Prevailing Wage for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Prevailing wage for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners (SOC 49-9063) is set by the DOL using regional wage surveys across hundreds of U.S. metros. Whether your offer is for a Luthier, a Brass Instrument Repair Technician, or a Fretted String Instrument Repairer, DOL assigns four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on which city your worksite is in.
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Level 1 covers entry-level technicians with limited hands-on repair experience, typically fewer than two years in the field. Work is performed under close supervision with a narrow scope, such as basic restringing, pad replacements, or routine cleaning tasks.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners. It applies to technicians with solid foundational skills who work independently on standard repairs across one or more instrument families, requiring moderate judgment and some specialized training.
Level 3 covers experienced repair specialists who handle complex restorations, custom setups, and multi-instrument categories with minimal oversight. These professionals often train junior staff or lead repair workflow in a shop or institutional setting.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior technicians or lead instrument repairers who set shop standards, manage specialized restoration projects, and may oversee other repair staff. Deep expertise in one or more instrument categories and independent judgment are expected at this level.
Prevailing Wage for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners 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 Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Verify your worksite city before comparing offers
The prevailing wage for this occupation swings dramatically between metros. Boston and New York post L2 floors roughly 30 percent above the national median, while Atlanta and Pittsburgh sit well below it. Always confirm the DOL wage for the specific city listed on your LCA, not a nearby metro.
Watch for title mismatches that change your SOC
Employers sometimes file LCAs using titles like 'Guitar Repairer' or 'Instrument Repair Tech' under a different SOC if their HR system maps the role to general repair technicians. Confirm your offer letter title and LCA SOC both point to 49-9063 to avoid being benchmarked against the wrong prevailing wage floor.
Account for non-wage compensation exclusions
DOL's prevailing wage compliance test uses base salary only. Tool stipends, signing bonuses amortized over a year, or performance bonuses paid irregularly do not count toward the floor. Instrument repairers in dealer or orchestra settings sometimes receive instrument-use allowances that are also excluded.
Find employers who have sponsored this role on Migrate Mate
Sponsoring a Luthier or repair technician is uncommon enough that employer history matters more than job title. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners before, letting you filter for shops, orchestras, or instrument manufacturers with a real track record.
Jobs for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-9063.00 alongside Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Brass Instrument Repair Technician (Brass Instrument Repair Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Fretted String Instrument Repairer Prevailing Wage
Fretted String Instrument Repairer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Fretted String Instrument Repairer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Guitar Repairer Prevailing Wage
Guitar Repairer Prevailing Wage
Guitar Repairer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Instrument Repair Technician (Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Instrument Repair Technician (Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Instrument Repair Technician (Instrument Repair Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Luthier Prevailing Wage
Luthier Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Luthier for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Musical Instrument Repair Technician (Musical Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Musical Instrument Repair Technician (Musical Instrument Repair Tech) Prevailing Wage
Musical Instrument Repair Technician (Musical Instrument Repair Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Piano Technician (Piano Tech) Prevailing Wage
Piano Technician (Piano Tech) Prevailing Wage
Piano Technician (Piano Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Piano Tuner Prevailing Wage
Piano Tuner Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Piano Tuner for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Stringed Instrument Repairer Prevailing Wage
Stringed Instrument Repairer Prevailing Wage
Stringed Instrument Repairer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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.
Woodwind Instrument Technician (Woodwind Instrument Tech) Prevailing Wage
Woodwind Instrument Technician (Woodwind Instrument Tech) Prevailing Wage
Woodwind Instrument Technician (Woodwind Instrument Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-9063.00 (Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners). 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 Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for this occupation using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through employer surveys in each metro area. OFLC then maps those survey results to SOC 49-9063 and publishes four wage levels. Employers sponsoring a visa must pay at or above the level that matches the offered position's duties and experience requirements.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect increasing skill, autonomy, and scope. Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 covers independent, qualified technicians and is the most common filing level for this occupation; Level 3 applies to experienced specialists handling complex work; Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Review your job description carefully and compare it against DOL's level definitions through the OFLC Wage Search tool to determine where your offer should land.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much between cities?
DOL derives prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the numbers. A metro with a high concentration of orchestras, music schools, or instrument manufacturers, such as Boston or New York, produces higher surveyed wages than smaller markets. Your LCA must list the actual worksite location, and the wage floor used is the one for that specific metro, not a national average or the employer's headquarters city.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA or file an H-1B petition if the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage. OFLC will not certify the LCA, and USCIS will deny the petition. In green card PERM cases, an auditor may flag the discrepancy. The employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the floor or reclassify the role at an appropriate wage level before proceeding.
How can I find and verify the prevailing wage for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, enter SOC code 49-9063, and select the metro area where the job is located. The tool returns all four wage levels published by DOL for that area. Cross-check with Bureau of Labor Statistics area wage data for context. If you want to see which employers have actually sponsored this role and in which locations, Migrate Mate lists vetted sponsoring employers you can filter by role and location.
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