Prevailing Wage for Nuclear Technicians
The prevailing wage for Nuclear Technicians (SOC 19-4051) is set by the Department of Labor and determines the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring a visa. Whether you work as an Auxiliary Operator, Equipment Operator, or Licensed Nuclear Operator, DOL assigns one of four experience levels to the filing, and the floor shifts significantly depending on which city the worksite is in.
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Level 1 covers entry-level technicians with limited experience who perform routine tasks under close supervision. DOL expects workers at this level to follow established procedures with minimal independent judgment, typically reflecting fewer than two years in a nuclear operations environment.
Level 2 applies to qualified technicians with practical experience working with moderate supervision. This is the most common filing level for Nuclear Technicians, reflecting operators who handle standard reactor or testing procedures independently but have not yet reached a lead or specialist scope.
Level 3 covers experienced technicians who exercise significant independent judgment and may guide less senior staff. DOL associates this level with workers who regularly troubleshoot complex systems, interpret technical data, and operate with limited supervisory oversight in nuclear power or research settings.
Level 4 is for fully competent technicians at the top of the occupation, including senior or lead operators who set technical direction, mentor others, and handle the most complex tasks with full autonomy. Employers filing at this level must meet the highest wage floor in their metro.
Prevailing Wage for Nuclear Technicians 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 operator license status before accepting a level
Licensed Nuclear Operators typically command Level 3 or Level 4 filings because licensure signals independent, full-scope operation. If your offer is filed at Level 1 or Level 2 but your role requires an NRC operator license, the wage level may understate your actual scope and leave money on the table.
Watch the Philadelphia-versus-Chicago wage gap closely
The prevailing wage for this occupation spans a wide band across the four covered metros. Philadelphia-area worksites carry a substantially higher floor than Chicago worksites at every level, so the same Non-Licensed Operator title can clear compliance at very different salaries depending on which plant you are placed at.
Exclude shift-differential pay when calculating base compliance
Nuclear plant compensation often includes significant shift differentials and hazard pay. DOL prevailing wage compliance is calculated on base salary only. Shift premiums, overnight differentials, and radiation-exposure bonuses do not count toward meeting the wage floor for LCA certification purposes.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring nuclear plant roles
Nuclear Technician sponsorship is concentrated at a small number of plant operators and contractors. Migrate Mate shows which employers have an active H-1B or green card sponsorship history for this occupation, helping you target companies that have successfully sponsored Equipment Operator and Auxiliary Operator roles before.
Jobs for Nuclear Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Nuclear TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-4051.00 alongside Nuclear Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Auxiliary Operator positions fall under SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Equipment Operator Prevailing Wage
Equipment Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Equipment Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Licensed Nuclear Operator Prevailing Wage
Licensed Nuclear Operator Prevailing Wage
Licensed Nuclear Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Non-Licensed Nuclear Equipment Operator (NLO) Prevailing Wage
Non-Licensed Nuclear Equipment Operator (NLO) Prevailing Wage
Non-Licensed Nuclear Equipment Operator (NLO) positions fall under SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Non-Licensed Nuclear Plant Operator (NLO) Prevailing Wage
Non-Licensed Nuclear Plant Operator (NLO) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Non-Licensed Nuclear Plant Operator (NLO) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Nuclear Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Nuclear Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Nuclear Auxiliary Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Nuclear Equipment Operator (NEO) Prevailing Wage
Nuclear Equipment Operator (NEO) Prevailing Wage
Nuclear Equipment Operator (NEO) positions fall under SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (NAPEO) Prevailing Wage
Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (NAPEO) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (NAPEO) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Operations Technician Prevailing Wage
Operations Technician Prevailing Wage
Operations Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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.
Systems Operator Prevailing Wage
Systems Operator Prevailing Wage
Systems Operator positions fall under SOC 19-4051.00 (Nuclear Technicians). 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 Nuclear Technicians?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For Nuclear Technicians under SOC 19-4051, the OFLC assigns a wage based on the BLS data for the specific metropolitan area where the worksite is located. Employers must certify on the LCA that they will pay at least the higher of the prevailing wage or the actual wage paid to similarly situated workers at the worksite.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
DOL's four levels reflect a progression from entry-level to fully competent. Level 1 covers new technicians working under close supervision with limited independent judgment. Level 2 is for qualified operators handling standard duties with moderate oversight, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 applies to experienced technicians with significant autonomy, and Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead operators. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision described in your job offer, not simply your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Nuclear Technicians role vary so much by city?
The variation comes from regional OES surveys, which capture local labor market conditions including employer concentration and cost of labor in each metro. The LCA rule requires the employer to use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite location listed on the application, not a national average. Areas with fewer nuclear facilities and smaller survey samples can produce different wage floors than metro areas with dense employer presence, which is why Philadelphia and New York carry higher floors than Chicago for this occupation.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored Nuclear Technicians position is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot obtain a certified LCA from OFLC if the offered salary falls below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and experience level. USCIS will deny an H-1B petition that lacks a certified LCA. For green card PERM cases, a wage below the prevailing wage is grounds for DOL to reject the application. The employer must either increase the offered salary to meet the floor or reclassify the position to a level whose floor the salary does clear before filing.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Nuclear Technicians at a specific U.S. location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up current prevailing wages by SOC code and metropolitan area. Enter SOC code 19-4051 and select the metro that matches your worksite address to see all four wage levels. You can also search O*NET for occupation details that help you match your duties to the correct level. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Nuclear Technicians roles historically, so you can identify active sponsors before comparing an offer against the local wage floor.
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