Prevailing Wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
The prevailing wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas under SOC 47-5013 sets the minimum a sponsored worker must be paid for visa compliance. Whether your offer letter names you a Pulling Unit Operator, Service Rig Operator, or Rig Operator, DOL assigns four experience levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Level 1 covers entry-level service unit operators with limited field experience, typically following detailed instructions on routine well-service tasks. Workers at this level perform closely supervised duties with little independent judgment expected on workover or fishing-tool operations.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas. It applies to qualified operators with moderate field experience who handle standard well-service procedures with some independence but still work within established rig or crew supervision structures.
Level 3 fits experienced operators who routinely handle complex well-service assignments, including stuck-pipe or fishing-tool work, with minimal supervision. These workers often mentor junior crew members and are expected to troubleshoot non-routine downhole problems independently.
Level 4 applies to fully competent operators at the senior or lead level, including tool pushers with broad decision-making authority over well-service operations. These workers set procedures, oversee multi-crew jobs, and are recognized subject-matter resources on their rigs.
Prevailing Wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas 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 Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
Watch for title aliasing on oil field filings
Job titles like Tool Pusher or Service Rig Operator sometimes get filed under drilling or production SOC codes instead of 47-5013, setting a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm the SOC on your Labor Condition Application matches your actual well-service duties.
Account for field differential pay structures
Many oil and gas employers pay a daily field rate or hazard differential on top of base salary. DOL prevailing wage compliance is measured against base annual wages only, so a high total package can still fall short of the L2 floor if base pay is underfunded.
Compare your offer against Anchorage versus Gulf Coast rates
The prevailing wage for this role varies more sharply by region than most trades. Alaska and certain Midwest metros set floors well above Southern producing-basin markets like Birmingham or San Antonio, where the L1 floor sits at the lower end nationally.
Use Migrate Mate to find proven oil field sponsors
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas for H-1B or other visa types, so you can target companies with real well-service sponsorship track records rather than guessing from job postings alone.
Jobs for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 47-5013.00 alongside Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Pulling Unit Operator Prevailing Wage
Pulling Unit Operator Prevailing Wage
Pulling Unit Operator positions fall under SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). 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.
Reverse Unit Operator Prevailing Wage
Reverse Unit Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Reverse Unit Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
Rig Operator is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). 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.
Service Operator Prevailing Wage
Service Operator Prevailing Wage
Service Operator positions fall under SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). 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.
Service Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
Service Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Service Rig Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Tool Pusher Prevailing Wage
Tool Pusher Prevailing Wage
Tool Pusher is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). 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.
Well Servicing Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
Well Servicing Rig Operator Prevailing Wage
Well Servicing Rig Operator positions fall under SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). 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.
Wireline Operator Prevailing Wage
Wireline Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Wireline Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 47-5013.00 (Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate median wages for SOC 47-5013 in each geographic area. The OFLC then maps those figures to four experience levels. An employer filing a Labor Condition Application for a sponsored service unit operator must pay at least the level matching that worker's experience and the job's worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which one applies to me?
DOL divides the prevailing wage into Levels 1 through 4, ranging from entry-level with close supervision to fully competent with independent authority. Your level is determined by years of relevant field experience, the complexity of well-service tasks in the role, and the degree of supervisory oversight. Level 2 is the most common filing level for qualified operators in active sponsorship cases. Review the job description and ask your employer which level they intend to file at on the LCA.
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 its own local labor market. An employer must use the wage for the actual worksite listed on the LCA, not a national average. Markets with concentrated oil field activity and higher operating costs, such as Alaska, set higher floors than less active producing regions in the South. This worksite-on-LCA rule means your offer must clear the floor for your specific city, not the national median.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA, and USCIS cannot approve an H-1B petition, if the offered wage falls below the applicable prevailing wage. If a discrepancy is discovered after approval, USCIS or DOL can trigger an audit, back-wage liability, or debarment for the employer. For the worker, it can jeopardize visa status. Before signing an offer, confirm the stated salary meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for your experience level and worksite location.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas in a specific U.S. location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 47-5013 by metropolitan area or state. Enter the occupation code and your worksite location to see all four level wages for that area. Cross-reference the result with the O*NET occupation profile to confirm the job duties match this SOC. For identifying which employers have sponsored this role before, Migrate Mate filters sponsorship history by role and location.
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