Prevailing Wage for Highway Maintenance Workers
Prevailing wage requirements for Highway Maintenance Workers (SOC 47-4051) apply to any sponsored position, whether the job title reads Highway Maintainer, Highway Maintenance Technician, or Equipment Operator. DOL sets four experience-based wage levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on the worksite city, so checking the correct metro is essential before evaluating any offer.
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Entry-level workers with limited experience performing routine tasks under close supervision, typically with a high school diploma and no specialized certifications. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and direct oversight for most assigned duties.
Qualified workers with one to three years of field experience who perform standard highway maintenance tasks with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Highway Maintenance Workers, covering crew members who handle pavement patching, guardrail repair, and snow removal independently.
Experienced workers with several years of hands-on experience who perform complex tasks with limited supervision, often mentoring junior crew members. May specialize in equipment operation or coordinate multi-step roadway repair projects across assigned districts.
Fully competent senior workers or lead technicians who operate with full autonomy, oversee crew operations, and apply advanced judgment to non-routine maintenance problems. Often responsible for training staff and managing equipment across multiple worksites.
Prevailing Wage for Highway Maintenance Workers 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 Highway Maintenance Workers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your worksite city before comparing wages
Highway Maintenance Workers show one of the widest metro pay spreads in DOL's OEWS data. San Jose and Seattle wages can run more than double Puerto Rico rates for the same SOC. Verify the LCA lists your actual road-maintenance worksite, not the employer's headquarters.
Watch for overtime and per-diem misclassification
State and municipal highway contracts often bundle per-diem travel allowances and overtime into total compensation packages. DOL's prevailing wage calculation uses base hourly rates only, so allowances that look like salary boosts don't count toward meeting the wage floor.
Check employer sponsorship history on Migrate Mate
Highway Maintenance Worker sponsorships are concentrated among large public-works contractors and municipal agencies. Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored this role, so you can focus applications on contractors with a real H-1B or green card filing track record.
Recognize title-aliasing that shifts your SOC
Employers sometimes post Highway Maintenance Technician or Maintenance Worker roles under broader SOC codes like General Maintenance Workers (49-9071), which carry different wage floors. Confirm the LCA references SOC 47-4051 before treating any wage figure as your actual prevailing wage floor.
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Find Jobs for Highway Maintenance WorkersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-4051.00 alongside Highway Maintenance Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Equipment Operator (EO) Prevailing Wage
Equipment Operator (EO) Prevailing Wage
Equipment Operator (EO) positions fall under SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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.
Highway Maintainer Prevailing Wage
Highway Maintainer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Highway Maintainer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Highway Maintenance Crew Worker Prevailing Wage
Highway Maintenance Crew Worker Prevailing Wage
Highway Maintenance Crew Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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.
Highway Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Highway Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Highway Maintenance Technician positions fall under SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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.
Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Maintenance Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Maintenance Worker Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Worker Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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.
Transportation Maintenance Operator Prevailing Wage
Transportation Maintenance Operator Prevailing Wage
Transportation Maintenance Operator positions fall under SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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.
Transportation Maintenance Specialist (TMS) Prevailing Wage
Transportation Maintenance Specialist (TMS) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Transportation Maintenance Specialist (TMS) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Transportation Worker Prevailing Wage
Transportation Worker Prevailing Wage
Transportation Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-4051.00 (Highway Maintenance Workers). 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 Highway Maintenance Workers?
DOL's Office of Foreign Labor Certification derives prevailing wages from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. For SOC 47-4051, OFLC converts the survey percentile data into four wage levels and publishes them in the OFLC Wage Search tool. Employers must request a prevailing wage determination or use published OES rates before filing an LCA or PERM application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels reflect experience and supervision: Level 1 covers entry workers under close oversight, Level 2 covers qualified workers performing standard tasks with moderate supervision, Level 3 covers experienced workers operating independently, and Level 4 covers fully competent leads. Your level is determined by your actual job duties, years of relevant experience, and the degree of supervisory oversight described in the LCA, not your job title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much from city to city?
OFLC bases wages on regional BLS surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the numbers. A metro with strong union density, high construction costs, or tight labor supply will show higher OES percentiles than a lower-cost region. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, meaning the wage floor follows where the road work physically happens, not where the employer's office is located.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot legally certify an LCA at a wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor for the listed worksite and wage level. If the offered salary is below the floor, USCIS or DOL can reject or audit the petition. For H-1B holders already employed, a wage below the certified level can trigger back-pay liability and jeopardize status. The employer must adjust the offer to at least meet the prevailing wage before filing.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for Highway Maintenance Workers?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, select SOC 47-4051, and enter the worksite metropolitan area to retrieve the current four-level wage rates. Cross-check against the employer's LCA, which is publicly posted at the worksite. To find employers who have actually sponsored this role in your target metro, Migrate Mate filters listings by role, visa type, and location so you can see which contractors have a verified sponsorship history.
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