Officer Prevailing Wage
Law Enforcement Officer positions fall under SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Patrol Man Prevailing Wage
Patrol Man Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Patrol Man for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Patrol Officer Prevailing Wage
Patrol Officer Prevailing Wage
Patrol Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Patrolman Prevailing Wage
Patrolman Prevailing Wage
Patrolman positions fall under SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Police Captain Prevailing Wage
Police Captain Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Police Captain for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Police Specialist Prevailing Wage
Police Specialist Prevailing Wage
Police Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Railroad Police Prevailing Wage
Railroad Police Prevailing Wage
Railroad Police positions fall under SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Railroad Police Officer Prevailing Wage
Railroad Police Officer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Railroad Police Officer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Transit Police Officer Prevailing Wage
Transit Police Officer Prevailing Wage
Transit Police Officer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 33-3052.00 (Transit and Railroad Police). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Transit and Railroad Police?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For SOC 33-3052, OFLC assigns one of four wage levels based on experience, supervision, and complexity, then matches that level to the wage distribution in the worksite area. Employers certify on the LCA that they will pay at least the applicable level wage.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 reflects qualified independent work and is the most common filing level for sponsored transit and railroad positions; Level 3 covers experienced officers with complex responsibilities; Level 4 applies to senior specialists or command staff with full autonomy. Your level should match the actual duties, supervision structure, and experience requirements in the job description, not just your years of service.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so areas with dense transit systems and strong public-sector labor markets, such as New York-New Jersey, produce higher survey medians. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, not the employer's headquarters, and OFLC applies the wage floor for that specific metro. A filing that uses a lower-wage area rate for work performed in a high-wage market does not satisfy the prevailing wage requirement.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored visa petition if the certified LCA wage is below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and level. If the LCA is certified at an incorrect level or the offered salary falls short, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence or deny the petition outright. The employer would need to refile with a corrected LCA at the compliant wage before resubmitting.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific Transit and Railroad Police location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 33-3052 for any metropolitan area where the worksite is located. Select the wage level that matches the role's experience and supervision requirements to see the applicable floor. Migrate Mate also shows which employers have sponsored transit and railroad police roles by location, helping you identify agencies that are already active sponsors in your target metro.
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