Prevailing Wage for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Prevailing wage for Blending Technician roles is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data and varies significantly by worksite city. Whether your offer titles you as a Batchmaker, Blender, or Issuing Operator, DOL assigns four experience levels, each carrying a different wage floor that your employer must meet on the Labor Condition Application.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$37K
$17.96/hr

Entry-level Blending Technicians with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine mixing or blending tasks under direct supervision. Employers filing at this level expect workers to follow established procedures with minimal independent judgment required.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$43K
$20.73/hr

Qualified Blending Technicians with working knowledge of mixing processes and some independent operation of blending equipment. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting experienced operators who need limited oversight day-to-day.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$49K
$23.46/hr

Experienced Blending Technicians who troubleshoot equipment issues, adjust formulations independently, and may train newer operators. These workers handle non-routine blending tasks and apply specialized knowledge of materials such as chemicals, pigments, or food ingredients.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$54K
$26.05/hr

Fully competent senior Blenders or Lead Batchmakers who set batch standards, oversee production quality, and may supervise a blending line. Employers filing at this level typically require extensive occupation-specific experience and demonstrated mastery across multiple material types.

Prevailing Wage for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

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$20K/yr$55K/yr

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

1
Duluth, MN
Duluth, MN-WI metro
$55K$26.64/hr
2
Wausau, WI
Wausau, WI metro
$50K$23.87/hr
3
Eau Claire, WI
Eau Claire, WI metro
$49K$23.74/hr
4
Oshkosh, WI
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI metro
$49K$23.63/hr
5
Mankato, MN
Mankato, MN metro
$49K$23.49/hr
6
Topeka, KS
Topeka, KS metro
$49K$23.33/hr
7
Enid, OK
Enid, OK metro
$49K$23.33/hr
8
Columbia, MO
Columbia, MO metro
$48K$22.90/hr
9
Cheyenne, WY
Cheyenne, WY metro
$47K$22.61/hr
10
Washington, DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro
$47K$22.36/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Verify your title maps to SOC 51-9023

Job titles like Formulation Technician or Production Mixer sometimes get filed under broader manufacturing SOC codes, missing the SOC 51-9023 floor entirely. Confirm your offer letter title aligns with the Batchmaker or Blending Technician classification before the LCA is certified.

Check Gulf Coast and California metro premiums

Baton Rouge and Sacramento consistently post L3 and L4 prevailing wages well above the national median for this occupation. If your offer is in one of these metros, the applicable wage floor is substantially higher than the national figure, so compare to the correct worksite city.

Exclude signing bonuses when assessing base wage compliance

DOL prevailing wage compliance for Blending Technician roles is measured against base salary, not total compensation. One-time signing bonuses and shift-differential pay counted toward the floor can trigger a wage violation if the annualized base falls short.

Find employers who have sponsored Blending Technician roles before

Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B or green card sponsorship for manufacturing and blending occupations, letting you focus applications on companies already familiar with the LCA process for this SOC rather than educating a sponsor from scratch.

Jobs for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-9023.00 alongside Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Batchmaker Prevailing Wage

Batchmaker positions fall under SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Blender Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Blender for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Blending Technician (Blending Tech) Prevailing Wage

Blending Technician (Blending Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Ink Blender Prevailing Wage

Ink Blender positions fall under SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Issuing Operator Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Issuing Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Machine Operator Prevailing Wage

Machine Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Mixer Prevailing Wage

Mixer positions fall under SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Mixer Operator Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mixer Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Operator Prevailing Wage

Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Stock Preparation Operator (Stock Prep Operator) Prevailing Wage

Stock Preparation Operator (Stock Prep Operator) positions fall under SOC 51-9023.00 (Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders). 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.

Level 1
Entry
$37K
$17.96/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$43K
$20.73/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$49K
$23.46/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$54K
$26.05/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Blending Technician positions?

DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 51-9023, OFLC assigns four wage levels based on experience and job complexity within each geographic area. Employers must pay at least the level that matches the duties described in the job offer and LCA filing.

What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to my offer?

Level 1 covers entry-level operators under direct supervision. Level 2 reflects qualified workers with independent production duties and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced Blenders who troubleshoot and train others. Level 4 covers senior or lead Batchmakers. The level is determined by the actual duties listed on the LCA, not the job title alone.

Why does prevailing wage for the same Blending Technician role vary so much city to city?

OFLC bases each area's wage on regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys that capture local labor market conditions. A Blender in Baton Rouge or Sacramento operates in a market with higher industrial concentration and competing demand, pushing the floor up sharply. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the wage floor follows the city where the work is performed, not the employer's headquarters.

What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?

If the offered wage falls below the applicable DOL wage floor, OFLC will not certify the Labor Condition Application, and USCIS will not approve the petition. The employer must either raise the base salary to meet or exceed the prevailing wage or reclassify the position to a level that matches the actual duties and the offered wage. You cannot waive the prevailing wage requirement.

How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this occupation?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 51-9023 by metropolitan area or county. Select the geographic area that matches your worksite and review all four wage levels. For finding employers who have sponsored Blending Technician or Batchmaker roles in specific cities, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by location and shows each employer's historical sponsorship counts for this type of role.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders right now.

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