Prevailing wage, wage year 2025-26
Information Security Analysts prevailing wage in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Short answer
For information security analysts in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area, the U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage runs from $28.76 an hour at Level 1 ($59,821 a year) to $65.20 an hour at Level 4 ($135,616 a year), wage year 2025-26. The Level 2 wage of $40.91 ranks 358 of 530 areas and is 5% below the median area ($43.20).
Wage by level
| Wage level | Per hour | Per year | Per month | Per week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $28.76 | $59,821 | $4,985 | $1,150 |
| Level 2 | $40.91 | $85,093 | $7,091 | $1,636 |
| Level 3 | $53.05 | $110,344 | $9,195 | $2,122 |
| Level 4 | $65.20 | $135,616 | $11,301 | $2,608 |
| Published average | $53.18 | $110,614 | $9,218 | $2,127 |
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
$40.91/hr
Prevailing wage for information security analysts in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
Cost with payroll costs
$44.04/hr
$40.91 plus 7.65%
Bill rate for the margin
$51.81/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 Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area compares
Across 530 areas, the Level 2 wage for information security analysts has a median of $43.20 an hour. Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area is at $40.91, which is 5% below that median and ranks 358 of 530. Inside VA, it ranks 14 of 15 areas. The gap between Level 1 and Level 4 here is 127% ($36.44 an hour), so the level a job is filed at changes the minimum pay by about $75,795 a year.
Other VA areas for the same occupation
| Area | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47.84 | $59.13 | $81.72 |
| Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $40.11 | $50.29 | $70.64 |
| Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $40.55 | $49.43 | $67.20 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $39.15 | $49.16 | $69.18 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $38.68 | $48.92 | $69.40 |
| Richmond, VA | $38.03 | $48.69 | $70.01 |
Reading the four levels
In Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area, moving a information security analysts role from Level 1 to Level 2 adds $12.15 an hour (42%), from Level 2 to Level 3 adds $12.14 (30%), and from Level 3 to Level 4 adds $12.15 (23%). 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 $4,985 a month gross; at Level 4 it is $11,301.
Areas with a Level 2 wage close to $40.91
These are the 6 areas anywhere in the country whose information security analysts 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $40.91 | +$0.00 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $40.90 | -$0.01 |
| Peoria, IL | $40.90 | -$0.01 |
| Albany, GA | $40.95 | +$0.04 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $40.95 | +$0.04 |
| Toledo, OH | $40.85 | -$0.06 |
VA and this occupation
VA has 15 areas in the data. The state median Level 2 wage for information security analysts is $44.61 an hour, and Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area is below it. The highest area in VA is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $59.13, and the lowest is Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA at $39.42.
Among IT occupations here
In Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area, information security analysts ranks 7 of 16 IT occupations by Level 2 wage. The highest is database architects at $69.61 an hour and the lowest is computer user support specialists at $21.65.
What this means for your desk
- At Level 2 the consultant must be paid at least $85,093 a year, or $7,091 a month gross, for work in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area.
- Your bill rate must cover that wage plus payroll costs and margin: try $40.91 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 Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area
| Occupation | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Analysts | $27.60 | $37.33 | $56.80 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $49.99 | $63.27 | $89.82 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $22.91 | $29.64 | $43.11 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $17.26 | $21.65 | $30.44 |
| Computer Network Architects | $32.23 | $41.82 | $60.99 |
| Database Administrators | $29.68 | $42.14 | $67.05 |
| Database Architects | $62.97 | $69.61 | $82.89 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $27.47 | $34.56 | $48.75 |
| Computer Programmers | $27.40 | $36.21 | $53.82 |
| Software Developers | $36.31 | $46.41 | $66.60 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | $31.73 | $39.39 | $54.72 |
| Web Developers | $28.10 | $37.36 | $55.89 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designers | $21.92 | $29.59 | $44.92 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $22.82 | $32.38 | $51.50 |
| Data Scientists | $32.70 | $42.06 | $60.77 |
Questions
What is the prevailing wage for information security analysts in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area?
$28.76, $40.91, $53.05 and $65.20 an hour for Levels 1 to 4, with a published average of $53.18, in wage year 2025-26. Multiply by 2080 hours for the annual figure.
How much more does Level 4 pay than Level 1 in Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area?
$36.44 more an hour, or $75,795 more a year (127% above Level 1).
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