Prevailing Wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Prevailing wage for Fabrication Operator roles is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data and applies to any H-1B, E-3, or PERM-based green card filing. Press Operators, Die Setters, and Machine Setters all fall under the same SOC code. DOL defines four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts substantially by worksite city.
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Entry-level Fabrication Operators with minimal experience, typically under one year, working under direct supervision on routine machine setups or single-task press operations. DOL classifies this tier as requiring primary supervision and limited independent judgment.
Qualified Press Operators or Machine Setters with one to three years of hands-on experience handling standard setups across multiple machine types. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting typical production-floor proficiency expected by most sponsoring employers.
Experienced Fabrication Operators who independently set up, troubleshoot, and adjust a broad range of cutting, punching, or press equipment. Workers at this level often train junior operators and require minimal supervisory oversight on complex jobs.
Fully competent Die Setters or senior Machine Operators with deep cross-functional expertise, often responsible for process improvement, tooling decisions, and mentoring. Level 4 filings typically reflect lead or specialist roles with significant autonomous responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 Fabrication Operator and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Confirm which machine scope your title covers
Press Brake Operator and Die Setter titles sometimes get filed under adjacent SOC codes for general metalworking. Verify your offer letter title maps to SOC 51-4031 before comparing your salary to the prevailing wage floor for this occupation.
Watch how signing bonuses are treated
DOL requires the prevailing wage to be met through regular wages, not one-time bonuses. A signing bonus amortized across your first year does not count toward satisfying the annual wage floor for a Fabrication Operator LCA filing.
Compare your metro against Midwest and West Coast ranges
Wage floors for press machine roles vary significantly by region. San Jose and Seattle carry floors well above the national median at every level, while markets like Hattiesburg carry floors near the bottom of the national range.
Find sponsors with Migrate Mate's employer history filters
Fabrication Operator and Press Operator sponsorship is concentrated among a smaller set of manufacturers. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored this role before, helping you target companies with an established path rather than guessing.
Jobs for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Fabrication OperatorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-4031.00 alongside Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Die Setter Prevailing Wage
Die Setter Prevailing Wage
Die Setter positions fall under SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Fabrication Operator Prevailing Wage
Fabrication Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Fabrication Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Machine Setter Prevailing Wage
Machine Setter Prevailing Wage
Machine Setter positions fall under SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Press Brake Operator Prevailing Wage
Press Brake Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Press Brake Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Press Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Punch Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Punch Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Punch Press Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Saw Operator Prevailing Wage
Saw Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Saw Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Setup Operator Prevailing Wage
Setup Operator Prevailing Wage
Setup Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Slitter Operator Prevailing Wage
Slitter Operator Prevailing Wage
Slitter Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4031.00 (Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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 a Fabrication Operator?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metro areas nationwide. For SOC 51-4031, the agency calculates four wage levels based on regional survey data for cutting, punching, and press machine occupations. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored Fabrication Operator must offer at least the wage level that matches the position's duties and required experience.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry with direct supervision, Level 2 as qualified with standard independent work, Level 3 as experienced with broad machine proficiency and some training responsibility, and Level 4 as fully competent in a senior or lead capacity. Your level should reflect the actual duties in your job offer, not just your years of experience. The employer is responsible for selecting the correct level on the LCA.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same press machine role differ so much city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so metro labor markets with higher manufacturing wages produce higher floors. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, not the employer's headquarters, so a Die Setter hired in San Jose triggers California wage floors rather than a national average. Dense employer markets and unionized manufacturing regions also push regional survey results higher.
What happens if my job offer is 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 certified level and worksite, the LCA will not be certified by OFLC. Without a certified LCA, the H-1B or PERM petition cannot proceed. Employers who underpay after certification can face back-wage liability and debarment from future sponsorship filings.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Fabrication Operator in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 51-4031 by metro area and wage level. Enter the worksite metro, select the occupation code, and the tool returns the current DOL wage floor for each of the four levels. You can also check the O*NET profile for SOC 51-4031 to confirm the occupation scope matches your role. Migrate Mate lets you filter Fabrication Operator listings by location to identify which employers are actively sponsoring in a given market.
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