Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Computer Network Support Specialists prevailing wage in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Short answer
For computer network support specialists in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $27.69 an hour at Level 1 ($57,595 a year) to $46.95 an hour at Level 4 ($97,656 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $34.11 ranks 52 of 530 areas and is 20% above the median area ($28.41).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $27.69 | $57,595 | $4,800 | $1,108 |
| Level 2 | $34.11 | $70,949 | $5,912 | $1,364 |
| Level 3 | $40.53 | $84,302 | $7,025 | $1,621 |
| Level 4 | $46.95 | $97,656 | $8,138 | $1,878 |
| Published average | $40.60 | $84,448 | $7,037 | $1,624 |
Annual = hourly x 2080 hours, the convention DOL uses. Weekly = hourly x 40. Gross pay before tax. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), prevailing wage data, wage year 2025-26.
Minimum bill rate calculator
Start from the prevailing wage for this area, add your payroll costs and a margin.
Minimum wage
$34.11/hr
Prevailing wage for computer network support specialists in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
Cost with payroll costs
$36.72/hr
$34.11 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$43.20/hr
Cost divided by 0.85
Assumes the consultant is paid the prevailing wage for every billed hour, with no bench pay or other costs. Real pay is usually above the minimum. General information, not legal advice.
How Amherst Town-Northampton, MA compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for computer network support specialists has a median of $28.41 an hour. Amherst Town-Northampton, MA is at $34.11, which is 20% above that median and ranks 52 of 530. Inside MA, it ranks 6 of 8 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 70% ($19.26 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $40,061 a year.
Other MA areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $30.56 | $37.63 | $51.76 |
| Worcester, MA | $30.24 | $37.32 | $51.48 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $29.34 | $36.66 | $51.29 |
| Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | $29.25 | $36.55 | $51.15 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $27.40 | $34.89 | $49.88 |
| Springfield, MA | $28.02 | $33.77 | $45.26 |
Reading the four levels
In Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, moving a computer network support specialists role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $6.42 an hour (23%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $6.42 (19%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $6.42 (16%). The biggest steps come at the senior end, so a role filed one level too low saves more on paper than it would at the entry end. At Level 1 the minimum is $4,800 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $8,138.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $34.11
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose computer network support specialists Level 2 wage is nearest to this one. Use them when a requirement could be worked from several places and you want the wage floor to stay about the same.
| Area | Level 2 per hour | Difference from here |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $34.14 | +$0.03 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34.08 | -$0.03 |
| Rome, GA | $34.18 | +$0.07 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $34.04 | -$0.07 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $34.03 | -$0.08 |
| Vallejo, CA | $34.02 | -$0.09 |
MA and this occupation
MA has 8 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for computer network support specialists is $35.72 an hour, and Amherst Town-Northampton, MA is below it. The highest area in MA is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $37.63, and the lowest is Pittsfield, MA at $32.29.
Among IT occupations here
In Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, computer network support specialists ranks 15 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is computer and information research scientists at $61.20 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $27.54.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $70,949 a year, or $5,912 a month gross, for work in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $34.11 an hour in the W2 burden rate calculator and the markup and margin calculator.
Which level applies, and what an LCA means, is explained on the prevailing wage guide. Not legal advice.
Other occupations in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $37.14 | $44.69 | $59.80 |
| Information Security Analysts | $35.01 | $45.08 | $65.22 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $51.21 | $61.20 | $81.18 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $23.13 | $27.54 | $36.35 |
| Computer Network Architects | $42.36 | $51.20 | $68.89 |
| Database Administrators | $28.01 | $35.44 | $50.31 |
| Database Architects | $51.60 | $60.94 | $79.62 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $35.40 | $40.54 | $50.81 |
| Computer Programmers | $28.63 | $34.46 | $46.11 |
| Software Developers | $43.21 | $52.49 | $71.05 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $29.79 | $37.44 | $52.75 |
| Web Developers | $29.24 | $37.03 | $52.62 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $28.30 | $38.63 | $59.28 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $28.40 | $37.16 | $54.68 |
| Data Scientists | $31.15 | $43.06 | $66.88 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for computer network support specialists in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
$27.69, $34.11, $40.53 and $46.95 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $40.60, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?
$19.26 more an hour, or $40,061 more a year (70% above Level 1).
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