Prevailing Wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians
Prevailing wage for Core Inspector positions is set by DOL across four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where the work is performed. Whether your offer is for a geological technician, environmental sampling technician, or environmental field services technician role, the sponsored salary must clear the DOL threshold for the worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level geological technicians with limited field experience, typically recent graduates or those new to core inspection, mud logging, or environmental sampling work. Employees at this level perform routine tasks under close supervision with minimal independent judgment.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for geological technicians. It applies to qualified technicians with a few years of hands-on field or lab experience who can operate sonic, nuclear, or electronic measuring instruments with moderate supervision.
Level 3 applies to experienced geoscience technicians who independently manage field assignments, interpret drill cuttings and pressure data, and may coordinate with engineers or scientists on exploration projects. Occasional oversight is expected but not constant.
Level 4 reflects fully competent senior technicians who lead field operations, train junior staff, and exercise broad independent judgment on complex well characterization or environmental sampling programs. Employers filing at this level should document senior-scope duties clearly.
Prevailing Wage for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians 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 Core Inspector and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch the SOC when your title is E-Logger
Titles like geological e-logger or geoscience technician sometimes get filed under a petroleum or environmental engineering SOC instead of SOC 19-4043, which can shift the prevailing wage floor. Confirm your offer letter title maps to the correct DOL occupation before your LCA is filed.
Factor in field-site location for oil and gas roles
Core inspector and mud logging positions often sit in metros like Houston or Tulsa, but the LCA worksite must reflect where the field work actually occurs. A rig site outside a metro area may carry a different OES wage than the employer's headquarters city.
Expect a wide range between California and Texas postings
San Diego and Los Angeles prevailing wages for this occupation run well above the national median at higher levels, while some Texas markets set the floor considerably lower. If you have offers in both states, the wage gap at Level 3 and Level 4 can be substantial.
Find employers with geological technician sponsorship history on Migrate Mate
Energy, mining, and environmental consulting firms vary widely in how often they sponsor this occupation. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B or green card sponsorship records for geological technician roles, so you can target companies already familiar with the process.
Jobs for Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Core InspectorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-4043.00 alongside Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Core Inspector Prevailing Wage
Core Inspector Prevailing Wage
Core Inspector positions fall under SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Environmental Field Services Technician Prevailing Wage
Environmental Field Services Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Environmental Field Services Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Environmental Sampling Technician Prevailing Wage
Environmental Sampling Technician Prevailing Wage
Environmental Sampling Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Geological E-Logger Prevailing Wage
Geological E-Logger Prevailing Wage
Geological E-Logger positions fall under SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Geological Technician Prevailing Wage
Geological Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Geological Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Geoscience Technician Prevailing Wage
Geoscience Technician Prevailing Wage
Geoscience Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Geotechnician Prevailing Wage
Geotechnician Prevailing Wage
Geotechnician positions fall under SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Materials Technician Prevailing Wage
Materials Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Materials Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Physical Science Technician Prevailing Wage
Physical Science Technician Prevailing Wage
Physical Science Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Soils Technician Prevailing Wage
Soils Technician Prevailing Wage
Soils Technician positions fall under SOC 19-4043.00 (Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for core inspector positions?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across geographic areas. For core inspector and related geological technician roles, DOL assigns four wage levels based on experience and job complexity within SOC 19-4043. Employers file a Labor Condition Application with OFLC certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing experience, autonomy, and scope of work. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with moderate oversight; Level 3 is experienced with substantial independence; Level 4 is fully competent in a senior or lead capacity. Your level should match your actual job duties. If the employer files at Level 1 for a role requiring independent field judgment, USCIS may flag the petition during review.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national rate. Dense employer markets with high demand for geoscience technicians, like California energy corridors, push regional wages higher. The LCA must list the actual worksite, not the employer's headquarters, so a technician deployed to a remote drilling location must be assessed against that area's OES data, not the home office city.
What happens if a job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a certified LCA with OFLC if the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite. If an H-1B or green card petition is filed citing a wage below the floor, USCIS can issue a Request for Evidence or deny the petition. For PERM-based green card cases, the offered wage must also meet the prevailing wage determination issued by DOL at the time of filing.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 19-4043 in any metro area. Select the correct experience level and the worksite geography. You can also review employer LCA disclosure data through OFLC to see what wages competing employers have certified for environmental field services technician and core inspector filings in your target city before negotiating your offer.
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