Prevailing Wage for Machine Feeders and Offbearers
Prevailing wage rates for Machine Feeders and Offbearers (SOC 53-7063) are set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys across more than 500 metro and nonmetro areas. Whether your offer is for a Feeder, Dryer Feeder, or Lug Loader role, DOL assigns one of four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts significantly depending on your worksite city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level workers with limited experience who perform routine, closely supervised tasks. Employers typically file at this level for candidates new to industrial machine-feeding or offbearing work who require hands-on instruction to meet production standards.
Level 2 applies to qualified workers with moderate experience who handle standard feeding or offbearing tasks with minimal supervision. This is the most common filing level for Machine Feeders and Offbearers, reflecting the typical skilled production hire.
Level 3 covers experienced workers who operate with significant autonomy, handle varied materials or equipment configurations, and may assist in training newer staff. Employers file here when the role requires demonstrated adaptability across multiple machine types.
Level 4 applies to fully competent workers who set procedures, lead line operations, or troubleshoot complex feeding and offbearing workflows. Sponsoring at this level typically reflects a senior or lead production designation with broad operational responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Machine Feeders and Offbearers 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 Machine Feeders and Offbearers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch for title aliasing on LCA filings
Job postings for Cotton Tipper, Offbearer, or Lug Loader roles are sometimes filed under adjacent SOC codes like Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers or Packaging Machine Operators. An incorrect SOC means the prevailing wage benchmark changes, so confirm SOC 53-7063 appears on the certified LCA before accepting an offer.
Account for shift differentials in base wage compliance
Machine feeding and offbearing positions frequently include shift premiums for overnight or weekend production runs. DOL's prevailing wage requirement applies to the base hourly rate, not blended shift pay, so a posted total compensation figure can obscure whether the straight-time wage actually clears the floor.
Compare worksite metros before accepting production placements
Prevailing wage rates for this occupation vary sharply by metro: top markets like Kansas City and Minneapolis set floors well above low-wage metros like San Juan or Oklahoma City. If your employer operates multiple plants, the certified wage must correspond to your actual worksite location on the LCA, not headquarters.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with a filing history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Machine Feeders and Offbearers and their historical sponsorship counts, helping you identify manufacturers and production facilities that have actually filed for this SOC rather than relying on unverified job postings.
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Find Jobs for Machine Feeders and OffbearersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 53-7063.00 alongside Machine Feeders and Offbearers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cotton Tipper Prevailing Wage
Cotton Tipper Prevailing Wage
Cotton Tipper positions fall under SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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.
Dryer Feeder Prevailing Wage
Dryer Feeder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Dryer Feeder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Feeder Prevailing Wage
Feeder Prevailing Wage
Feeder is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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.
Lug Loader Prevailing Wage
Lug Loader Prevailing Wage
Lug Loader positions fall under SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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 Feeder Prevailing Wage
Machine Feeder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Machine Feeder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Offbearer Prevailing Wage
Offbearer Prevailing Wage
Offbearer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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.
Sawmill Worker Prevailing Wage
Sawmill Worker Prevailing Wage
Sawmill Worker positions fall under SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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.
Sewing Line Baler Prevailing Wage
Sewing Line Baler Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Sewing Line Baler for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Tube Puller Prevailing Wage
Tube Puller Prevailing Wage
Tube Puller is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-7063.00 (Machine Feeders and Offbearers). 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 Machine Feeders and Offbearers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro and nonmetro survey areas. For SOC 53-7063, OFLC maps the employer's worksite to the nearest OES survey area and publishes four wage levels derived from the wage distribution for that occupation in that geography. Employers file an LCA certifying they will pay at least the applicable prevailing wage.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels correspond to increasing experience and autonomy. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is a qualified worker performing standard tasks independently; Level 3 is an experienced worker with broader responsibilities or multi-equipment skills; Level 4 is a fully competent worker in a senior or lead capacity. Your level should match the duties and supervision described in your job offer and the employer's LCA, not simply your years on the job.
Why does the prevailing wage for this occupation vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional OES survey data, so the wage floor reflects what employers in each local labor market actually pay for the occupation. Industrial wage rates in high-cost manufacturing hubs like Minneapolis differ substantially from lower-cost production regions. Critically, the LCA must list your actual worksite address, meaning a company headquartered in a high-wage city cannot use that city's rate if you work at a plant in a lower-wage metro.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with a wage below the DOL prevailing wage floor. If the offered salary is insufficient, OFLC will not certify the LCA, and without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other employment-based petition. If a certified LCA is later found to misrepresent the wage, the employer faces back-pay liability, debarment from future filings, and potential civil penalties. The prevailing wage is a legal minimum, not a negotiating reference point.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Machine Feeders and Offbearers at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 53-7063 wages by metro area or state. Enter the occupation code and your worksite ZIP or metropolitan area to see the current Level 1 through Level 4 wage floors published by DOL. You can also cross-reference national and metro wage estimates through the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables. Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by location and role so you can identify employers actively hiring for this occupation in your target market.
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