Prevailing Wage for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

The prevailing wage for Bean Roasters in the U.S. is set by the DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level machine operators to fully competent Coffee Roasters with broad production responsibilities. Whether your offer covers a Line Operator role or a senior Oven Technician position, the wage floor varies meaningfully by city.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$35K
$16.79/hr

Entry-level Bean Roasters with no prior roasting or drying machine experience. Workers at this level follow close supervision, handle basic equipment tasks, and are still building familiarity with roasting parameters, batch cycles, and quality checks.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$39K
$18.74/hr

Qualified Coffee Roasters with some independent operation of roasting or baking equipment. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, covering workers who can run standard batch cycles with limited oversight and recognize equipment faults.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$44K
$21.02/hr

Experienced Oven Operators who troubleshoot equipment issues, adjust roasting profiles independently, and may train junior operators. Workers at this level apply specialized knowledge of drying curves, moisture targets, or tobacco curing protocols without regular supervisory direction.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$47K
$22.73/hr

Fully competent Line Operators or lead machine operators with mastery of roasting, baking, or drying systems. These professionals set production standards, oversee multi-line operations, and handle the most complex equipment configurations with full autonomy.

Prevailing Wage for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

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$25K/yr$50K/yr

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

1
Appleton, WI
Appleton, WI metro
$50K$23.85/hr
2
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$45K$21.51/hr
3
Denver, CO
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro
$44K$21.34/hr
4
Seattle, WA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro
$42K$20.41/hr
5
Sacramento, CA
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro
$42K$20.16/hr
6
Chicago, IL
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro
$41K$19.75/hr
7
Green Bay, WI
Green Bay, WI metro
$41K$19.67/hr
8
Boston, MA
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro
$41K$19.64/hr
9
Portland, ME
Portland-South Portland, ME metro
$41K$19.56/hr
10
St. Joseph, MO
St. Joseph, MO-KS metro
$40K$19.43/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

Verify the worksite city before accepting

The prevailing wage for Bean Roasters in Denver or the San Francisco Bay Area runs significantly higher than in Tulsa or Pittsburgh. Your LCA must list the actual production facility address, so a national-average offer may fall below the local floor.

Watch for production bonus exclusions

Many food manufacturing employers pay shift differentials or throughput bonuses on top of base wages. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base salary only, so confirm your base rate clears the floor before factoring in variable pay.

Distinguish roasting titles from related SOC codes

Job titles like Oven Operator or Oven Technician sometimes get filed under bakers or food-processing-worker SOC codes instead of SOC 51-3091. If your offer letter uses a generic title, confirm the LCA references the correct SOC to avoid a wage floor mismatch.

Find employers who have sponsored this role

Migrate Mate filters by visa type and shows which employers have historically sponsored Bean Roaster and Coffee Roaster positions, letting you focus your applications on food and tobacco manufacturers with an actual H-1B or green card sponsorship track record.

Jobs for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-3091.00 alongside Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Bean Roaster Prevailing Wage

Bean Roaster positions fall under SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Coffee Roaster Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Coffee Roaster for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Line Operator Prevailing Wage

Line Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Machine Operator Prevailing Wage

Machine Operator positions fall under SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Oven Operator Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Oven Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Oven Technician Prevailing Wage

Oven Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Roast Master Prevailing Wage

Roast Master positions fall under SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Roaster Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Roaster for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Roaster Operator Prevailing Wage

Roaster Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Roasterman Prevailing Wage

Roasterman positions fall under SOC 51-3091.00 (Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$35K
$16.79/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$39K
$18.74/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$44K
$21.02/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$47K
$22.73/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Bean Roaster positions?

DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from employers across each metro area. For Bean Roasters under SOC 51-3091, it calculates four wage levels from that regional data. Employers must attest on the Labor Condition Application that they will pay at least the applicable level wage for the worksite location.

What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?

Level 1 covers entry-level workers with close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified workers with some independent operation, Level 3 covers experienced workers who troubleshoot and train, and Level 4 covers fully competent lead operators. Your level is determined by the actual duties and autonomy described in the job offer, not just years of experience. USCIS and OFLC both review whether the employer's level selection matches the role description.

Why does the prevailing wage for the same Bean Roaster role vary so much by city?

DOL conducts regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys separately for each metropolitan area, so wages reflect local labor market conditions. A Bean Roaster wage floor in a high-cost food manufacturing hub like the San Francisco Bay Area will be much higher than in lower-wage metros. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, and the wage used must match that specific metro's survey results, not a national average.

What happens if an employer's offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

An employer cannot legally certify the LCA if the offered wage is below the DOL prevailing wage for that location and level. If OFLC or USCIS identifies a shortfall, the petition can be denied or the LCA decertified. The employer would need to increase the offered salary to meet the floor before filing or refiling. Workers already on status could face disruption if a compliance audit surfaces a wage violation.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. city for this occupation?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website. Enter SOC code 51-3091 and select the metro area matching your worksite to see the current Level 1 through Level 4 wage floors. You can also review O*NET for occupation details that help confirm the correct SOC. Migrate Mate lets you filter Bean Roaster and Coffee Roaster listings by location and shows which employers have a visa sponsorship history for the role.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders right now.

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