Prevailing Wage for Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics

The prevailing wage for Chainsaw Technician roles in the U.S. is set by DOL using Occupational Employment Survey data specific to where you'll actually work. Whether you're filing as a Golf Cart Mechanic or an Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technician, DOL assigns one of four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts considerably from city to city.

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Level 1Entry
National median
$34K
$16.55/hr

Entry-level mechanics with limited hands-on experience, typically under two years in the field. Work is closely supervised, covering basic engine diagnostics and routine maintenance on lawn mowers, chain saws, or similar small-engine equipment.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$40K
$19.38/hr

Qualified mechanics with two or more years of experience handling a standard range of repair and adjustment tasks with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for this occupation, reflecting the typical journeyman technician profile.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$46K
$22.16/hr

Experienced technicians who work independently across a broad range of small-engine systems, including complex overhauls. Often informally mentors junior staff and handles non-routine diagnostic challenges without supervisory guidance.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$52K
$24.95/hr

Fully competent senior mechanics or lead technicians setting technical standards for a shop or fleet. Scope includes overseeing repair quality, resolving escalated equipment failures, and applying specialized knowledge across multiple engine platforms.

Prevailing Wage for Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics by OES area

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

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$20K/yr$47K/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
Bridgeport, CT
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT metro
$47K$22.67/hr
2
Seattle, WA
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro
$47K$22.61/hr
3
San Jose, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro
$46K$21.92/hr
4
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro
$45K$21.85/hr
5
New Haven, CT
New Haven, CT metro
$45K$21.58/hr
6
Boston, MA
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro
$45K$21.45/hr
7
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$44K$21.34/hr
8
Worcester, MA
Worcester, MA metro
$44K$21.23/hr
9
Manchester, NH
Manchester-Nashua, NH metro
$44K$21.22/hr
10
New York, NY
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro
$44K$21.18/hr

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Prevailing Wage Guide for Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics

Watch for title mismatches on LCA filings

Employers sometimes file LCAs under broad mechanic titles that map to a different SOC, missing the SOC 49-3053 wage floor entirely. Confirm your offer letter title aligns with the outdoor power equipment or small-engine category before signing.

Factor out sign-on bonuses from your wage floor check

DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only regular wages, not one-time sign-on bonuses. A Golf Cart Mechanic offer padded with a signing bonus may appear to clear the L2 floor while the base hourly rate falls short.

Compare your worksite city against national medians

Bridgeport and Seattle post prevailing wages well above the national median for this role, while metros like Huntington, KY sit far below. If your employer operates multiple shop locations, the wage on your LCA must match the specific worksite address.

Use Migrate Mate to identify active sponsors

Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored small-engine mechanic and outdoor power equipment technician roles, so you can target shops and equipment dealers with a real H-1B or green card filing track record before you apply.

Jobs for Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics are hiring across the US. Find yours.

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Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-3053.00 alongside Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Chainsaw Technician Prevailing Wage

Chainsaw Technician positions fall under SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Golf Cart Mechanic Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Golf Cart Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Lawnmower Repair Mechanic Prevailing Wage

Lawnmower Repair Mechanic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Mechanic Prevailing Wage

Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technician Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Service Technician (Service Tech) Prevailing Wage

Service Technician (Service Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Shop Mechanic Prevailing Wage

Shop Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Small Engine Mechanic Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Small Engine Mechanic for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Small Engine Technician (Small Engine Tech) Prevailing Wage

Small Engine Technician (Small Engine Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3053.00 (Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics). 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
$34K
$16.55/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$40K
$19.38/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$46K
$22.16/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$52K
$24.95/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL determine the prevailing wage for a Chainsaw Technician position?

DOL uses Occupational Employment Survey wage data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, broken down by geographic area and four experience levels under the OFLC wage methodology. The employer must survey the correct SOC code, 49-3053, and the correct worksite area to generate a valid prevailing wage determination for this role.

What do the four wage levels mean, and which one applies to my offer?

Level 1 covers entry-level technicians under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified mechanics handling standard repairs independently, and it is the most commonly filed level for outdoor power equipment roles. Level 3 reflects experienced technicians with broad autonomous scope. Level 4 covers senior or lead mechanics setting technical standards. Your level is determined by your actual job duties, not your job title.

Why can the prevailing wage for the same Outdoor Power Equipment Service Technician role vary so much between cities?

DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional Occupational Employment Survey data, so each metro area reflects local labor market conditions. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which wage applies. Dense employer markets with high cost of living, like Bridgeport or San Francisco, produce significantly higher floors than lower-cost regions, creating gaps of more than double between the highest and lowest-paying metros for this occupation.

What happens if a sponsored job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a small-engine mechanic role?

USCIS will not approve a visa petition if the offered wage on the LCA is below the applicable DOL prevailing wage. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet or exceed the floor before filing, or refile the LCA at the correct level. An under-wage offer puts both the petition and the sponsoring employer's compliance record at risk.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Chainsaw Technician job in a specific U.S. city?

Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website to look up SOC 49-3053 wages by metropolitan area. Select the correct worksite area and experience level to retrieve the current prevailing wage floor. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsoring employers by role and location, so you can identify which companies have a track record of sponsoring this occupation in your target city before negotiating your offer.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics right now.

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