Prevailing Wage for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
Prevailing wage for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (SOC 45-2041) is set by the DOL and determines the minimum an employer must pay when sponsoring a visa. Whether the role is titled Agriculture Laborer, Apple Sorter, or Egg Grader, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Entry-level workers with limited experience performing routine sorting or grading tasks under close supervision. Typically no prior specialized training required. DOL designates Level 1 for workers still developing familiarity with grading standards, equipment, and product classification procedures.
Qualified workers with moderate experience who apply established grading criteria with minimal supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products, reflecting the occupation's standard production-floor staffing profile.
Experienced workers who handle complex grading decisions, train newer staff, or oversee quality control across multiple product lines. DOL assigns Level 3 where the role requires independent judgment and a track record of consistent output accuracy.
Fully competent senior workers or lead graders who set grading standards, manage quality outcomes for a shift or facility, and may supervise other sorters. Level 4 reflects the highest skill and responsibility tier DOL recognizes for this occupation.
Prevailing Wage for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products 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.
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Watch for misclassified titles on LCA filings
Roles posted as Distribution Technician or Corn Lab Technician sometimes get filed under a different SOC entirely, which can push the LCA wage floor below what SOC 45-2041 requires. Confirm the SOC code on the certified LCA before accepting a sponsored offer.
Account for California's outsized wage gap
San Francisco and Sacramento set L1 floors well above the national median for this occupation, while markets like Jackson and McAllen sit far below it. If your offer is in California, verify against the worksite metro, not national figures, since the gap is among the widest in this SOC.
Understand why signing bonuses rarely count toward the floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance for Graders and Sorters is measured against regular wages paid per pay period. One-time signing bonuses and attendance incentives common in agricultural packing operations are generally excluded from the compliance calculation.
Find sponsors with Migrate Mate's filing history filters
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products roles, so you can focus on operations, food processing facilities, and distribution centers with a documented H-1B or green card sponsorship track record rather than starting from scratch.
Jobs for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 45-2041.00 alongside Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Agriculture Laborer Prevailing Wage
Agriculture Laborer Prevailing Wage
Agriculture Laborer positions fall under SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Apple Sorter Prevailing Wage
Apple Sorter Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Apple Sorter for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Corn Lab Technician Prevailing Wage
Corn Lab Technician Prevailing Wage
Corn Lab Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Distribution Technician Prevailing Wage
Distribution Technician Prevailing Wage
Distribution Technician positions fall under SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Egg Grader Prevailing Wage
Egg Grader Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Egg Grader for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Egg Worker Prevailing Wage
Egg Worker Prevailing Wage
Egg Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Grader Prevailing Wage
Grader Prevailing Wage
Grader positions fall under SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Potato Grader Prevailing Wage
Potato Grader Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Potato Grader for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Potato Sorter Prevailing Wage
Potato Sorter Prevailing Wage
Potato Sorter is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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.
Sorter Prevailing Wage
Sorter Prevailing Wage
Sorter positions fall under SOC 45-2041.00 (Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products). 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 Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For SOC 45-2041, wages are compiled from employer surveys of actual pay in the agricultural products grading and sorting sector. OFLC publishes these figures annually, and employers must use the rate in effect when the Labor Condition Application is filed.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
DOL assigns four levels based on experience and supervisory scope. Level 1 covers entry workers under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified workers handling standard grading tasks independently; Level 3 applies to experienced workers with quality-control or training duties; Level 4 covers lead or senior graders setting facility standards. Your level should match the actual job duties on the LCA, not just your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the numbers. An employer must use the prevailing wage for the worksite address listed on the LCA, not the company headquarters. Markets with concentrated food processing industries or high costs of living, like San Francisco, produce higher floors than rural or lower-wage metros like McAllen or Jackson.
What happens if my offered salary is below the DOL prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or employment-based green card petition if the LCA wage is below the applicable prevailing wage level. OFLC can also audit and decertify the LCA itself. The employer, not the worker, bears legal responsibility for compliance, but a below-floor offer means the sponsorship process cannot proceed until the wage is corrected.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products in a specific city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 45-2041 wages by metropolitan area. Enter the worksite zip code or metro area, select the SOC code, and the tool returns all four level wages for that location. You can also check O*NET for occupation details and cross-reference the Bureau of Labor Statistics for broader wage context. Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored listings by location so you can see which employers are actively hiring this role in a given market.
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