Prevailing Wage for Rail Car Repairers
Prevailing wage for Rail Car Repairers (SOC 49-3043) is set by the Department of Labor across four experience levels, so the floor a sponsored Rail Car Mechanic or Freight Maintenance Specialist must meet depends on both seniority and worksite city. Wages vary significantly across the 20 metro areas covered, with top markets paying substantially more than the national median.
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Entry-level rail car repair workers with limited hands-on experience, typically performing routine inspections and basic maintenance under close supervision. DOL assigns Level 1 to workers new to the occupation who are still developing independent diagnostic skills.
Qualified workers with demonstrated experience performing standard repairs, adjustments, and overhauls with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Rail Car Repairers, reflecting journey-level mechanics who handle a full range of typical repair tasks independently.
Experienced mechanics who work independently on complex repairs, diagnose difficult faults, and may informally guide less experienced colleagues. DOL Level 3 applies when the role requires broad technical judgment across multiple car systems or equipment types.
Fully competent senior or lead repairers who set technical standards, mentor others, and handle the most complex diagnostic and overhaul work. Employers filing at Level 4 typically designate these workers as lead mechanics or specialist repairers with facility-wide responsibility.
Prevailing Wage for Rail Car 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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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Rail Car Repairers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your worksite matches your LCA location
Rail car repair work is tied to specific maintenance facilities, yards, or transit depots. If your worksite changes to a different metro, your employer must file a new LCA reflecting that city's prevailing wage, which can differ substantially from your original posting.
Watch for Level 2 filings on lead mechanic titles
Employers sometimes post Locomotive Repairman or Rail Car Mechanic roles with Level 2 wages even when duties involve independent diagnosis and overhaul work that qualifies as Level 3. Review the LCA job duties description, not just the title, before accepting an offer.
Understand how signing bonuses affect your base wage floor
DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against regular wages, not one-time payments. A signing bonus cannot be counted toward the annual floor. Your base hourly or salaried rate must independently meet the prevailing wage for your level and worksite city.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with rail sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Rail Car Repairers and similar maintenance mechanic roles before. Filtering by sponsorship history lets you focus on transit agencies and freight operators that have an established visa filing process for this occupation.
Jobs for Rail Car Repairers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Rail Car RepairersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-3043.00 alongside Rail Car Repairers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Freight Maintenance Specialist Prevailing Wage
Freight Maintenance Specialist Prevailing Wage
Freight Maintenance Specialist positions fall under SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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.
Locomotive Repairman Prevailing Wage
Locomotive Repairman Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Locomotive Repairman for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Rail Car Maintenance Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Maintenance Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Maintenance Mechanic is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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.
Rail Car Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Mechanic Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Mechanic positions fall under SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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.
Rail Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Rail Car Repairman for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Rail Car Sandblaster Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Sandblaster Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Sandblaster is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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.
Rail Car Welder Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Welder Prevailing Wage
Rail Car Welder positions fall under SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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.
Railroad Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
Railroad Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Railroad Car Repairman for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Train Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
Train Car Repairman Prevailing Wage
Train Car Repairman is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-3043.00 (Rail Car 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 Rail Car Repairers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Rail Car Repairers using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics through surveys of actual employers in each metropolitan area. OFLC publishes these figures annually and assigns them to SOC 49-3043. The wage reflects what employers in a given area actually pay workers in comparable roles, not a national average applied uniformly.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL's four levels reflect increasing skill and responsibility. Level 1 covers entry-level workers under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified journey-level mechanics handling standard repairs independently. Level 3 covers experienced workers with complex diagnostic responsibilities. Level 4 applies to fully competent senior or lead repairers. Your level should match the actual duties and supervision described in your job offer and LCA, not simply your years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Rail Car Repairer role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional BLS wage surveys, so prevailing wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national figure. A densely populated metro with major transit systems and a competitive market for skilled mechanics will produce higher survey wages than a smaller industrial city. The worksite address listed on your employer's LCA determines which metro's wage floor applies, even if the company is headquartered elsewhere.
What happens if my job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot file a valid LCA or H-1B petition if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for your level and worksite. USCIS will reject or deny the petition. If you are already on status and your pay drops below the certified LCA wage, your employer is out of compliance and your status is at risk. The floor is a hard legal minimum, not a benchmark.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Rail Car Repairers at a specific U.S. location?
You can look up current figures using the OFLC Wage Search tool, which allows you to search by SOC code 49-3043 and select a specific metropolitan area. Cross-reference the result with your employer's certified LCA, which must list the wage level and worksite city. Migrate Mate can show you which employers have sponsored Rail Car Repairers or equivalent rail maintenance roles so you can evaluate offers against historical sponsorship patterns.
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