Real prevailing wage data for Cloud Engineers on H-1B — by DOL level, metro area, and employer type.
H-1B employers must pay at least the DOL prevailing wage. Four levels reflect experience and responsibility — higher levels improve H-1B lottery selection priority.
National averages — verify at flag.dol.gov for your specific metro before filing.
LCA prevailing wages must reflect the actual work location. Higher-cost metros mean higher legal wage floors — beneficial for well-paid H-1B workers.
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Explore Sponsor Database →DOL assigns wage levels based on education, experience, complexity of duties, and supervisory responsibility. Advanced credentials and specialized expertise justify higher levels. Build compensation history appropriate to your qualifications from day one — it becomes the foundation for PERM and green card filings.
Large established employers and major health systems tend to file at Level II-III to compete for talent. Staffing firms frequently file at Level I. Under wage-based lottery selection, a higher-wage offer between two comparable jobs has concrete strategic immigration value beyond the immediate pay difference.
Work location must always match the LCA. Remote work from a different metro requires a new LCA for that location. This is a common but serious compliance gap — confirm proper LCA coverage before working from any location not specified in your petition.
Negotiate salary confidently. The prevailing wage is a legal floor with no ceiling. Use DOL data and market salary tools to anchor negotiations correctly. Stay comfortably above the floor to maintain buffer as wage tables update annually.
Wage-based lottery selection makes salary a direct input into H-1B success probability. Level III and IV registrations are selected first. In any year the cap fills before all tiers are exhausted — every year since 2021 — the higher-wage offer has strategic lottery value beyond immediate compensation.
For PERM-based green card sponsorship, your H-1B wage level and PERM job description should be consistent. DOL auditors compare H-1B and PERM filings for the same worker — inconsistencies invite scrutiny and audit risk.
For Indian and Chinese nationals facing decade-long EB-2/EB-3 waits, EB-1A offers the best exit. Consistently above-median compensation is one concrete indicator of extraordinary ability. Document earnings relative to occupation peers annually and maintain that record for eventual EB-1A use.
AC21 portability protects job changers after 180 days of pending I-485. Same or similar occupation is broadly construed. Ensure your new position is reasonably comparable in duties and compensation to preserve portability protection.
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