Prevailing Wage for Avionics Technicians
Prevailing wage for Avionics Technicians (SOC 49-2091) sets the minimum DOL-mandated pay floor that U.S. employers must meet before sponsoring an Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist, Aviation Electronics Technician, or similar role on an H-1B, E-3, or green card petition. DOL defines four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on which U.S. city the worksite is located in.
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Entry-level avionics technicians with limited hands-on experience, typically working under direct supervision on routine inspection and adjustment tasks. Candidates recently completing technical training programs or transitioning from related electrical or maintenance roles often file at this level.
The most common filing level for Avionics Technicians. Qualified technicians with one to three years of relevant experience who perform standard avionics repairs, system tests, and calibrations with moderate supervision fall into this tier.
Experienced technicians who independently diagnose and repair complex avionics systems, including radar, navigation, and missile control equipment, with minimal supervision. Candidates with four or more years of progressively responsible experience typically qualify at this level.
Fully competent senior avionics professionals with deep specialization, often in lead or training roles. These technicians handle the most technically demanding systems, develop maintenance procedures, and may oversee junior staff across avionics shops or flight-line operations.
Prevailing Wage for Avionics 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 Avionics Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Avionics Technicians
Confirm your worksite matches your LCA location
Avionics technicians often rotate between hangars, MRO facilities, and flight-line worksites across different airports. Each worksite location on the LCA must reflect where you actually work, since prevailing wages vary substantially between nearby metro areas.
Watch how signing bonuses are treated in wage calculations
Some aerospace and MRO employers structure compensation with front-loaded signing bonuses that do not count toward the prevailing wage calculation. Confirm that your base annual salary alone clears the DOL floor for your level and worksite city.
Benchmark against high-concentration avionics metros
Prevailing wages for Aviation Electrical Technicians vary by a wide margin across top-hiring metros. San Francisco and Baltimore set significantly higher floors than mid-tier markets, so comparing your offer to the correct worksite metro is essential before accepting.
Use Migrate Mate to identify active avionics sponsors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented history of sponsoring Avionics Technicians, including H-1B and E-3 filings. Filtering by this sponsorship history helps you prioritize employers already familiar with the LCA and prevailing wage process for this occupation.
Jobs for Avionics Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Avionics TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-2091.00 alongside Avionics Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Electrical Systems Specialist positions fall under SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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 Technician Prevailing Wage
Aircraft Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Aircraft Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Aviation Electrical Technician Prevailing Wage
Aviation Electrical Technician Prevailing Wage
Aviation Electrical Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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.
Aviation Electronics Technician Prevailing Wage
Aviation Electronics Technician Prevailing Wage
Aviation Electronics Technician positions fall under SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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.
Avionics Electronics Technician Prevailing Wage
Avionics Electronics Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Avionics Electronics Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Avionics Installer Prevailing Wage
Avionics Installer Prevailing Wage
Avionics Installer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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.
Avionics Systems Integration Specialist Prevailing Wage
Avionics Systems Integration Specialist Prevailing Wage
Avionics Systems Integration Specialist positions fall under SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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.
Avionics Technician (Avionics Tech) Prevailing Wage
Avionics Technician (Avionics Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Avionics Technician (Avionics Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Electronic Technician Prevailing Wage
Electronic Technician Prevailing Wage
Electronic Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2091.00 (Avionics 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Avionics Technicians?
DOL sets prevailing wages for Avionics Technicians using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC maps the occupation to SOC code 49-2091 and publishes four wage levels based on experience and supervision. Employers sponsoring an H-1B or PERM petition must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable DOL level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience and independence: Level 1 is entry-level under close supervision, Level 2 is qualified with routine independent work, Level 3 is experienced with complex assignments and limited oversight, and Level 4 is fully competent in a senior or lead capacity. Your employer selects the level on the LCA based on the actual duties and supervision structure of the offered position, not your total years in the industry.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same avionics role differ so much between cities?
OFLC calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local labor market rates for each metro area. The wage on an LCA must correspond to the specific worksite where the work is performed, not the employer's headquarters. Dense aerospace markets like San Francisco and Seattle reflect higher local compensation norms, while smaller or lower-cost metro areas produce lower floors for identical job duties.
What happens if an employer's offer falls below the DOL prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot legally certify an LCA at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite. If the offered salary is below the floor, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and USCIS will not approve the H-1B petition without a certified LCA. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet the floor or reclassify the position to a level whose floor the salary does clear.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Avionics Technicians role in a specific U.S. city?
You can look up the wage for any metro area using the OFLC Wage Search, which lets you search by SOC code 49-2091 and select the specific metropolitan statistical area matching your worksite. To find employers who have already sponsored Avionics Technicians positions, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location and shows each employer's historical visa sponsorship activity.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Avionics Technicians right now.
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