Prevailing Wage for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
The DOL prevailing wage for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer can offer a sponsored candidate. DOL divides this occupation into four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on where the job is located.
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Level 1 covers entry-level engineering technicians who are beginning to apply technical knowledge under close supervision. Candidates typically hold a relevant associate or bachelor's degree with limited hands-on field or lab experience and handle routine, well-defined technical tasks.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation. It applies to qualified technicians with moderate experience who work with some independence, interpret technical specifications, and support engineering projects without requiring constant supervision.
Level 3 applies to experienced engineering technicians who manage complex technical assignments, coordinate with engineering staff across multiple project phases, and may informally guide junior technicians. Candidates at this level typically have several years of demonstrated specialty experience.
Level 4 reflects full technical competency. These senior technicians lead technical operations, serve as a primary subject-matter resource for their team, and may oversee project implementation. Independent judgment and a broad skill set across technical disciplines are expected.
Prevailing Wage for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other 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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Watch for agency-to-client worksite mismatches
Engineering technicians placed by staffing agencies often work at a client site in a different metro. DOL requires the LCA wage to reflect the actual worksite city, not the agency's headquarters, so an offer based on the wrong location can fall short of the correct floor.
Verify your level against supervisory scope
Employers filing for engineering technicians frequently cite informal oversight of junior staff as a Level 3 qualifier. If your offer letter describes supervisory duties but the LCA lists Level 2, the wage floor and the job description may not align, which can complicate USCIS review.
Prioritize defense-corridor metros for higher floors
Markets like Washington DC, Bremerton WA, and Lexington Park MD consistently post the highest prevailing wages for this occupation, driven by dense federal contracting and defense-industry demand. Roles in these metros carry substantially higher floors than the national median at every level.
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Engineering technician roles are often sponsored by defense contractors, utilities, and government-adjacent firms that file infrequently and are hard to identify through general job boards. Migrate Mate shows which employers have an established H-1B sponsorship record for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other?
DOL draws on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For each area, DOL calculates four wage levels tied to experience and responsibility. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location before USCIS will approve the petition.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels move from entry (Level 1) through qualified (Level 2), experienced (Level 3), and fully competent (Level 4). The level is determined by the complexity of duties, degree of supervision, and any lead or oversight responsibilities described in the job. Review the LCA your employer files with OFLC: it states the certified wage level, and that level must honestly reflect the position as described in the offer.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages separately for each metropolitan statistical area using regional OES survey data, so local labor market conditions drive the figure. A metro with heavy federal contracting or defense-sector demand, such as the Washington DC area, will show a much higher floor than a lower-cost region. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, and OFLC assigns the wage based on that specific location, not the employer's headquarters.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other position?
An employer cannot file a certified LCA without attesting that the offered wage meets the prevailing wage floor. If the offer falls short, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve the H-1B or other work-visa petition. This means a below-floor offer effectively blocks the sponsorship process from moving forward at all.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for this role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current DOL prevailing wage by SOC code 17-3029 and metropolitan area. The tool returns all four wage levels for the selected location. Cross-check against recent LCA disclosure data published by OFLC to see what wages employers have actually certified for this occupation. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsored engineering technician listings by location and employer sponsorship history.
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