Prevailing Wage for Furniture Finishers
The prevailing wage for Furniture Finishers under SOC 51-7021 is set by DOL using Occupational Employment Survey data and varies by worksite city. Whether your offer is for a Finisher, Finish Repair Worker, or Hand Sander role, DOL assigns four experience-based wage levels, and the floor in Boston can differ substantially from the floor in San Antonio.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Furniture Finishers with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine finishing tasks under direct supervision. Workers at this level follow established procedures and have not yet developed independent judgment on surface preparation or finish selection.
Level 2 applies to qualified finishers with solid practical experience handling a range of finishing methods, including staining, sealing, and lacquer application. This is the most common filing level for Furniture Finishers, reflecting the occupation's reliance on trained craft workers rather than supervisory staff.
Level 3 covers experienced finishers who work with significant autonomy, troubleshoot finish defects, and may train junior workers. These professionals typically handle high-grade custom furniture, complex color matching, or specialty refinishing requiring advanced material knowledge.
Level 4 applies to fully competent finishers in lead or senior roles, setting finish specifications, overseeing quality control, and exercising independent judgment across all finishing operations. Employers filing at this level often cite supervisory responsibility or specialized expertise in high-end furniture production.
Prevailing Wage for Furniture Finishers 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 Furniture Finishers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your metro before comparing offers
The prevailing wage floor for Furniture Finishers in Boston runs considerably higher than in San Antonio or Winston-Salem. Confirm the worksite city on the LCA matches your actual work location, since the DOL bases the wage requirement on where work is performed, not where the employer is headquartered.
Watch for title aliasing under related SOC codes
Employers sometimes file LCAs for Lacquer Sprayer or Sander roles under a broader manufacturing SOC, which can carry a different wage floor than SOC 51-7021. If your offer letter uses an alternate title, ask which SOC code the employer used on the LCA before accepting.
Expect most sponsors to file at Level 2
Because Furniture Finishers rely on trained craft skills rather than formal credentials, most sponsoring employers file at Level 2. If your offer reflects a Level 1 wage and you have several years of finishing experience, the level assignment may understate your market value.
Find employers who sponsor Furniture Finishers on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have an established history of sponsoring Furniture Finishers and related craft roles. Filtering by this occupation helps you focus on manufacturers and furniture producers that have already navigated the LCA and sponsorship process for the role.
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Find Jobs for Furniture FinishersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-7021.00 alongside Furniture Finishers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Finish Repair Worker Prevailing Wage
Finish Repair Worker Prevailing Wage
Finish Repair Worker positions fall under SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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.
Finisher Prevailing Wage
Finisher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Finisher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Hand Sander Prevailing Wage
Hand Sander Prevailing Wage
Hand Sander is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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.
Lacquer Sprayer Prevailing Wage
Lacquer Sprayer Prevailing Wage
Lacquer Sprayer positions fall under SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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.
Sander Prevailing Wage
Sander Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Sander for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Sealer Sander Prevailing Wage
Sealer Sander Prevailing Wage
Sealer Sander is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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.
Sprayer Prevailing Wage
Sprayer Prevailing Wage
Sprayer positions fall under SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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.
Stain Sprayer Prevailing Wage
Stain Sprayer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Stain Sprayer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Stain Wiper Prevailing Wage
Stain Wiper Prevailing Wage
Stain Wiper is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-7021.00 (Furniture Finishers). 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 Furniture Finishers?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for Furniture Finishers using Occupational Employment Survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For each metro area, DOL identifies the wage distribution for SOC 51-7021 and assigns four levels based on percentile thresholds. Employers must pay at least the level that matches the complexity and supervision of the offered position. The OFLC Wage Search tool is the official source for current figures.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and independence: Level 1 is entry-level under close supervision, Level 2 is qualified with routine autonomy, Level 3 is experienced with complex assignments and some leadership, and Level 4 is fully competent in a lead or senior capacity. To identify your level, compare the job duties and supervision described in the offer to DOL's level definitions. The level must appear on the employer's certified LCA, which you can request before signing.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Furniture Finisher role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment Survey data, so the floor reflects local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. High-cost metros like Boston and San Francisco show significantly higher floors than lower-cost markets like San Antonio or Winston-Salem. The worksite address on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, so if you work at a facility in a different city than the employer's main office, the worksite city controls the required minimum.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
DOL will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite and experience level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve an H-1B or other employer-sponsored visa petition. If your offer appears below the floor, ask the employer to revisit the wage, the level assignment, or the worksite classification before filing. Accepting a below-floor offer does not create legal status.
How can I verify the prevailing wage for Furniture Finishers at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, maintained by DOL, to look up current prevailing wages for SOC 51-7021 by metro area. Select the occupation code, choose the worksite location, and review all four wage levels. O*NET also provides occupational context for the role. To find employers with a track record of sponsoring Furniture Finishers, Migrate Mate lets you filter by occupation and see which companies have sponsored the role previously.
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