Prevailing Wage for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
The prevailing wage for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (SOC 49-3011) sets the minimum DOL-required salary an H-1B, E-3, or green card sponsor must pay. Whether the position is titled Aircraft Maintainer, Aircraft Maintenance Technician, or Aircraft Technician, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts substantially by city.
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Entry-level Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians with limited experience performing routine inspections and maintenance tasks under close supervision. Typically recent graduates or candidates new to FAA-certificated maintenance environments with fewer than two years in the occupation.
Qualified technicians with moderate experience who perform standard maintenance, overhaul, and troubleshooting with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, reflecting the journey-level competency most employers require for direct hire.
Experienced mechanics who handle complex diagnostics, systems overhaul, and may informally guide junior staff. These professionals typically bring five or more years of hands-on airframe or powerplant experience and work with minimal supervision on a broad range of aircraft systems.
Fully competent senior technicians or leads with specialized expertise, often holding multiple FAA ratings, overseeing maintenance programs or acting as technical authorities. Employers filing at Level 4 typically require advanced systems knowledge and formal supervisory or quality-assurance responsibilities.
Prevailing Wage for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
Verify which FAA rating your offer reflects
Airframe-only, powerplant-only, and combined A&P roles often carry different prevailing wage floors even under the same SOC code. Confirm your offer letter specifies the rating scope before your employer files the LCA, since a mismatch can trigger a wage deficiency.
Watch for low-wage metros near major aviation hubs
Some smaller metros adjacent to hub airports, such as Hot Springs, AR, carry prevailing wage floors well below the national median. If your actual worksite is at a different airport, the LCA must list that worksite city, not the employer's headquarters address.
Understand how shift differentials affect wage compliance
For Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, night-shift and weekend differentials are common but do not count toward the required wage floor unless paid as base salary. Overtime premiums and per-diem allowances are similarly excluded from the prevailing wage calculation.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
MRO stations and airline maintenance divisions vary widely in sponsorship activity. Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, so you can focus applications on companies with a demonstrated track record rather than guessing.
Jobs for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-3011.00 alongside Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Aircraft Maintainer Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Maintainer Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Maintainer positions fall under SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech) Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Aircraft Maintenance Technician (Aircraft Maintenance Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Aircraft Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Mechanic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Aircraft Restorer Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Restorer Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Restorer positions fall under SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Aircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Aircraft Service Technician (Aircraft Service Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech) Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech) Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Technician (Aircraft Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic) Prevailing Wage
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic) Prevailing Wage
Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A and P Mechanic) positions fall under SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Prevailing Wage
Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Aviation Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Aviation Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Aviation Mechanic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Helicopter Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Helicopter Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Helicopter Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-3011.00 (Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians, DOL maps reported wages to SOC 49-3011 and divides them into four levels based on percentile thresholds. Employers filing an LCA for H-1B or E-3 sponsorship must pay at least the DOL-determined wage for the relevant level and worksite.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level candidates under close supervision, Level 2 reflects qualified journey-level work, Level 3 applies to experienced technicians with significant independent responsibility, and Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead roles. Your level is determined by the duties and supervision described in the LCA, not your years of experience alone. Review the job duties statement your employer submits to OFLC to confirm the level matches your actual responsibilities.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much between cities?
DOL uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions. A dense aviation market like New York or San Jose drives up survey wages because employers compete for a limited pool of certificated technicians. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, not the employer's billing address, so the prevailing wage applied is always the rate for the city where you will physically perform maintenance work.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor. If the offered salary is insufficient, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and the visa petition cannot proceed. For existing H-1B holders, paying below the certified LCA wage during employment creates compliance liability for the employer, including potential back-wage obligations and debarment. USCIS and DOL treat the LCA wage commitment as a binding obligation for the duration of the sponsorship.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians in a specific U.S. city?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you enter SOC 49-3011 and a specific metropolitan area to retrieve the four-level wage table DOL uses for LCA certification. Cross-reference results with Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational wage data for the same area to confirm consistency. Migrate Mate lists sponsored Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians roles and shows which employers have historically filed sponsorships, giving you a practical starting point for identifying companies in your target market before you negotiate.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians right now.
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