Prevailing Wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Prevailing wage for Cell Operator roles, including Centerless Grinder Operator and Deburrer positions, is set by DOL using Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. DOL assigns four experience levels to this occupation, and the wage floor shifts considerably depending on the metropolitan area where the work is performed.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Cell Operators with limited experience, typically following close supervision and handling routine grinding, buffing, or polishing tasks under established procedures. Candidates new to machine tool operations in a production environment generally fall here.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation. It applies to qualified operators who work independently on standard setups, select tooling, and adjust machine parameters without constant supervision. Candidates with two or more years of hands-on grinding or lapping experience typically qualify.
Level 3 covers experienced operators who troubleshoot complex machine issues, train junior staff, and handle non-routine workpieces with tighter tolerances. These professionals bring recognized technical depth, often spanning multiple machine types such as surface grinders, honing machines, and centerless grinders.
Level 4 applies to fully competent operators in senior or lead roles, setting up and overseeing precision finishing operations, establishing tolerances for production runs, and mentoring teams. Employers filing at this level are typically recognizing demonstrated mastery and cross-functional responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 Cell Operator and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your level matches machine autonomy
Operators who independently select grinding wheels, set feed rates, and qualify their own in-process measurements are typically Level 2 or above. If your offer letter titles you 'Finisher' but the duties match independent machine setup, confirm the LCA level reflects that scope before accepting.
Compare wages across Pacific Northwest metros
Portland and Seattle consistently rank among the highest-paying metros for this occupation. If an employer is headquartered there but lists a worksite in a lower-wage area, the LCA wage must reflect the actual worksite city, not corporate headquarters.
Watch for title aliasing under production SOC codes
Roles titled 'Die Maintenance Technician' or 'Deburrer' sometimes get filed under broader production operator SOC codes rather than SOC 51-4033, which can mean a lower prevailing wage floor applies. Check the LCA's SOC code matches your actual duties before your visa petition is filed.
Find employers sponsoring this role on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B sponsorship records for grinding and polishing machine operator roles, so you can target companies already familiar with sponsoring this occupation rather than starting from scratch with employers unfamiliar with the process.
Jobs for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Cell OperatorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-4033.00 alongside Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cell Operator Prevailing Wage
Cell Operator Prevailing Wage
Cell Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Centerless Grinder Operator Prevailing Wage
Centerless Grinder Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Centerless Grinder Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Deburrer Prevailing Wage
Deburrer Prevailing Wage
Deburrer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Die Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Die Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Die Maintenance Technician positions fall under SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Grinder Prevailing Wage
Grinder Prevailing Wage
Grinder is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Grinder Operator Prevailing Wage
Grinder Operator Prevailing Wage
Grinder Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Grinding Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
Grinding Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Grinding Machine Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Process Equipment Operator Prevailing Wage
Process Equipment Operator Prevailing Wage
Process Equipment Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4033.00 (Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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 Cell Operator positions?
DOL uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected from employers across the country. For each metropolitan area, BLS calculates wage distributions for SOC 51-4033, and OFLC converts those distributions into four wage levels. Employers sponsoring a Cell Operator must pay at least the level assigned on the certified Labor Condition Application for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 as qualified and largely independent, Level 3 as experienced with mentoring duties, and Level 4 as fully competent in a senior or lead capacity. To identify your level, compare your actual job duties, the degree of machine autonomy your role involves, and whether you supervise others. The LCA your employer files must assign a level consistent with those duties, not just your job title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Cell Operator role vary so much city to city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional BLS surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the numbers. A metro with high concentrations of precision manufacturing, aerospace, or medical device employers tends to bid up wages for skilled grinding and polishing operators, pushing all four levels higher. The worksite city listed on the LCA determines which metro's wage applies, so a role based in Portland will carry a different floor than the identical role in Florence, SC.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a valid Labor Condition Application if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the assigned level and worksite. USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition without a certified LCA, so an underpaying offer effectively blocks the sponsorship. If you identify a gap, you can ask the employer to increase the base salary, reclassify the role to a lower level if the duties genuinely warrant it, or choose a different worksite metro with a lower floor.
How do I look up and verify the prevailing wage for a Cell Operator role in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you search by SOC code (51-4033) and select any metropolitan area or state to see all four wage levels. Cross-reference with BLS data for the same metro if you want to confirm the underlying survey figures. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsored job listings by location so you can see which employers are actively hiring Centerless Grinder Operators or related titles in markets that interest you.
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