Prevailing Wage for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
The prevailing wage for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic (SOC 51-4062) sets the minimum salary a U.S. employer must offer when sponsoring this role for an H-1B, E-3, or green card. DOL establishes four experience levels, each carrying a different wage floor, and the required minimum shifts meaningfully depending on the worksite city.
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Entry-level patternmakers with limited experience working under direct supervision on routine pattern layout, machining, or fitting tasks. Typically recent graduates or candidates new to U.S. foundry environments. DOL expects minimal independent judgment at this level.
The most common filing level for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic. Qualified workers with moderate experience who handle standard pattern and core box work with limited supervision. Most employer LCA filings for this occupation target Level 2.
Experienced pattern makers who independently manage complex castings, match plate assembly, or multi-step machining sequences. May mentor junior staff. DOL associates this level with workers who exercise considerable judgment and need minimal day-to-day direction.
Fully competent professionals in senior or lead roles, such as a Lead Metal Pattern Maker or senior Die Cast Die Maker. Sets technical standards, resolves difficult fabrication problems, and may oversee a pattern shop team with full independence.
Prevailing Wage for Patternmakers, 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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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
Confirm your title maps to SOC 51-4062
Job postings for this work appear under many aliases: Pattern Maker Programmer, Fixture Builder, Layout Technician, and Die Cast Die Maker. If an employer files an LCA under the wrong SOC, your prevailing wage floor could be set incorrectly, so verify the SOC code before signing an offer.
Watch the Milwaukee wage compression trap
Milwaukee is simultaneously a top-paying and lowest-paying metro for this occupation because its four wage levels are clustered unusually close together. A promotion from L1 to L4 yields a smaller salary jump than in most other markets, which limits negotiation leverage over time.
Treat the Los Angeles premium as a worksite rule
Los Angeles carries the highest prevailing wage for this role in the dataset. If your employer's headquarters is outside California but your actual worksite is in the LA metro, the LCA must reflect the LA wage floor, not the lower home-office rate.
Use Migrate Mate to find active pattern-making sponsors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic for H-1B or green card. Filtering by this occupation surfaces companies with a proven filing track record, so you spend less time approaching employers who have never sponsored the role.
Jobs for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-4062.00 alongside Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Die Cast Die Maker Prevailing Wage
Die Cast Die Maker Prevailing Wage
Die Cast Die Maker positions fall under SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Fixture Builder Prevailing Wage
Fixture Builder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Fixture Builder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Layout Technician Prevailing Wage
Layout Technician Prevailing Wage
Layout Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Metal Pattern Maker Prevailing Wage
Metal Pattern Maker Prevailing Wage
Metal Pattern Maker positions fall under SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Pattern Maker Prevailing Wage
Pattern Maker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pattern Maker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Pattern Maker Programmer Prevailing Wage
Pattern Maker Programmer Prevailing Wage
Pattern Maker Programmer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Pattern Repair Person Prevailing Wage
Pattern Repair Person Prevailing Wage
Pattern Repair Person positions fall under SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Patternmaker Prevailing Wage
Patternmaker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Patternmaker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Wax Molder Prevailing Wage
Wax Molder Prevailing Wage
Wax Molder is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-4062.00 (Patternmakers, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic?
DOL derives prevailing wages for this occupation from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. The OFLC then assigns four wage levels based on experience, complexity, and supervision requirements. Employers sponsoring a pattern maker must certify on the LCA that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite area.
What do the four wage levels mean, and how do I know which one applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level workers under close supervision; Level 2 covers qualified workers handling standard tasks with limited oversight; Level 3 applies to experienced professionals exercising independent judgment; Level 4 reflects senior or lead roles setting technical standards. Your level is determined by the actual duties in the job description, not your title. Review the employer's LCA on the OFLC public disclosure file to see which level was filed.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much from city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan area reflects local labor market conditions. Los Angeles, for example, has a substantially higher floor than Detroit or Milwaukee because its regional wage data shows higher compensation for this occupation. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so the metro where you physically work determines which wage floor applies, regardless of where your employer is headquartered.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a compliant LCA if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and experience level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other employer-sponsored petition without a certified LCA. If the offer is below floor, the employer must raise the salary before filing, reclassify the role at a lower level with a matching job description, or the petition cannot proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website. Enter SOC code 51-4062, select the relevant metropolitan area for your worksite, and the tool returns all four wage levels. Cross-check against the employer's filed LCA in the OFLC public disclosure dataset to confirm the level and wage the employer actually certified. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers in your target city have sponsored this role before.
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