Prevailing Wage for Industrial Machinery Mechanics
The prevailing wage for Industrial Machinery Mechanics (SOC 49-9041) is set by the DOL using regional wage surveys that produce four experience-based levels. Whether your title is Industrial Mechanic, Machine Mechanic, or Loom Technician, the floor your employer must meet on an LCA varies significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level mechanics with limited hands-on experience who work under close supervision on routine maintenance and repair tasks. Typically recent technical school graduates or workers new to industrial settings with fewer than two years in the occupation.
Qualified mechanics with a few years of independent repair and installation experience across common machinery types. Level 2 is the most common LCA filing level for Industrial Machinery Mechanics, reflecting the majority of mid-career sponsored roles.
Experienced mechanics who handle complex troubleshooting, equipment overhauls, and may informally guide junior staff. These professionals typically bring five or more years of applied experience and work with minimal supervision on varied equipment systems.
Fully competent senior mechanics or lead technicians who set maintenance standards, oversee equipment reliability programs, and may direct a team. These roles carry the broadest scope, highest accountability, and typically require extensive cross-system expertise.
Prevailing Wage for Industrial Machinery Mechanics 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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Check whether your title matches SOC 49-9041
Titles like Machine Adjuster, Loom Fixer, and Maintenance Technician are common aliases for this occupation but sometimes get filed under different SOC codes. Confirm your employer is using SOC 49-9041 on the LCA, or you may miss the correct prevailing wage floor entirely.
Watch for contract and agency placement traps
Industrial Machinery Mechanics are frequently placed through staffing agencies or contract manufacturers. In those arrangements, the worksite address on the LCA must reflect where you actually perform work, not the agency headquarters, since regional OES wages can differ sharply between the two.
Understand how overtime affects prevailing wage compliance
For Industrial Machinery Mechanics, total annual pay must meet the prevailing wage floor, but only regular base wages count toward that calculation. Shift differentials and one-time overtime payments cannot substitute for a base salary that falls short of the required level.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers who sponsor mechanics
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Industrial Machinery Mechanics and related roles in the past, along with sponsorship counts by company. That history helps you prioritize employers already familiar with the LCA process for hands-on technical positions.
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Find Jobs for Industrial Machinery MechanicsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-9041.00 alongside Industrial Machinery Mechanics, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Industrial Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Industrial Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Industrial Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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.
Loom Fixer Prevailing Wage
Loom Fixer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Loom Fixer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Loom Technician Prevailing Wage
Loom Technician Prevailing Wage
Loom Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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.
Machine Adjuster Prevailing Wage
Machine Adjuster Prevailing Wage
Machine Adjuster positions fall under SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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.
Machine Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Machine Mechanic Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Machine Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Technician Prevailing Wage
Maintenance Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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.
Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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.
Overhauler Prevailing Wage
Overhauler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Overhauler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Sewing Machine Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Sewing Machine Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Sewing Machine Mechanic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9041.00 (Industrial Machinery Mechanics). 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 Industrial Machinery Mechanics?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For Industrial Machinery Mechanics (SOC 49-9041), it samples actual wages paid in each metropolitan area and produces four wage levels. Employers filing an LCA through OFLC must pay at least the level that matches the role's scope and the worker's experience at the specific worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect experience and supervision: Level 1 is entry-level with close oversight, Level 2 is qualified with independent work on standard equipment, Level 3 is experienced with complex troubleshooting and minimal supervision, and Level 4 is fully competent with lead or senior scope. Your level should match the actual duties and experience your employer lists on the LCA, not just your job title. If the duties describe independent diagnosis of industrial systems, Level 2 or higher is appropriate.
Why does the prevailing wage for Industrial Machinery Mechanics vary so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional OES surveys, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage floor. A market with concentrated heavy manufacturing, refinery operations, or large industrial employers will record higher wages than a region with limited industrial activity. The LCA must use the wage for the worksite location where you actually perform the work, not your employer's headquarters. That worksite rule means a mechanic placed at a facility in a high-cost metro owes a substantially higher wage floor than the same title in a lower-wage region.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level for the worksite and occupation. Without a certified LCA, the H-1B or E-3 petition cannot proceed. If the petition is already filed and a wage deficiency is later discovered, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence or deny the petition. Employers are also subject to back-pay obligations and DOL enforcement if the paid wage drops below the certified level during employment.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Industrial Machinery Mechanics in a specific U.S. city?
The primary tool is the OFLC Wage Search, which lets you look up the current DOL wage level for SOC 49-9041 in any metropolitan area where your employer's worksite is located. Select the occupation code, choose the metro area matching the actual work location, and review all four levels to confirm which one fits the role description. Migrate Mate can complement this by showing which employers have historically sponsored Industrial Mechanic and similar roles in your target city, so you can assess both the wage floor and the employer's sponsorship track record.
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