Ask for an estimate based on the actual records and preparation needed. Government charges depend on the procedure and applicable fee rules; employer size or status can affect certain USCIS petition fees. Do not assume an admission application and a USCIS petition carry identical charges.
Budget for extra preparation time, not different fees
Confirm the current official charges for the chosen procedure and this petitioner’s circumstances. Keep those charges separate from work needed to obtain missing records or revise an inaccurate letter. A first-time employer is not automatically a more expensive case; scope the work that actually exists.
The larger costs are the state licensure application and its verifications, the credentialing organization's certification fee, examinations where required, and courier and translation charges. The private costs are the same either way: certified translations of the diploma and transcript, a credential evaluation if the degree is foreign, and any advisory fee for preparing the letter and package. Ask the employer in writing, before the trip, who carries each of those costs and whether the travel is being requested by the company or merely permitted — the answer often changes once it has to be written down.