Prevailing Wage for Log Graders and Scalers
The prevailing wage for Log Graders and Scalers (SOC 45-4023) is the DOL-set minimum a sponsoring employer must pay for H-1B, E-3, and green card positions in this occupation. Whether your offer is titled Log Buyer, Log Check Scaler, or Log Scaler, DOL assigns four experience levels and the floor shifts significantly by worksite city.
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Entry-level scalers with limited field experience, typically working under close supervision on routine log measurement and defect inspection tasks. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and a basic understanding of grading standards.
Qualified professionals with moderate experience applying established grading and scaling methods with limited oversight. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Log Graders and Scalers, reflecting the occupation's standard production workflow.
Experienced graders or scalers who handle complex defect assessment, train junior staff, and exercise independent judgment on non-standard timber. Employers filing at this level typically require several years of documented field experience.
Senior or lead professionals with full technical competency, including setting grading standards, overseeing scaling operations, and serving as the primary quality authority at a mill pond or log deck. Rare in standard LCA filings.
Prevailing Wage for Log Graders and Scalers 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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Confirm your title maps to SOC 45-4023
Titles like Lumber Grader or Log Buyer sometimes get filed under adjacent forestry SOC codes, which carry different wage floors. Verify your employer's LCA lists SOC 45-4023 so the correct Log Graders and Scalers prevailing wage applies to your offer.
Treat Portland wages as a separate benchmark
Portland, OR pays significantly above the national median for this occupation at every experience level. If your worksite is in the Pacific Northwest, the Portland-metro floor is the relevant threshold, not the national figure used for most inland mill positions.
Verify Migrate Mate sponsors for this occupation
Employers who have historically sponsored Log Graders and Scalers visas are rare. Migrate Mate shows each company's sponsorship history by role, letting you confirm which mills or timber firms have actually filed LCAs for this specific occupation before applying.
Watch for productivity bonuses excluded from base wage
Some log-scaling operations pay volume-based bonuses on top of a lower base salary. DOL requires the prevailing wage to be met by the guaranteed base rate alone. Bonuses and piece-rate supplements do not count toward satisfying the wage floor.
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Find Jobs for Log Graders and ScalersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 45-4023.00 alongside Log Graders and Scalers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Log Buyer Prevailing Wage
Log Buyer Prevailing Wage
Log Buyer positions fall under SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). 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.
Log Check Scaler Prevailing Wage
Log Check Scaler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Log Check Scaler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Log Grader Prevailing Wage
Log Grader Prevailing Wage
Log Grader is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). 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.
Log Scaler Prevailing Wage
Log Scaler Prevailing Wage
Log Scaler positions fall under SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). 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.
Lumber Grader Prevailing Wage
Lumber Grader Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Lumber Grader for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Scaler Prevailing Wage
Scaler Prevailing Wage
Scaler is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). 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.
Timber Buyer Prevailing Wage
Timber Buyer Prevailing Wage
Timber Buyer positions fall under SOC 45-4023.00 (Log Graders and Scalers). 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 Log Graders and Scalers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. For Log Graders and Scalers (SOC 45-4023), the agency maps reported wages to four experience levels. Employers retrieve the applicable wage through the OFLC Wage Search tool before certifying an LCA.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry workers under close supervision, Level 2 to qualified workers following established procedures, Level 3 to experienced workers who exercise independent judgment, and Level 4 to fully competent senior professionals. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision described in the LCA job description, not simply your years of experience or preferred title.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much between cities?
DOL draws on regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions in each metropolitan statistical area. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, and the wage floor tied to that worksite city applies. Areas with concentrated timber industry activity, such as the Portland metro, show materially higher floors than lower-density markets like Tuscaloosa.
What happens if a sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage?
An LCA citing a wage below the DOL prevailing wage for Log Graders and Scalers will not be certified by OFLC. If an employer submits an uncertified or non-compliant LCA, USCIS cannot approve the underlying H-1B or other sponsored visa petition. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet the floor or withdraw the sponsorship.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website, select SOC code 45-4023, and enter the worksite metropolitan area or county. The tool returns all four wage levels for that geography. Cross-check the wage level listed on any LCA you receive against this output. O*NET also lists alternate titles that map to this SOC, which helps confirm whether your offered job title is covered.
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