Prevailing Wage for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers
Prevailing wage for Communications Systems Technicians under SOC 49-2021 is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level Field Service Technicians through fully competent RF Technicians. The floor varies significantly by worksite city, so an offer that clears the threshold in one market may fall short in another.
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Entry-level Communications Systems Technicians with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine installation or repair tasks under close supervision. Workers in this level follow established procedures with minimal independent judgment and are early in their field technician career.
Qualified technicians with solid practical experience who work independently on standard cellular, radio, or tower equipment tasks. Level 2 is the most common LCA filing level for this occupation, covering the majority of sponsored field service and installation technician roles.
Experienced RF Technicians and field technicians who handle complex, non-routine assignments, exercise independent judgment, and may coordinate work across crews or sites. DOL expects demonstrated proficiency in diagnosing and resolving advanced equipment and network coverage issues.
Fully competent senior technicians in lead or specialist roles, setting technical direction, mentoring others, or managing complex multi-site deployments. Level 4 applies to communications systems professionals with deep expertise and broad autonomous responsibility across tower or cellular infrastructure.
Prevailing Wage for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers 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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Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers
Confirm your worksite city before comparing wages
Tower and cellular technician roles are tied to the physical worksite on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters. San Francisco and Pittsburgh wages for this occupation run nearly double those in San Juan or Guam, so your specific deployment location sets the floor.
Watch for signing-bonus dilution on tower contracts
Some employers front-load compensation with a signing bonus that amortizes across a multi-year contract. DOL prevailing wage compliance for Communications Systems Technicians is calculated on base salary alone, so confirm the base clears the applicable level floor before factoring in one-time payments.
Verify your SOC code matches the actual work
Field technicians hired under a broader IT support or network engineer SOC may miss the SOC 49-2021 wage floor entirely. If your duties center on installing, maintaining, or repairing RF or cellular equipment, confirm your LCA cites SOC 49-2021, not a different code.
Find employers who have sponsored this role before
Migrate Mate shows which companies have historical H-1B or green card sponsorship records for Communications Systems Technician positions, so you can focus your search on employers already familiar with sponsoring field technician roles rather than starting from scratch.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-2021.00 alongside Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Communications Systems Technician Prevailing Wage
Communications Systems Technician Prevailing Wage
Communications Systems Technician positions fall under SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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.
Field Service Technician (Field Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
Field Service Technician (Field Service Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Field Service Technician (Field Service Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Field Technician (Field Tech) Prevailing Wage
Field Technician (Field Tech) Prevailing Wage
Field Technician (Field Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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.
Installation Technician (Installation Tech) Prevailing Wage
Installation Technician (Installation Tech) Prevailing Wage
Installation Technician (Installation Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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.
Radio Frequency Technician (RF Tech) Prevailing Wage
Radio Frequency Technician (RF Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Radio Frequency Technician (RF Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Radio Repairman Prevailing Wage
Radio Repairman Prevailing Wage
Radio Repairman is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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.
Radio Technician (Radio Tech) Prevailing Wage
Radio Technician (Radio Tech) Prevailing Wage
Radio Technician (Radio Tech) positions fall under SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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.
Tower Technician (Tower Tech) Prevailing Wage
Tower Technician (Tower Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Tower Technician (Tower Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Two-Way Radio Technician (Two-Way Radio Tech) Prevailing Wage
Two-Way Radio Technician (Two-Way Radio Tech) Prevailing Wage
Two-Way Radio Technician (Two-Way Radio Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-2021.00 (Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers). 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 Communications Systems Technicians?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of geographic areas. For SOC 49-2021, OFLC assigns a wage to each of four experience levels in each metro area. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the level matching the sponsored worker's actual duties and experience, not simply the title on the offer letter.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level technicians working under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified workers performing standard field service or installation tasks independently. Level 3 reflects experienced technicians handling complex assignments with significant autonomy. Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead specialists. Your level should match the actual scope and independence of the role, which you can cross-check against the duties described in the job posting and the LCA your employer files with OFLC.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Communications Systems Technician role vary so much by city?
OFLC derives wages from regional BLS surveys, so each metro area reflects local labor market conditions. Dense employer markets like San Francisco and New York produce higher survey results than lower-cost regions. Because the LCA must list the actual worksite, the wage floor is set by where the technician physically works, not where the company is incorporated. A role in Hartford carries a materially different floor than the same role in Wilmington, NC.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage level for the worksite. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve the H-1B or other sponsored visa petition. If a certified LCA is later found to have understated wages, DOL can pursue back-wage liability against the employer. The sponsored worker cannot legally begin or continue employment under that petition until the wage issue is resolved.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this occupation?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool on the DOL website, enter SOC code 49-2021 and the target metro area, and select the appropriate experience level. The result shows the exact wage floor your employer must meet on the LCA. You can also review the O*NET profile for SOC 49-2021 to understand how DOL defines the occupation's duties and experience tiers before evaluating whether your offer level is correctly assigned.
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