Updated
What PERM cases pay
What each employer committed to pay, on the federal filing itself.
- The median certified offer
- $103,272
- of 343,211 cases
- Occupations
- 1,410
- The middle occupation
- $80,080
- Lower: most jobs are small, and the biggest pay best
The whole wage ladder
- 10th
- $29,120
- 25th
- $45,178
- Median
- $103,272
- 75th
- $141,357
- 90th
- $175,000
Cut at five points, from 343,211 certified cases with a readable wage.
- 5th to 95th
- 25th to 75th
- Median
- 10th and 90th
$139,027 median · 73,058 certified cases
$128,939 median · 14,584 certified cases
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
$26,000 median · 9,214 certified cases
Project Management Specialists
$135,030 median · 8,108 certified cases
$26,390 median · 7,489 certified cases
$136,537 median · 6,486 certified cases
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
$118,730 median · 5,946 certified cases
Software Developers, Applications
$125,798 median · 4,629 certified cases
$36,442 median · 4,381 certified cases
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
$56,576 median · 4,326 certified cases
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
$34,100 median · 4,185 certified cases
Computer and Information Systems Managers
$191,568 median · 3,475 certified cases
| Occupation | Cases | 5th | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 73,058 | $89,565 | $98,904 | $116,938 | $139,027 | $159,810 | $184,662 | $199,779 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 14,584 | $79,337 | $90,000 | $108,000 | $128,939 | $144,000 | $166,379 | $180,000 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 9,214 | $22,464 | $22,464 | $23,000 | $26,000 | $30,202 | $31,200 | $31,408 |
| Project Management Specialists | 8,108 | $80,000 | $92,290 | $114,453 | $135,030 | $157,768 | $180,200 | $198,168 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,489 | $20,800 | $20,800 | $22,880 | $26,390 | $30,940 | $32,240 | $34,320 |
| Data Scientists | 6,486 | $85,000 | $94,661 | $113,090 | $136,537 | $163,238 | $185,000 | $200,000 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | 5,946 | $75,296 | $84,240 | $100,360 | $118,730 | $140,005 | $163,015 | $173,164 |
| Software Developers, Applications | 4,629 | $84,094 | $93,558 | $104,291 | $125,798 | $145,454 | $157,900 | $174,600 |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,381 | $28,954 | $31,200 | $33,280 | $36,442 | $41,600 | $41,600 | $41,600 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 4,326 | $39,291 | $46,696 | $54,080 | $56,576 | $57,949 | $73,580 | $78,125 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 4,185 | $25,667 | $26,894 | $29,037 | $34,100 | $36,566 | $40,000 | $41,870 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 3,475 | $128,908 | $141,732 | $168,922 | $191,568 | $224,000 | $262,573 | $274,206 |
The two ends do not meet. Computer and Information Systems Managers open at $128,908 on the 5th percentile, which is 4.1 times what meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers reach at the 95th ($31,408). There is no wage at which those two populations overlap, and they run through the same federal process at the same time.
Each row is one occupation's certified offers, cut at seven points. Ordered by filing volume, not by pay. Hourly and other wage units are annualized first. DOL PERM disclosure files, certified cases onlyDenials fall as the offered wage rises. More
The denial rate broadly falls as the offered wage rises, from 5.0% in the under $40k band to 1.6% in the $160k and up band. It does not fall smoothly. The highest rate here is $40k to $50k at 7.26%, not the bottom of the range. 4 pairs of neighbouring bands go the wrong way. Where those bumps sit moves with the band edges, so no cause is offered for them: wage, occupation and employer are entangled here and nothing separates them.
Eleven bands, by fiscal year and pooled
FY2024
Denied, of decided
- Under $40k 9.47%23,061
95% interval 9.10 to 9.85%
- $40k to $50k 12.18%4,779
95% interval 11.28 to 13.14%
- $50k to $60k 6.17%4,180
95% interval 5.48 to 6.94%
- $60k to $70k 7.18%3,484
95% interval 6.37 to 8.08%
- $70k to $80k 4.24%3,771
95% interval 3.64 to 4.93%
- $80k to $90k 2.87%5,118
95% interval 2.45 to 3.37%
- $90k to $100k 4.65%6,629
95% interval 4.17 to 5.18%
- $100k to $115k 3.25%9,734
95% interval 2.91 to 3.62%
- $115k to $130k 2.19%10,386
95% interval 1.92 to 2.49%
- $130k to $160k 1.37%21,353
95% interval 1.22 to 1.53%
- $160k and up 1.63%14,332
95% interval 1.43 to 1.85%
FY2025
Denied, of decided
- Under $40k 2.37%35,295
95% interval 2.22 to 2.54%
- $40k to $50k 3.29%6,234
95% interval 2.87 to 3.76%
- $50k to $60k 2.96%6,208
95% interval 2.57 to 3.42%
- $60k to $70k 5.09%4,656
95% interval 4.50 to 5.76%
- $70k to $80k 2.24%5,037
95% interval 1.87 to 2.69%
- $80k to $90k 1.72%5,935
95% interval 1.42 to 2.08%
- $90k to $100k 1.36%6,893
95% interval 1.12 to 1.67%
- $100k to $115k 1.34%11,778
95% interval 1.15 to 1.57%
- $115k to $130k 1.06%12,678
95% interval 0.90 to 1.26%
- $130k to $160k 0.74%24,788
95% interval 0.64 to 0.86%
- $160k and up 0.91%20,434
95% interval 0.79 to 1.05%
FY2026
Denied, of decided
- Under $40k 4.36%21,762
95% interval 4.10 to 4.64%
- $40k to $50k 7.49%5,423
95% interval 6.82 to 8.22%
- $50k to $60k 4.72%5,469
95% interval 4.19 to 5.31%
- $60k to $70k 8.64%4,550
95% interval 7.86 to 9.49%
- $70k to $80k 4.45%4,205
95% interval 3.86 to 5.11%
- $80k to $90k 3.82%4,867
95% interval 3.32 to 4.40%
- $90k to $100k 3.08%5,039
95% interval 2.63 to 3.59%
- $100k to $115k 2.37%8,676
95% interval 2.07 to 2.72%
- $115k to $130k 2.50%9,958
95% interval 2.21 to 2.83%
- $130k to $160k 2.11%19,641
95% interval 1.92 to 2.32%
- $160k and up 2.38%18,085
95% interval 2.17 to 2.62%
All three years
The pooled window
- Under $40k 4.96%80,118
95% interval 4.81 to 5.11%
- $40k to $50k 7.26%16,436
95% interval 6.87 to 7.67%
- $50k to $60k 4.41%15,857
95% interval 4.11 to 4.75%
- $60k to $70k 6.93%12,690
95% interval 6.51 to 7.39%
- $70k to $80k 3.53%13,013
95% interval 3.23 to 3.87%
- $80k to $90k 2.73%15,920
95% interval 2.49 to 3.00%
- $90k to $100k 3.00%18,561
95% interval 2.77 to 3.26%
- $100k to $115k 2.25%30,188
95% interval 2.09 to 2.43%
- $115k to $130k 1.85%33,022
95% interval 1.71 to 2.00%
- $130k to $160k 1.35%65,782
95% interval 1.27 to 1.45%
- $160k and up 1.61%52,851
95% interval 1.50 to 1.72%
The same cases in five wide bands
Summed from the eleven above, not measured separately. It averages the $40k to $50k band with its quieter neighbours, so a plateau appears where the finer view has a peak.
Pooled summary
Derived from the eleven-band view
- Under $60k 5.22%112,411
95% interval 5.09 to 5.35%
- $60k to $80k 5.21%25,703
95% interval 4.95 to 5.49%
- $80k to $100k 2.88%34,481
95% interval 2.71 to 3.06%
- $100k to $130k 2.04%63,210
95% interval 1.94 to 2.16%
- $130k and up 1.47%118,633
95% interval 1.40 to 1.54%
Withdrawn cases are excluded: a withdrawal is the employer stopping, not a decision going against anyone. A band with fewer than 100 decided cases is withheld rather than drawn.
Reading the bars
Bars share one scale within each block. The figure on the right of each bar is the number of decided cases behind it.
All 1,410 occupations
Search, filter by job family, sort any column, or download the CSV.
Showing the top 250 of 1,410 occupations. Search or sort to read all of them.
| Software Developers 15-1252.00 | 76,524 | $139,128 | 98.8% |
| Computer Systems Analysts 15-1211.00 | 15,316 | $128,975 | 98.4% |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 51-3022.00 | 9,306 | $26,000 | 99.5% |
| Project Management Specialists 13-1082.00 | 8,526 | $135,000 | 98.8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers 35-3023.00 | 7,871 | $25,584 | 98.7% |
| Data Scientists 15-2051.00 | 6,928 | $136,885 | 99.2% |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers 15-1253.00 | 6,215 | $118,600 | 98.8% |
| Software Developers, Applications 15-1132 | 5,081 | $124,883 | 91.8% |
| Nursing Assistants 31-1131.00 | 5,006 | $36,130 | 92.1% |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists 29-2011.00 | 4,581 | $56,576 | 99.5% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers 37-3011.00 | 4,449 | $34,100 | 96.5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers 11-3021.00 | 3,717 | $191,755 | 99.0% |
| Accountants and Auditors 13-2011.00 | 3,686 | $90,979 | 97.6% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 17-2072.00 | 3,555 | $141,000 | 98.3% |
| Business Intelligence Analysts 15-2051.01 | 3,466 | $126,277 | 98.6% |
| Helpers--Production Workers 51-9198.00 | 3,399 | $29,994 | 98.8% |
| Mechanical Engineers 17-2141.00 | 2,992 | $104,832 | 97.8% |
| Home Health Aides 31-1121.00 | 2,894 | $32,000 | 93.3% |
| Financial and Investment Analysts 13-2051.00 | 2,800 | $136,039 | 98.3% |
| Personal Care Aides 31-1122.00 | 2,630 | $31,200 | 93.9% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand 53-7064.00 | 2,625 | $20,509 | 98.9% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other 15-1199 | 2,605 | $114,234 | 96.3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 53-3032.00 | 2,590 | $54,662 | 70.1% |
| Team Assemblers 51-2092.00 | 2,504 | $37,440 | 99.8% |
| Cooks, Restaurant 35-2014.00 | 2,472 | $37,232 | 94.2% |
| Management Analysts 13-1111.00 | 2,468 | $151,000 | 98.1% |
| Electrical Engineers 17-2071.00 | 2,460 | $113,235 | 98.7% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists 13-1161.00 | 2,424 | $63,000 | 96.8% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 37-2012.00 | 2,363 | $29,120 | 94.4% |
| Data Warehousing Specialists 15-1243.01 | 2,350 | $143,895 | 99.0% |
| Software Developers, Systems Software 15-1133 | 2,284 | $143,700 | 95.0% |
| Civil Engineers 17-2051.00 | 2,185 | $87,935 | 97.4% |
| Industrial Engineers 17-2112.00 | 2,174 | $105,227 | 97.1% |
| Financial Quantitative Analysts 13-2099.01 | 2,150 | $145,000 | 99.5% |
| Information Security Analysts 15-1212.00 | 1,982 | $141,000 | 98.6% |
| Database Architects 15-1243.00 | 1,893 | $147,472 | 99.0% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand 53-7062.00 | 1,832 | $30,030 | 99.8% |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers 51-3022 | 1,797 | $23,733 | 99.2% |
| Validation Engineers 17-2112.02 | 1,603 | $104,000 | 99.1% |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators 15-1244.00 | 1,571 | $109,283 | 97.8% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians 29-1216.00 | 1,531 | $251,790 | 98.9% |
| General and Operations Managers 11-1021.00 | 1,488 | $79,466 | 92.5% |
| Computer Programmers 15-1251.00 | 1,436 | $97,800 | 97.4% |
| Sales Engineers 41-9031.00 | 1,397 | $141,773 | 98.0% |
| Marketing Managers 11-2021.00 | 1,382 | $161,242 | 96.5% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 17-2072 | 1,367 | $131,000 | 98.4% |
| Chefs and Head Cooks 35-1011.00 | 1,340 | $64,000 | 95.6% |
| COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYSTS 15-1121 | 1,304 | $114,483 | 92.6% |
| Database Administrators 15-1242.00 | 1,302 | $120,000 | 98.7% |
| Manufacturing Engineers 17-2112.03 | 1,301 | $109,410 | 98.3% |
Browse A to Z
1,410 occupations with a page of their own, by first letter. The full A-Z index gives the count behind each letter.
Comparing an offer?
The salary explorer recomputes the ladder over any occupation, state and year.
Wondering about pace?
A case's speed depends on its filing month, not its wage. The decision activity page carries how much DOL clears each day. Methodology.
FAQs
What is a PERM salary, exactly?
The annual wage an employer committed to on the ETA-9089 filing, as published in the Department of Labor's own disclosure files. It isn't a survey estimate or a self-report: every figure on this page came off a federal filing: every decided case in DOL's published files from FY2024 on.
Why do green-card salaries matter?
A PERM filing must offer at least the prevailing wage DOL determines for the job and place, so these figures show what sponsorship actually pays by occupation. The salary explorer breaks the same data down by state and year.
Filings newer than DOL's last published file aren't in this table: DOL reports the occupation and the wage only when it publishes the decided case. Those cases are on the live list, by employer.
Case data: DOL quarterly disclosure files (flag.dol.gov) · data through Jun 30, 2026 · quarterly
Employers and firms: Derived from the disclosure corpus · data through Aug 26, 2026 · rebuilt with each quarterly ingest
What each source includes
Case data: Decided PERM cases only. A case still waiting isn't in here, so counts and durations describe finished cases.
Employers and firms: Employers, law firms and occupations ranked from decided cases only.
Cite this page
Waiting on a PERM case?
- When it'll likely be decided
- An email when DOL moves it