H-1B Wage Levels: How to Check Yours and What They Mean for the Lottery

An H-1B wage level is a tier, from Level I to Level IV, that ranks a job’s offered pay against government wage data for the same position in the area. The lottery became wage-weighted in 2026, so that level also now decides how many entries a worker gets. An H-1B candidate at Level IV has four times the entries of a worker at Level I.

The employer submits the wage level with the lottery registration, but workers benefit from understanding the process too. Knowing how a level is set helps applicants ask the right questions. It also helps sponsors register each role with the strongest level the data can support.

What is an H-1B wage level?

An H-1B wage level is the typical pay for workers in the same occupation and area, split into four tiers. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Two inputs decide which figures apply: the job’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and the work location.

The four levels reflect a rough progression in skill and independence:

Under current Department of Labor practice, the four levels sit at roughly the 17th, 34th, 50th, and 67th percentiles of surveyed wages for the job and area.

Wage levels are not new to H-1B petitions. They have long set the minimum wage on a Labor Condition Application. What changed in 2026 is that the level now also shapes lottery odds.

Is the H-1B lottery now wage-based?

Yes. In December 2025, the Department of Homeland Security finalized a rule that replaced the purely random H-1B lottery with a wage-weighted one. The rule took effect on February 27, 2026, and the FY 2027 lottery in March 2026 was the first to use it.

USCIS still selects registrations at random when they exceed the annual cap, but higher wage levels now get more entries in the pool:

How did the first wage-weighted lottery turn out?

Higher wage levels won at much higher rates, just as the rule intended. In Manifest Law's FY 2027 selection data, Level I registrations were selected 24.5% of the time. Level III registrations were selected 69.2% of the time. Every level beat the odds DHS projected when it published the rule, likely because total registrations fell.

The next chance to enter is the FY 2028 lottery, with registration expected in early 2027. Wage level will matter at least as much in that cycle. Employers and workers have time now to confirm the strongest level the data supports for each role.

What happens with multiple registrations or worksites?

USCIS uses the lowest wage level when the same beneficiary appears in more than one registration. A Level I registration from one employer can limit a worker to one lottery entry, even if another employer registers the same person at Level III or IV. The rule works this way to keep employers from inflating wages to game the selection process.

The same logic applies to worksites. When a role covers multiple locations, the registration must use the lowest wage level among them. A truly remote role uses the remote work location.

How do you check your H-1B wage level?

You can check any H-1B wage level for free with the Department of Labor's OFLC Wage Search tool. Three pieces of information drive the result: the job’s SOC code, the work location, and the proffered wage. The proffered wage is the gross salary the employer is offering, without bonuses or other benefits.

Step 1: Find the job's SOC code

Standard Occupational Classification codes are the government's way of categorizing jobs. Wage levels are tied to occupation and location, so choosing the closest-matching occupational category is the first step.

The wage search tool asks for an occupation code and title from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). You can search by keyword inside the tool, or research O*NET first to find the best code and title. In practice, employers or legal counsel often make the final call on the SOC code. Even so, workers can and should take part in the process.

Step 2: Pull the Level I-IV wage figures

Under "Select Data Series," choose the latest date range, which is currently 7/2026-6/2027. OFLC updates this data every July 1; the current series took effect on July 1, 2026 and applies through June 30, 2027.

Once you select an occupation code and location, the tool shows four wage figures: Level I, II, III, and IV.

Step 3: Compare the offered wage to the level figures

The wage level is the highest level the offered wage matches or exceeds. Here is an example:

• Offered wage = $120,000
• Level I = $85,000
• Level II = $105,000
• Level III = $118,000
• Level IV = $140,000

The offered wage ($120,000) is above the Level III figure ($118,000) but below Level IV ($140,000), so this job is Level III.

Step 4: Translate the wage level into lottery entries

Once you have the level, the entry count follows the table above: one entry for Level I, up to four entries for Level IV. Where the job sits changes the math too, since H-1B workers earn more in some cities and the wage cutoffs shift with the local labor market. The same salary can land at Level III in one city and Level II in another.

What are the H-1B wage level salary ranges?

There is no single national salary range for each H-1B wage level. The dollar figures for Level I through Level IV change with every SOC code and metro area, because they come from local OEWS survey data. A software developer role in New York carries different level cutoffs than the same role in Houston.

That is why the OFLC Wage Search tool is the only reliable way to find the salary range for a specific job. Enter the SOC code and location, and the four level figures on the results page are the current ranges for that role. Third-party salary sites do not control what USCIS or the Department of Labor uses.

How are wage levels different from the prevailing wage?

The wage level and the prevailing wage are two views of the same data. The prevailing wage is the specific dollar minimum an employer must pay for a job. The wage level is the tier that dollar figure falls into. Employers must pay the prevailing wage or the actual wage for the job, whichever is higher. The actual wage is what the employer pays similar workers in-house.

The Department of Labor explains prevailing wage resources through FLAG. Employers can request a formal prevailing wage determination from the National Prevailing Wage Center, or rely on other legitimate wage sources depending on the situation. Our DOL wage level calculator guide walks through estimating these costs for an LCA.

Do the DOL's proposed prevailing wage increases change my wage level?

In March 2026, the Department of Labor proposed raising prevailing wage floors across all four levels. That proposal changes how much each level pays, not how a job's level is found. Until a final rule takes effect, the steps on this page and the current OFLC figures still control.

The proposed increases matter most for employers budgeting sponsorship costs, since most H-1B roles are filed at Level I or II. Employers planning for that rule should read our analysis of what the prevailing wage increases mean for employer costs. It models the impact by role and metro area.

What documentation supports a wage level?

H-1B petitions filed after selection in the lottery need to include evidence of the wage level used at registration. Documenting how the level was chosen strengthens the case.

Capture the wage-level support as of the registration date:

• Print or save a copy of the OFLC Wage Search results for the SOC code and area, and note the date of the search.
• Save notes on the work location or locations used, and how the area of employment was determined.
• Keep evidence of the offered wage, avoiding broad ranges when possible.

Information submitted at every stage of the visa process needs to match. Here is a checklist covering the details behind a wage level:

• Confirm SOC code
• Confirm work location
• Finalize offered wage
• Capture OEWS and OFLC wage levels
• Map wage level and number of entries
• Save documentation as of the date you found the information

Find your wage level before the FY 2028 lottery

The wage-weighted lottery rewards preparation. Employers now provide more detail about each worker’s role at registration, and the wrong choice can cut selection odds sharply. Workers who were not selected this year can use the time before the FY 2028 window to strengthen their wage level position.

At Manifest Law, our immigration attorneys know how to navigate the wage-based registration requirements. We make sure every lottery registration correctly reflects the wage level for the role. See how you can maximize your lottery odds and request a consultation today.

H-1B wage level FAQs

Is the H-1B lottery wage-based now?

Yes. Since February 27, 2026, USCIS weights the H-1B lottery by wage level. Level I registrations get one entry, Level II gets two, Level III gets three, and Level IV gets four. The FY 2027 lottery in March 2026 was the first to use the weighted system, and the FY 2028 lottery is expected to use it as well.

What if the job covers multiple worksites or locations?

When a role requires work in multiple locations, the registration must use the lowest corresponding wage level among those locations. If Location A comes back at Level III and Location B at Level I, the registration is weighted at Level I.

Is there still a master’s cap in the lottery?

Yes. Workers who qualify for the master’s cap still get two shots at selection. USCIS considers them first in the advanced-degree pool for 20,000 slots, and anyone not picked rolls into the regular cap pool. Both rounds are wage-weighted, so the wage level determines the number of entries in each draw.

Can an employer just pick a higher wage level?

An employer can choose to offer a higher wage for a role, but the wage still needs support from the SOC code and work location data. Inflating a wage level without matching pay creates compliance risk on the LCA, where the employer certifies it will pay at least the prevailing wage.

What if no wage data is listed for the SOC code that matches the role?

If no wage data is listed for an SOC code, that code cannot be used. Go back to the search and find the next best SOC code that matches the job duties.

What if the role is less than 40 hours a week?

For any role under full-time, use the hourly rate rather than the annual salary to determine the wage level.

Can the same H-1B salary have different wage levels in different cities?

Yes. Wage levels are based on the SOC code and the area of intended employment, and the thresholds change by location because pay varies by local labor market. The same salary might meet Level III in one city but only Level II in another.

When does the OFLC wage data update?

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification updates its OEWS wage data every July 1. The current series covers July 2026 through June 2027. A wage level checked before July 1, 2026 should be re-checked against the new figures before the FY 2028 registration window.