Prevailing Wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
The prevailing wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers under SOC 51-2031 sets the minimum salary a sponsoring employer must pay to support an H-1B, E-3, or green card petition. DOL publishes four experience-based wage levels for this occupation, covering roles from entry-level Assembler positions to senior Assembly Line Worker roles, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city.
See all jobs for this roleLook up your work address
Level 1 covers entry-level assemblers with limited experience, typically performing routine tasks under close supervision. Workers at this stage follow established procedures and have minimal decision-making authority. Most employers file Level 1 for new hires straight out of a training program or with under two years in the occupation.
Level 2 applies to qualified assemblers with a working grasp of standard assembly methods and some independent judgment. This is the most common filing level for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers, reflecting the large share of mid-career workers who follow procedures but handle routine troubleshooting without direct oversight.
Level 3 covers experienced assemblers who apply advanced technical knowledge, handle complex equipment configurations, and may guide junior staff. Workers at this level typically bring several years of hands-on experience with engines, turbines, or similar industrial machinery and operate with considerable autonomy.
Level 4 applies to fully competent assemblers in senior or lead roles, setting methods, resolving difficult assembly problems, and taking responsibility for quality outcomes across a production line or team. Employers filing Level 4 petitions are sponsoring workers whose expertise is central to operational output.
Prevailing Wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers 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 this role
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
Confirm your title maps to SOC 51-2031
Job titles like Cell Technician, Engine Builder, and Field Service Technician can get filed under maintenance or repair SOC codes instead of 51-2031, setting a different wage floor. Verify your offer letter title against the LCA's listed SOC before accepting.
Watch the Toledo and Hartford wage compression trap
Some Midwest and Northeast industrial markets show compressed wage bands where Level 1 and Level 4 sit unusually close together. An offer at the stated floor may leave little room for advancement without triggering a new LCA, so factor that into your negotiation early.
Find sponsors with assembly hiring history on Migrate Mate
Engine and machine assembly sponsorship is concentrated among a small set of industrial manufacturers. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored assembler and machine-builder roles before, so you can focus applications on companies with a real track record rather than guessing.
Account for shift differentials excluded from the wage floor
Shift premiums, tool allowances, and production bonuses are common in assembly roles but are typically excluded from the prevailing wage calculation. Confirm that your base hourly rate, annualized, clears the DOL floor before adding any variable pay components.
Jobs for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-2031.00 alongside Engine and Other Machine Assemblers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Assembler Prevailing Wage
Assembler Prevailing Wage
Assembler positions fall under SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Assembly Line Worker Prevailing Wage
Assembly Line Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Assembly Line Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Cell Technician Prevailing Wage
Cell Technician Prevailing Wage
Cell Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Engine Assembler Prevailing Wage
Engine Assembler Prevailing Wage
Engine Assembler positions fall under SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Engine Builder Prevailing Wage
Engine Builder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Engine Builder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Field Service Technician Prevailing Wage
Field Service Technician Prevailing Wage
Field Service Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Fitter Prevailing Wage
Fitter Prevailing Wage
Fitter positions fall under SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Large Engine Assembler Prevailing Wage
Large Engine Assembler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Large Engine Assembler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Machine Assembler Prevailing Wage
Machine Assembler Prevailing Wage
Machine Assembler is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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.
Mechanical Assembler Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Assembler Prevailing Wage
Mechanical Assembler positions fall under SOC 51-2031.00 (Engine and Other Machine Assemblers). 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 Engine and Other Machine Assemblers?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through regional employer surveys. For Engine and Other Machine Assemblers under SOC 51-2031, OFLC maps those survey results to four wage levels. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the level that matches the worker's actual experience and job duties at the specific worksite.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels reflect experience and supervisory scope. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified and independent on routine tasks; Level 3 is experienced with advanced responsibilities; Level 4 is fully competent, often in a lead or senior capacity. Your level should match the actual duties in your job description, not just your years of experience. If your offer lists a level that understates your responsibilities, the stated wage floor may be artificially low.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much between cities?
OFLC derives wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local employer pay practices. Cities with heavy industrial manufacturing, aerospace, or energy-sector employers tend to report higher assembly wages, while smaller metro markets with lower costs of living report lower floors. The LCA must list the actual worksite, so the wage floor that applies is always the one for the city where you will physically work, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
A certified LCA requires the employer to attest they will pay at least the prevailing wage for the listed level and worksite. If the offered salary falls below that floor, the LCA cannot be lawfully certified and USCIS will not approve the visa petition. In practice, employers must either raise the offered salary to meet the floor, file at a lower wage level if the duties genuinely support it, or choose a different worksite with a lower prevailing wage.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up current DOL prevailing wages by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC 51-2031 and the metro area that matches your worksite to see all four wage levels. You can also cross-reference BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for the same region. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers in your target city have an active sponsorship history for assembler and machine-builder roles.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Engine and Other Machine Assemblers right now.
Search Jobs for this role