Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Computer Occupations, All Other prevailing wage in Paducah, KY-IL
Short answer
For computer occupations, all other in Paducah, KY-IL, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $15.62 an hour at Level 1 ($32,490 a year) to $41.38 an hour at Level 4 ($86,070 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $24.21 ranks 520 of 530 areas and is 34% below the median area ($36.41).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $15.62 | $32,490 | $2,708 | $625 |
| Level 2 | $24.21 | $50,357 | $4,196 | $968 |
| Level 3 | $32.79 | $68,203 | $5,684 | $1,312 |
| Level 4 | $41.38 | $86,070 | $7,173 | $1,655 |
| Published average | $32.88 | $68,390 | $5,699 | $1,315 |
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
$24.21/hr
Prevailing wage for computer occupations, all other in Paducah, KY-IL
Cost with payroll costs
$26.06/hr
$24.21 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$30.66/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 Paducah, KY-IL compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for computer occupations, all other has a median of $36.41 an hour. Paducah, KY-IL is at $24.21, which is 34% below that median and ranks 520 of 530. Inside IL, it ranks 16 of 16 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 165% ($25.76 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $53,580 a year.
Other IL, KY areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $31.90 | $42.86 | $64.79 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $27.91 | $39.83 | $63.67 |
| Kankakee, IL | $27.62 | $39.47 | $63.17 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $30.22 | $38.65 | $55.52 |
| Springfield, IL | $30.00 | $38.37 | $55.12 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $27.91 | $38.36 | $59.25 |
Reading the four levels
In Paducah, KY-IL, moving a computer occupations, all other role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $8.59 an hour (55%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $8.58 (35%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $8.59 (26%). 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 $2,708 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $7,173.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $24.21
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose computer occupations, all other 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 |
|---|---|---|
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $24.23 | +$0.02 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $24.30 | +$0.09 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $23.77 | -$0.44 |
| Cleveland, TN | $24.87 | +$0.66 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $23.33 | -$0.88 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $25.16 | +$0.95 |
IL and this occupation
IL has 16 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for computer occupations, all other is $34.72 an hour, and Paducah, KY-IL is below it. The highest area in IL is Bloomington, IL at $42.86, and the lowest is Paducah, KY-IL at $24.21.
Among IT occupations here
In Paducah, KY-IL, computer occupations, all other ranks 14 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is software developers at $43.88 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $22.32.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $50,357 a year, or $4,196 a month gross, for work in Paducah, KY-IL.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $24.21 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 Paducah, KY-IL
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $24.78 | $32.09 | $46.72 |
| Information Security Analysts | $25.53 | $35.19 | $54.50 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $34.40 | $39.81 | $50.62 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $18.68 | $23.43 | $32.94 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $17.89 | $22.32 | $31.18 |
| Computer Network Architects | $32.29 | $39.05 | $52.56 |
| Database Administrators | $23.13 | $32.00 | $49.75 |
| Database Architects | $30.06 | $41.51 | $64.42 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $23.21 | $30.37 | $44.70 |
| Computer Programmers | $23.39 | $31.40 | $47.42 |
| Software Developers | $34.53 | $43.88 | $62.57 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $27.72 | $34.25 | $47.32 |
| Web Developers | $24.15 | $32.80 | $50.09 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $19.22 | $24.81 | $35.98 |
| Data Scientists | $27.59 | $34.40 | $48.02 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for computer occupations, all other in Paducah, KY-IL?
$15.62, $24.21, $32.79 and $41.38 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $32.88, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Paducah, KY-IL?
$25.76 more an hour, or $53,580 more a year (165% above Level 1).
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