H-1B wage level lookup
DOL's prevailing wages at Levels I–IV for every occupation and county, from the OFLC wage year running July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Add the offered salary to see the highest level it meets and its weight in the H-1B lottery.
Software developers: the four levels in eight metro areas
SOC 15-1252, all employers, 2026–27 wage year. Annual wages; DOL publishes these as hourly rates × 2,080.
| Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $152,797 | $187,075 | $221,374 | $255,653 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,093 | $165,131 | $193,149 | $221,187 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $111,613 | $143,104 | $174,595 | $206,086 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $109,845 | $137,717 | $165,589 | $193,461 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $114,275 | $138,237 | $162,198 | $186,160 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $92,789 | $117,083 | $141,398 | $165,693 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $95,888 | $119,642 | $143,395 | $167,149 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $95,202 | $116,896 | $138,590 | $160,285 |
What the four levels mean
DOL sets four wage levels for each occupation and area from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' OEWS survey. For an LCA or a PERM prevailing wage determination, the level follows the job's requirements: education, experience, special skills and supervision. The salary does not set it.
| Level | DOL's description | Percentile today | Under DOL's proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | entry | ≈ 17th | 34th |
| Level II | qualified | ≈ 34th | 52th |
| Level III | experienced | ≈ 50th | 70th |
| Level IV | fully competent | ≈ 67th | 88th |
Wage levels and the H-1B lottery
From the FY 2027 cap season, USCIS selects H-1B registrations by wage level (DHS final rule, published December 29, 2025, effective February 27, 2026). Each registration is assigned the highest OEWS level the offered wage equals or exceeds for the occupation and area, then entered into the selection pool four times at Level IV, three at Level III, two at Level II and once at Level I. If the job has several worksites, the lowest level among them counts. Registrations that rely on a wage source other than OEWS are grouped with Level I.
DOL's proposal to raise the levels
On March 27, 2026 DOL proposed new wage levels for H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 and PERM (notice of proposed rulemaking, RIN 1205-AC30): Level I would move from about the 17th percentile to the 34th, Level II from the 34th to the 52nd, Level III from the 50th to the 70th, and Level IV from the 67th to the 88th. Comments closed May 26, 2026. As of October 23, 2026 no final rule has been published in the Federal Register, so the levels above still apply.
Universities and research employers (ACWIA)
Colleges and universities, their affiliated nonprofits, and nonprofit or government research organizations use DOL's separate ACWIA wage table, which is usually lower. In it DOL splits some occupations into R&D and non-R&D versions (software developers become 15-1295 and 15-1296) or uses a closely aligned occupation. Tick the box in the tool to read it.
Above the survey ceiling
Where most wages fall into the OEWS survey's top, open-ended interval, DOL publishes no levels. OFLC then issues the prevailing wage as $115.00 an hour ($239,200 a year), for example for many physician occupations.
Questions
- What is H-1B wage level 2?
- Level II is the second of DOL's four prevailing wage levels, described as "qualified": roughly the 34th percentile of wages for the occupation in the area. For software developers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA it is $187,075 a year in the 2026–27 wage year.
- How do I find my H-1B wage level?
- Pick the occupation (the SOC code on the LCA or prevailing wage request) and the county of the worksite above. The tool shows DOL's four levels there and, if you enter the offered salary, the highest level it meets. The level on an LCA itself comes from the job's requirements, which your employer or attorney sets.
- Does the wage level change my H-1B lottery chances?
- Yes, from the FY 2027 cap season. DHS enters each registration into the selection pool once per level the offered wage reaches: four times at Level IV, three at Level III, two at Level II and once at Level I. With several worksites, the lowest level among them counts.
- What if the salary is below Level I?
- Level I is the lowest prevailing wage DOL's OEWS survey sets for that occupation and area, so an offer below it does not meet an OEWS prevailing wage there. Employers can use another legitimate wage source instead; for the lottery, DHS groups those registrations with Level I.
- When do the wage levels change?
- Every July 1. The current wage year runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, from BLS's May 2025 OEWS survey. DOL has also proposed raising all four levels (see above); as of October 23, 2026 that proposal is not final.
Sources
- OFLC wage data, 2026-27 (flag.dol.gov): every level in the tool
- OFLC technical release notes, wage year 2026-27: survey year, ceiling, ACWIA substitutions
- Weighted Selection Process for H-1B registrations, 90 FR 60864 (Dec 29, 2025)
- Improving Wage Protections (NPRM), DOL, Mar 27, 2026
Information from DOL's published data, not legal advice. Your employer or immigration attorney sets the occupation and level on your filings.
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