SOC 27-1024 · DOL wage year 2026–27 · FY 2028 lottery
Graphic Designers H-1B wage levels in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
For the maximum 4 lottery entries, the offered salary must be at least $100,672. Level III starts at $83,367, Level II at $66,040 and Level I at $48,735.
What is the H-1B prevailing wage for Graphic Designers in San Diego, CA?
For the 2026–27 wage year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027), the U.S. Department of Labor sets four H-1B prevailing wage levels for Graphic Designers (SOC 27-1024) in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA wage area: Level I is $48,735 a year, Level II $66,040, Level III $83,367 and Level IV $100,672. Under the weighted H-1B lottery, a registration is entered once per wage level, so an offer of $100,672 or more gets four entries, while an offer from $48,735 up to $66,039 gets one. DHS projects selection odds of about 15%, 31%, 46% and 61% for Levels I to IV. Among 100 major H-1B metros, San Diego, CA has the #6 highest Level IV wage for this job, 31% above the median metro ($76,690). The same $66,040 offer that is Level II here reaches Level IV in Des Moines, IA. These figures apply to the FY 2028 registration in March 2027.
| Wage level | Annual salary at least | Hourly | Lottery entries | DHS projected odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level I | $48,735 | $23.43 | 1 | 15.29% |
| Level II | $66,040 | $31.75 | 2 | 30.58% |
| Level III | $83,367 | $40.08 | 3 | 45.87% |
| Level IV | $100,672 | $48.40 | 4 | 61.16% |
Salary ladder
Where each level starts in San Diego, CA
Thresholds here are above the major-metro median, so you need a bigger salary for the same number of entries.
DOL marks this wage with GeoLvl 2: there were too few local survey responses, so the levels are borrowed from a wider geography. They are still the official numbers for this area.
Where a $66,040 offer lands
That's Level II here. For the same job, it reaches a higher level in these major metros.
Other California metros
Frequently asked
What salary gets 4 H-1B lottery entries for Graphic Designers in San Diego, CA?
At least $100,672 a year ($48.40/hour), the DOL OEWS Level IV wage for SOC 27-1024 in this area for 2026–27.
Which counties does this wage area cover?
San Diego County, CA.
Do these numbers apply to the March 2027 registration?
Yes. The FY 2028 registration in March 2027 uses the wage year in effect then, July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Graphic Designers wages in all 530 areas · All occupations in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Learn more: How to legitimately raise your wage level · Lottery level vs. LCA level · FY 2028 registration
Annual salary in U.S. dollars, rounded up. Source: DOL OFLC prevailing wage data, effective July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027, computed directly from the DOL file (methodology). Page updated 2026-10-14.