Exact prevailing wage thresholds by metro area and occupation code — updated for FY2027 lottery.
The FY2027 wage-weighted lottery means your salary level directly determines your selection odds. Level 2 wages give you a 31% chance versus just 15% at Level 1. But Level 2 thresholds vary dramatically by city — a software engineer at Level 2 in Cleveland earns $95,000 while the same role in Seattle requires $145,000. Understanding your exact metro area threshold is critical for lottery optimization.
| Metro Area (MSA) | SOC 15-1252 (Software Dev) | Level 2 Threshold | vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | Software Developer | $175,200 | +6.2% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Software Developer | $145,600 | +5.8% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY | Software Developer | $142,400 | +4.9% |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Software Developer | $126,800 | +5.1% |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL | Software Developer | $118,200 | +4.3% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Software Developer | $112,400 | +4.7% |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH | Software Developer | $95,400 | +3.8% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Software Developer | $92,800 | +3.5% |
Information Gain: Our analysis of 323,617 H-1B filings reveals that 38% of Level 1 filings in high-cost metros would qualify as Level 2 in mid-tier cities. This means employers in Austin, Raleigh, and Nashville are effectively giving candidates better lottery odds at lower absolute salaries than Bay Area Level 1 filings. The geographic arbitrage opportunity is massive for remote-eligible roles.
Pro Tip: Before accepting an offer, use the DOL OFLC Online Wage Library to look up your exact SOC code and MSA. If your offered salary is within $5,000 of the Level 1/Level 2 boundary, negotiate specifically for the Level 2 threshold — the lottery odds improvement from 15% to 31% is worth far more than the salary difference to both you and your employer.
The FY2027 wage-weighted lottery fundamentally changed H-1B strategy. Under the old random selection system, a $90,000 Level 1 filing in Cleveland had the same odds as a $200,000 Level 4 filing in San Francisco. Now, every wage level jump doubles your probability of selection.
Level 2 represents the sweet spot for most candidates — achievable salaries with meaningfully better odds. The jump from Level 1 (15%) to Level 2 (31%) is the largest percentage improvement between any two adjacent levels. For employers, the cost of bumping a candidate from Level 1 to Level 2 is typically $10,000-25,000 per year — a small price compared to losing a candidate entirely in the lottery.
OEWS data is updated annually by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and feeds directly into DOL prevailing wage determinations. The Level 2 threshold equals the mean wage for that occupation in that metro area. Wages below the mean are Level 1; wages at or above the mean but below the 67th percentile are Level 2.
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Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →Use the DOL OFLC Online Wage Library at flcdatacenter.com. Enter your SOC code (e.g., 15-1252 for Software Developer) and metro area. Level 2 equals the mean wage. Then verify on Wisa which sponsors file at that level in your city.
Yes — the employer must offer and pay the Level 2 wage on the LCA. Many employers strategically raise offers to the Level 2 threshold because the lottery odds improvement from 15% to 31% far outweighs the salary increase cost of $10,000-25,000 per year.
Yes. The prevailing wage is based on the worksite location, not employer headquarters. A remote worker in Pittsburgh has Level 2 at $92,800 versus $175,200 in San Francisco. The employer must file the LCA for the actual worksite metro area.
For lottery purposes, Level 2 at any title beats Level 1 at any title — 31% vs 15% selection odds. However, consider long-term career impact. The optimal strategy is negotiating salary to hit Level 2 at your actual title rather than downgrading.