Prevailing Wage for Chemical Technicians
Prevailing wage for Chemical Technicians (SOC 19-4031) is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected across hundreds of U.S. metro areas. Whether your offer letter says Chemical Analyst, Laboratory Technician, or Analytical Laboratory Technician, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level Chemical Technicians with little or no directly related experience, typically performing routine laboratory tests under close supervision. Workers at this level follow established procedures with limited independent judgment and are building foundational skills in chemical analysis.
Qualified technicians with some relevant experience who work with moderate supervision and handle a defined range of lab tasks independently. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Chemical Technicians because it reflects a working professional who has moved past the training stage.
Experienced Chemical Technicians who operate with significant independence, may oversee junior staff or lab workflows, and apply advanced analytical methods. Employers typically file at Level 3 for senior lab analyst or lead technician roles requiring specialized instrumentation knowledge.
Fully competent Chemical Technicians at the top of the occupation range, exercising broad discretion over laboratory operations, methods development, or quality systems. Level 4 filings are typical for senior positions with supervisory authority or expert-level responsibilities in process or regulatory compliance.
Prevailing Wage for Chemical 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 Chemical Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your title maps to SOC 19-4031
Job titles like Lab Analyst, Organic Prep Analyst, and Laboratory Tester all map to SOC 19-4031. If your offer letter uses a hybrid title straddling chemist and technician duties, confirm the LCA cites this SOC or the prevailing wage floor used could be wrong.
Watch the Louisiana and Alabama wage gap
Petrochemical-heavy metros like Baton Rouge and Lake Charles post L2 and L3 wages for Chemical Technicians well above the national median. If your offer is in one of these markets but wages align only with national figures, the LCA may be undervaluing the position.
Exclude bonuses when comparing to the floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance for Chemical Technicians is measured against base salary alone. Signing bonuses, shift differentials, and lab performance incentives do not count toward meeting the wage floor on the certified LCA.
Search Chemical Technicians sponsors on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate lists Chemical Technicians roles from employers with verified H-1B and E-3 sponsorship history, so you can see which labs, manufacturers, and testing firms have actually sponsored this occupation before applying.
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Find Jobs for Chemical TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-4031.00 alongside Chemical Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Analytical Laboratory Technician (Analytical Lab Technician) Prevailing Wage
Analytical Laboratory Technician (Analytical Lab Technician) Prevailing Wage
Analytical Laboratory Technician (Analytical Lab Technician) positions fall under SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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.
Chemical Analyst Prevailing Wage
Chemical Analyst Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Chemical Analyst for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst) Prevailing Wage
Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst) Prevailing Wage
Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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.
Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech) Prevailing Wage
Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech) Prevailing Wage
Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech) positions fall under SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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.
Laboratory Tester (Lab Tester) Prevailing Wage
Laboratory Tester (Lab Tester) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Laboratory Tester (Lab Tester) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Organic Preparation Analyst (Organic Prep Analyst) Prevailing Wage
Organic Preparation Analyst (Organic Prep Analyst) Prevailing Wage
Organic Preparation Analyst (Organic Prep Analyst) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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.
Quality Control Laboratory Technician (QC Lab Tech) Prevailing Wage
Quality Control Laboratory Technician (QC Lab Tech) Prevailing Wage
Quality Control Laboratory Technician (QC Lab Tech) positions fall under SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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.
Quality Control Technician (QC Tech) Prevailing Wage
Quality Control Technician (QC Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Quality Control Technician (QC Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Research Technician Prevailing Wage
Research Technician Prevailing Wage
Research Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4031.00 (Chemical 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 Chemical Technicians?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Chemical Technicians using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metro areas nationwide. The OFLC publishes four wage levels derived from that survey data. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored Chemical Technician must certify they will pay at or above the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four DOL levels reflect experience and supervision. Level 1 covers entry-level work under close oversight. Level 2 applies to qualified technicians with moderate independence. Level 3 is for experienced professionals with significant autonomy or specialization. Level 4 covers fully competent senior or lead roles. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision described in the job offer, not just the title.
Why does the same Chemical Technicians role pay so differently from city to city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so local labor markets set the floor. A Chemical Analyst position in Baton Rouge, which has a dense petrochemical industry employer base, will have a higher prevailing wage than the same role in a smaller or lower-cost metro. Because the LCA must list the actual worksite, the wage floor follows the work location, not the employer's headquarters.
What happens if a sponsored offer is below the prevailing wage floor?
An LCA certifying a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for that level and location will not survive OFLC review and cannot be approved. If the error surfaces after certification, USCIS can deny the associated H-1B or E-3 petition. The employer must bring the offered wage into compliance before the petition can proceed. DOL and USCIS both treat prevailing wage violations as serious compliance failures with back-pay liability.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific Chemical Technicians location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 19-4031 for any metro area where the job is located. Select the correct wage level based on the role's experience requirements. Cross-check with BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for the same area. For finding employers who have actually sponsored Chemical Technicians, Migrate Mate lets you filter by role and location to see sponsorship history by company.
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