Prevailing Wage for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Prevailing wage requirements for Equipment Technicians working in the U.S. on sponsored visas are set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Whether your offer is for an Extruder Operator, Extrusion Press Operator, or related machine operator role, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts substantially depending on the worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Equipment Technicians with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine setup or tending tasks under direct supervision. Workers at this level are learning machine-specific procedures and have not yet developed independent troubleshooting capability.
Level 2 applies to qualified Equipment Technicians with practical experience operating extrusion or drawing equipment with moderate supervision. This is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting workers who handle standard production runs reliably but have not yet taken on lead responsibilities.
Level 3 covers experienced Extruder Operators who work independently, handle non-routine setups, and may train junior staff. Workers at this level typically demonstrate consistent quality output across multiple machine types and require minimal day-to-day supervision.
Level 4 applies to fully competent machine setters who serve in senior or lead capacities, overseeing equipment configuration, production standards, and quality control. These workers often make independent decisions on process adjustments and may coordinate across shifts or work cells.
Prevailing Wage for Extruding and Drawing 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 Equipment Technician and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for shift differential exclusions in manufacturing offers
Many production facilities include shift differentials or attendance bonuses in total compensation packages for machine operators. DOL counts only base wages toward prevailing wage compliance, so verify that the base rate alone meets the floor before accepting.
Compare metros before accepting a plant relocation
Wage floors for Extrusion Operators vary sharply by metro. Baton Rouge and Pittsburgh post significantly higher Level 1 floors than markets like Wichita or Auburn. If you have flexibility on location, comparing DOL figures across plausible worksites can meaningfully affect your offer's compliance margin.
Flag title mismatches common in extrusion and drawing roles
Job postings for this occupation frequently use titles like Machine Operator or Equipment Technician that employers sometimes file under broader production SOC codes. Confirm the LCA on your offer maps to SOC 51-4021 specifically, not a neighboring classification with a lower prevailing wage floor.
Use Migrate Mate to identify sponsors with extrusion hiring history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored workers in manufacturing and production roles and lets you filter by visa type and location. Targeting companies with documented sponsorship activity in metal and plastic processing reduces uncertainty in your job search.
Jobs for Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Equipment TechnicianPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-4021.00 alongside Extruding and Drawing 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.
Equipment Technician Prevailing Wage
Equipment Technician Prevailing Wage
Equipment Technician positions fall under SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Extruder Operator Prevailing Wage
Extruder Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Extruder Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Extrusion Operator Prevailing Wage
Extrusion Operator Prevailing Wage
Extrusion Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Extrusion Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Extrusion Press Operator Prevailing Wage
Extrusion Press Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Machine Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Metal Inspector Prevailing Wage
Metal Inspector Prevailing Wage
Metal Inspector is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Setup Operator Prevailing Wage
Setup Operator Prevailing Wage
Setup Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Wire Mill Operator Prevailing Wage
Wire Mill Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Wire Mill Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Wire Mill Rover Prevailing Wage
Wire Mill Rover Prevailing Wage
Wire Mill Rover is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4021.00 (Extruding and Drawing 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for an Equipment Technician role?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data, collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, to establish prevailing wage rates for SOC 51-4021. Employers filing an LCA for a sponsored Equipment Technician must pay at least the DOL-published wage for the applicable experience level and worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect experience and supervision. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision. Level 2 is qualified with moderate supervision and is the most commonly filed level for this occupation. Level 3 is experienced and largely independent. Level 4 is fully competent, often with lead or senior scope. Your employer's LCA identifies the level, and your actual duties should match the level description. USCIS and OFLC both review level-to-duties alignment.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Extruder Operator role differ so much from city to city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the figures. A metro with high manufacturing density or a strong union presence will show higher floors than a lower-cost production region. Under LCA rules, the wage that applies is tied to the worksite address on the certified LCA, not the employer's headquarters. If your plant is in one metro but the company is headquartered elsewhere, the worksite metro wage controls.
What happens if a sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage floor?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the stated level and location. If an LCA is filed with a wage below floor, certification is denied and the visa petition cannot proceed. For existing sponsorships, DOL can investigate wage violations and require back pay. Accepting a position where the offer is below the prevailing wage puts both the worker and employer at compliance risk.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for an Extrusion Operator position in a specific U.S. city?
DOL publishes prevailing wage data through the OFLC Wage Search tool, where you can look up SOC 51-4021 by metropolitan area and experience level. This page also aggregates that data for quick reference across major metros. For employer-specific filing history, O*NET provides occupation and wage context. Migrate Mate can help you identify employers with a documented record of sponsoring workers in this occupation, filtered by location and visa type.
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