Prevailing Wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (SOC 49-3023) are covered by DOL prevailing wage rules for H-1B, E-3, and green card sponsorship. Whether your title is Automotive Mechanic (Auto Mechanic), Automotive Technician (Auto Tech), or Diagnostic Technician (Diagnostic Tech), DOL sets four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level technicians with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine maintenance and basic repairs under direct supervision. Employers filing at this level are expected to provide on-the-job training and structured oversight throughout the role.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for automotive service technicians. It applies to qualified technicians who independently handle standard diagnostics, repairs, and service work with minimal supervision, drawing on solid shop experience across multiple vehicle systems.
Level 3 applies to experienced technicians who handle complex diagnostics, advanced repairs, and specialty work with significant autonomy. These professionals typically mentor junior staff, interpret technical service bulletins, and resolve issues that go beyond standard repair procedures.
Level 4 covers fully competent senior technicians or lead mechanics who take responsibility for the most demanding diagnostic and repair work, set shop standards, train others, and may coordinate workflow or quality assurance across a service team.
Prevailing Wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 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.
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Confirm your worksite state before comparing wages
Prevailing wage floors for automotive technicians vary sharply between metro areas. San Jose and San Francisco post significantly higher floors than Puerto Rico metros. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so confirm the shop location before evaluating any offer.
Watch for bonus structures that inflate apparent pay
Some dealerships and fleet operators offset lower base wages with flat-rate production bonuses or signing bonuses. DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only guaranteed wages, so confirm the base salary alone clears the applicable level floor before accepting an offer.
Check whether your title routes to the correct SOC code
Titles like Heavy Line Technician or Automotive Drivability Technician are documented O*NET alternates for SOC 49-3023. If an employer files your LCA under a different SOC, the prevailing wage floor changes. Verify the SOC code on your Labor Condition Application matches 49-3023.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Dealership groups and fleet service operators vary widely in H-1B and green card filing history. Migrate Mate shows which employers have actually sponsored automotive technician roles before, so you can prioritize companies with a proven track record over first-time sponsors.
Jobs for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-3023.00 alongside Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Automotive Drivability Technician (Auto Drivability Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Drivability Technician (Auto Drivability Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Drivability Technician (Auto Drivability Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Automotive Mechanic (Auto Mechanic) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Mechanic (Auto Mechanic) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Automotive Mechanic (Auto Mechanic) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Automotive Service Technician (Auto Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Service Technician (Auto Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Service Technician (Auto Service Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Automotive Technician (Auto Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Technician (Auto Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automotive Technician (Auto Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Diagnostic Technician (Diagnostic Tech) Prevailing Wage
Diagnostic Technician (Diagnostic Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Diagnostic Technician (Diagnostic Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Heavy Line Technician (Heavy Line Tech) Prevailing Wage
Heavy Line Technician (Heavy Line Tech) Prevailing Wage
Heavy Line Technician (Heavy Line Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Lube Tech (Lubrication Technician) Prevailing Wage
Lube Tech (Lubrication Technician) Prevailing Wage
Lube Tech (Lubrication Technician) positions fall under SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Mechanic Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Quick Service Technician (Quick Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Quick Service Technician (Quick Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Quick Service Technician (Quick Service Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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.
Service Technician (Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Service Technician (Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Service Technician (Service Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-3023.00 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics). 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 automotive service technicians?
DOL draws on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across more than 530 geographic areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels tied to experience and complexity. Employers sponsoring a technician on an H-1B, E-3, or PERM green card must pay at least the level that matches the role as described in the Labor Condition Application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified technicians working independently on standard repairs, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced technicians handling complex diagnostics with significant autonomy. Level 4 applies to fully competent senior or lead technicians. Your level should reflect the actual duties and supervision in the job description, not just your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same technician role differ so much by city?
DOL calculates wages separately for each metropolitan statistical area using regional OES survey data, which captures local labor market conditions. A shop in San Jose operates in a higher-cost labor market than one in a rural Southern metro, so the floor reflects that difference. The LCA worksite rule requires the employer to use the wage for the location where work is actually performed, not where the company is headquartered. Dense urban markets with high living costs consistently produce higher wage floors.
What happens if an employer offers below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS and DOL both review LCA compliance. If the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the filed level and location, OFLC can refuse to certify the LCA, blocking the visa petition. If a violation is discovered after filing, DOL can pursue back-wage liability and bar the employer from future sponsorship. For the worker, an uncertified or revoked LCA means the underlying visa petition fails.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific city?
The most direct method is the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up the current four-level wages for SOC 49-3023 in any covered metro area. Enter the occupation code and select the metropolitan statistical area that matches your worksite. Cross-check against recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have actually filed for automotive technician roles in that location. Migrate Mate can also help you identify which employers in a target city have a history of sponsoring this role.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics right now.
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