Prevailing Wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
The prevailing wage for a Plumber's Helper is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data and spans four experience levels, from entry-level to fully competent. The wage floor shifts significantly by worksite city, so a job offer in Seattle clears a very different threshold than the same title in Wichita.
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Level 1 covers entry-level Plumber's Helpers with limited on-the-job experience, typically performing basic tasks under close supervision such as carrying materials, cleaning work areas, and handing tools to journey-level tradespeople. No independent judgment is expected at this stage.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Plumber's Helpers and covers workers who handle routine helper duties with some independence. The worker understands basic trade procedures, assists with pipe installations, and requires only general oversight rather than constant direct supervision.
Level 3 applies to experienced Plumber's Helpers who regularly assist with more complex pipefitting or steamfitting tasks, exercise judgment on material selection and sequencing, and may informally guide newer helpers on site with minimal supervisory direction.
Level 4 is reserved for fully competent helpers who perform the full range of helper duties at the highest skill level, often coordinating material logistics across multiple tradespeople and bringing specialized familiarity with pipefitting, plumbing, or steamfitting systems that goes beyond standard helper scope.
Prevailing Wage for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters 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 Plumber's Helper and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm which trade your helper role supports
Plumber's Helper roles supporting steamfitting or pipefitting crews sometimes get filed under adjacent SOC codes. Confirm your LCA lists SOC 47-3015 so your offer is benchmarked against the correct prevailing wage floor for this occupation.
Watch for low-wage metro placements in construction
Construction labor markets vary sharply: a Plumber's Helper role in San Juan or Guam can carry a prevailing wage significantly below the national median. If your offer cites a low-metro wage but your worksite is elsewhere, the LCA worksite location controls the floor.
Check whether your pay includes excludable items
For Plumber's Helper roles, overtime pay and tool allowances are sometimes bundled into total compensation figures by employers. Only base hourly wages count toward prevailing wage compliance, so verify that the straight-time rate alone clears the applicable level floor.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented H-1B sponsorship history for Plumber's Helper and similar trades roles, letting you target outreach toward contractors and mechanical firms that have already navigated the LCA process for this occupation.
Jobs for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Plumber's HelperPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-3015.00 alongside Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Plumber's Helper Prevailing Wage
Plumber's Helper Prevailing Wage
Plumber's Helper positions fall under SOC 47-3015.00 (Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters). 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 a Plumber's Helper?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. For SOC 47-3015, OFLC calculates four wage levels by applying percentage bands around the median wage for each geographic area. Employers sponsoring a Plumber's Helper must pay at least the level that matches the worker's actual experience and job duties.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
The four levels reflect increasing skill and independence: Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 covers routine duties with general oversight, Level 3 applies to experienced workers exercising independent judgment, and Level 4 is reserved for fully competent helpers. Your level is determined by the duties and supervision described in the employer's LCA and job description, not simply by years of experience alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Plumber's Helper role differ so much by city?
OFLC derives wages from regional OES surveys, which capture actual earnings paid in each metro labor market. Construction labor costs in Seattle or San Jose reflect local union density, cost of living, and contractor competition that simply do not exist in Wichita or San Juan. The LCA must cite the specific worksite address, and the prevailing wage tied to that worksite metro applies regardless of where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored Plumber's Helper position is below the prevailing wage?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve an H-1B or other work visa petition. If a conditional offer is already in hand, the employer must either increase the base wage to meet the floor or re-evaluate the experience level classification before filing.
How do I look up the prevailing wage for a Plumber's Helper in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 47-3015 and select the metro area matching your worksite city. The tool returns all four wage levels for that location. For a broader picture of which employers have sponsored this role and in which markets, Migrate Mate lets you filter by occupation and visa type to see sponsoring companies with a track record in trades and construction.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters right now.
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