Prevailing Wage for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Prevailing wage rules for a CNC Licensed Mill Operator depend on where the job is located and how DOL classifies the role's experience level. Whether your offer title reads CNC Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Mill Operator) or CNC Licensed Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Licensed Mill Operator), DOL sets four wage levels for this occupation, and the floor shifts meaningfully from city to city.
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Entry-level CNC Licensed Mill Operator positions with minimal independent setup experience. Workers at this level follow close supervision, perform routine milling tasks, and typically hold no prior formal training in CNC mill programming or machine calibration.
The most common filing level for this occupation. Workers operate independently on standard milling and planing tasks, apply established procedures without close supervision, and bring one to three years of hands-on CNC mill experience.
Experienced operators who troubleshoot complex setups, mentor junior staff, and handle non-routine milling specifications. Employers typically file at Level 3 when the role involves multi-axis CNC programming or tight-tolerance metal and plastic work.
Fully competent senior operators or lead machinists responsible for process development, quality sign-off, and cross-functional coordination. These positions often carry training responsibilities and require demonstrated mastery across multiple milling and planing machine configurations.
Prevailing Wage for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic 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 worksite metro before comparing wages
LCA prevailing wages attach to the actual worksite address, not the employer's headquarters. For CNC Mill Operators, a position nominally based in Phoenix but physically located in a lower-wage suburb can drop the certified floor by several thousand dollars annually.
Watch for title aliasing into the wrong SOC
Job postings for CNC Mill Set Up Operators sometimes get filed under general machinist SOC codes rather than SOC 51-4035. That shift changes the prevailing wage floor entirely, so confirm the LCA lists SOC 51-4035 before accepting any sponsored offer.
Treat signing bonuses as outside the wage floor
DOL counts only recurring cash wages toward prevailing wage compliance for CNC Licensed Mill Operator filings. One-time signing bonuses and tool allowances do not count, so verify your base annual salary alone clears the certified level wage.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a history of sponsoring CNC Licensed Mill Operator positions, filtered by location and visa type, so you can target companies already familiar with SOC 51-4035 filings rather than educating a new sponsor from scratch.
Jobs for Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for CNC Licensed Mill OperatorPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-4035.00 alongside Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
CNC Licensed Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Licensed Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Licensed Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Licensed Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Licensed Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Licensed Mill Operator) positions fall under SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
CNC Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a CNC Mill Operator (Computer Numerical Control Mill Operator) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
CNC Mill Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Mill Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Mill Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Operator) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
CNC Mill Set Up Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Set Up Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Mill Set Up Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Set Up Operator) Prevailing Wage
CNC Mill Set Up Operator (Computerized Numerical Control Mill Set Up Operator) positions fall under SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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 Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Machine Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Machine Set Up Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Set Up Operator Prevailing Wage
Machine Set Up Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Mill Operator Prevailing Wage
Mill Operator Prevailing Wage
Mill Operator positions fall under SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Miller Prevailing Wage
Miller Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Miller for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Milling Operator Prevailing Wage
Milling Operator Prevailing Wage
Milling Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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.
Setup Man Prevailing Wage
Setup Man Prevailing Wage
Setup Man positions fall under SOC 51-4035.00 (Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic). 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 CNC Licensed Mill Operator?
DOL draws on Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, segmented by geographic area and SOC code. For CNC Licensed Mill Operator roles under SOC 51-4035, OFLC uses those survey results to calculate four wage levels. Employers must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the level that matches the position's actual duties and supervision requirements.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level, closely supervised work. Level 2, the most common filing level for this occupation, reflects independent operation of standard CNC milling tasks. Level 3 applies to experienced operators handling complex or non-routine setups. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with broad responsibility. Your level is determined by the job duties in the LCA, not by your personal experience alone, so compare the position description carefully against OFLC's published level definitions.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same CNC Mill Operator role vary so much between cities?
OFLC calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the numbers. High-cost metros with dense advanced manufacturing activity, like Seattle, show substantially higher floors than lower-cost regions like El Paso or Oklahoma City. The LCA must use the wage for the actual worksite metro, not the employer's home city, so even a remote-eligible posting anchors to wherever the operator physically works.
What happens if an employer's offer is below the DOL prevailing wage for a sponsored CNC Licensed Mill Operator position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition if the LCA shows a wage below the certified prevailing wage. OFLC can also audit or reject the LCA at the certification stage. If a discrepancy surfaces after approval, the employer faces back-wage liability. Workers should independently verify their offer against the current OFLC Wage Search result for their worksite before signing.
How can I look up the prevailing wage for a CNC Licensed Mill Operator in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to search by SOC code 51-4035 and select the relevant metropolitan area. The tool displays all four wage levels for the most recent survey period. Cross-check the result against the wage listed on any LCA your employer provides, since the LCA must reference the same geographic area where you will physically work. Migrate Mate also filters sponsored job listings by location, letting you see which employers have filed for this role in specific metros.
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