Prevailing Wage for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
Prevailing wage for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether you work as a Flooring Installer, Floor Covering Contractor, or Floor Coverings Installer, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on the city where the work is performed.
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Entry-level flooring installers with limited hands-on experience, typically following close supervision on straightforward residential or commercial projects. Workers at this level are still building foundational skills in material selection, subfloor preparation, and adhesive application under direct oversight.
Qualified floor layers who work independently on standard installations with minimal supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles, reflecting journeyman-level proficiency across multiple flooring materials and project types.
Experienced flooring professionals who handle complex installations, troubleshoot subfloor issues, and may coordinate work for smaller crews. These workers bring specialized knowledge in moisture mitigation, pattern layout, and commercial-grade resilient flooring systems without requiring supervisory oversight.
Fully competent floor layers in senior or lead roles, responsible for project scope, crew supervision, quality control, and client-facing decisions. Employers typically file at Level 4 for working foremen, estimators, or specialists in demanding commercial or industrial flooring systems.
Prevailing Wage for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles 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 this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
Confirm your worksite city on the LCA
Floor-laying work is inherently site-specific. The prevailing wage on your Labor Condition Application must reflect the city where installation happens, not your employer's headquarters. San Jose and San Francisco carry significantly higher floors than midsize metros.
Watch for title aliasing on LCA filings
Employers sometimes file LCAs using titles like Flooring Mechanic or Tile Installer under different SOC codes. Verify your offer's SOC is 47-2042 so the correct Floor Layers prevailing wage floor applies, not a lower-paying adjacent occupation.
Check which employers have sponsored this role
Flooring sponsorship is less common than in office-based trades. Migrate Mate shows historical visa sponsorship counts by employer, so you can identify which contractors or commercial flooring companies have actually filed for Floor Layers before.
Understand why Level 2 dominates floor-layer filings
Most flooring employers file at Level 2 because journeyman-level independent work is the production standard on commercial sites. If your offer is filed at Level 1 but you're expected to work unsupervised, the experience-level classification may not match your actual duties.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-2042.00 alongside Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Floor Covering Contractor Prevailing Wage
Floor Covering Contractor Prevailing Wage
Floor Covering Contractor positions fall under SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). 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.
Floor Coverings Installer Prevailing Wage
Floor Coverings Installer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Floor Coverings Installer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Floor Layer Prevailing Wage
Floor Layer Prevailing Wage
Floor Layer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). 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.
Flooring Installer Prevailing Wage
Flooring Installer Prevailing Wage
Flooring Installer positions fall under SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). 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.
Flooring Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Flooring Mechanic Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Flooring Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Tile Installer Prevailing Wage
Tile Installer Prevailing Wage
Tile Installer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). 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.
Tile Setter Prevailing Wage
Tile Setter Prevailing Wage
Tile Setter positions fall under SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). 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.
Vinyl Installer Prevailing Wage
Vinyl Installer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Vinyl Installer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-2042.00 (Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For SOC 47-2042, OFLC converts regional median wages into four wage levels. Employers sponsoring a floor layer on H-1B or permanent residence must pay at least the level assigned to the worker's experience and duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level work under close supervision, Level 2 as independent journeyman work, Level 3 as experienced work with some crew coordination, and Level 4 as senior or lead roles with supervisory responsibilities. Your level depends on the duties in your actual job offer, not just your years of experience. Review the position description your employer uses on the LCA to confirm the classification matches your role.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same floor-layer role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so local labor costs drive the floor. A flooring installer position in San Jose carries a much higher prevailing wage than the same title in Elkhart or San Juan because local construction wages, cost of living, and union density differ substantially. Under the worksite-on-LCA rule, the wage floor is always tied to where the physical installation work occurs, not the employer's home office.
What happens if a sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage?
DOL will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level. For H-1B petitions, USCIS also reviews LCA compliance before approving status. If an employer submits an LCA with a wage below the floor, the application is likely to be denied. Employers who underpay after a certified LCA can face back-wage liability and debarment from future sponsorship filings.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 47-2042 for the metropolitan area where the work will be performed. Select the correct wage level based on your duties. You can also cross-reference BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables for the same metro. To find employers who have sponsored floor-layer roles before and filter by location, Migrate Mate aggregates historical sponsorship data by employer and role type.
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