Prevailing Wage for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
Prevailing wage for Automation Technician roles under SOC 17-3024 is set by the DOL using regional wage surveys, so the floor your employer must meet depends on where the work is performed. Whether you're filing as an Electro-Mechanic, an EM Technician, or under any other alias, DOL assigns one of four experience levels, each carrying a different wage floor.
See all jobs for Automation TechnicianLook up your work address
Entry-level Automation Technicians with limited experience, typically working under direct supervision on routine electromechanical tasks. This level applies to candidates new to the occupation or transitioning from a closely related technical role with minimal hands-on time.
Qualified technicians with moderate experience performing standard electromechanical and mechatronics work with some independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, covering technicians who handle routine diagnostics, maintenance, and equipment adjustments without constant oversight.
Experienced Automation Technicians who independently troubleshoot complex electromechanical systems, may mentor junior staff, and regularly handle non-routine equipment failures or integration tasks. Employers typically file at Level 3 for candidates with several years of progressively responsible field experience.
Fully competent senior technicians or lead roles with broad autonomy, including responsibility for system design input, cross-functional coordination, or oversight of automated or robotic equipment programs. Level 4 filings typically reflect specialists in advanced mechatronics, drone operations, or autonomous systems.
Prevailing Wage for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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
See all jobs for Automation Technician
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Automation Technician and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
Verify your worksite city not your employer HQ
Prevailing wage for Automation Technicians is tied to the physical worksite on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters. A technician deployed to a field site or remote facility in a low-wage metro can fall under a significantly lower floor than the company's home city.
Watch for title aliasing under the wrong SOC
Titles like Electronics Technician or Mechanical Technician sometimes get filed under a different SOC with a lower prevailing wage. Confirm your employer's LCA cites SOC 17-3024 specifically, since a misfiled occupation code can set an artificially low floor for your offer.
Account for the Bridgeport-to-Hickory wage spread
The L2 floor in Bridgeport, CT is roughly double the L2 floor in Hickory, NC for this exact occupation. If you receive offers in both markets, the raw salary numbers are not directly comparable without adjusting for the prevailing wage floor in each location.
Find employers sponsoring Automation Technicians on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters visa-sponsored roles by occupation and shows which employers have a sponsorship history for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technicians specifically, so you can target companies that have filed in this SOC before rather than guessing from job titles.
Jobs for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Automation TechnicianPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 17-3024.00 alongside Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Automation Technician (Automation Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automation Technician (Automation Tech) Prevailing Wage
Automation Technician (Automation Tech) positions fall under SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Electro-Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Electro-Mechanic Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Electro-Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Electromechanical Assembler (EM Assembler) Prevailing Wage
Electromechanical Assembler (EM Assembler) Prevailing Wage
Electromechanical Assembler (EM Assembler) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Electromechanical Technician (EM Technician) Prevailing Wage
Electromechanical Technician (EM Technician) Prevailing Wage
Electromechanical Technician (EM Technician) positions fall under SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Electronics Technician (Electronics Tech) Prevailing Wage
Electronics Technician (Electronics Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Electronics Technician (Electronics Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech) Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech) Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Process Control Tech Prevailing Wage
Process Control Tech Prevailing Wage
Process Control Tech positions fall under SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Product Test Specialist Prevailing Wage
Product Test Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Product Test Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Test Engineering Technician (Test Engineering Tech) Prevailing Wage
Test Engineering Technician (Test Engineering Tech) Prevailing Wage
Test Engineering Technician (Test Engineering Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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.
Test Technician (Test Tech) Prevailing Wage
Test Technician (Test Tech) Prevailing Wage
Test Technician (Test Tech) positions fall under SOC 17-3024.00 (Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and 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 the DOL set the prevailing wage for Automation Technician roles?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 17-3024, OFLC applies those regional survey results to assign four wage levels. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored Automation Technician must offer at least the level that matches the position's experience and supervisory requirements.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified technicians performing standard tasks with some independence. Level 3 covers experienced technicians who handle complex or non-routine work. Level 4 applies to senior or lead roles with broad autonomy. Your level is determined by the job duties, supervisory structure, and complexity described in the LCA, not your years of experience alone.
Why does prevailing wage for the same Automation Technician role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses area-specific OES survey data for each metropolitan statistical area, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a national average. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, and the prevailing wage is drawn from that area's data. Dense employer markets and high costs of living in metros like San Francisco or Seattle push regional floors substantially above rural or lower-cost markets.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Automation Technician position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage floor. Without a certified LCA, neither H-1B nor E-3 petitions can proceed. USCIS also reviews wage compliance during adjudication. If an underpayment is discovered after approval, the employer faces back-wage liability and potential debarment from future sponsorships.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Automation Technician role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search, which lets you look up SOC 17-3024 by metropolitan area and wage level. Select the area matching the actual worksite, choose the correct wage level for the position, and compare the result to your offer. You can also cross-reference O*NET for occupational details that help confirm the correct SOC code applies to your specific duties.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians right now.
Search Jobs for Automation Technician