Prevailing Wage for Sound Engineering Technicians
Prevailing wage for Sound Engineering Technicians (SOC 27-4014) is set by DOL through regional occupational surveys, giving Audio Engineers, Mixing Engineers, and Audio Operators a city-specific floor their sponsored salary must clear. DOL recognizes four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably depending on where the work is performed.
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Level 1 covers entry-level sound technicians with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates or those transitioning into studio or live production roles. Work is routine and closely supervised, with narrow technical scope and minimal independent judgment expected.
Level 2 applies to qualified technicians with demonstrated hands-on experience in recording, mixing, or live sound reinforcement. This is the most common filing level for Sound Engineering Technicians, reflecting journeyman-level competency without full supervisory or creative lead responsibilities.
Level 3 covers experienced engineers who exercise significant independent judgment, handle complex multi-track sessions or broadcast setups, and may mentor junior staff. Employers typically file at this level for senior studio engineers, broadcast audio leads, or touring production specialists.
Level 4 reflects fully competent professionals at the top of the occupation, such as lead mastering engineers, principal broadcast audio supervisors, or music producers with autonomous creative and technical authority over major productions and significant cross-departmental influence.
Prevailing Wage for Sound Engineering Technicians 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 Sound Engineering Technicians and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Watch how broadcast employers classify live roles
Television and streaming employers sometimes file Audio Operator positions under broadcast technician SOC codes rather than SOC 27-4014, which carries a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm the SOC on your Labor Condition Application matches this occupation before signing an offer.
Factor out signing bonuses from your base wage
DOL prevailing wage compliance uses the annualized base salary on the LCA, not total compensation. Signing bonuses, session fees, and royalty advances paid to mixing or mastering engineers do not count toward the wage floor and cannot offset a below-floor base.
Compare Nashville against coastal metros before negotiating
Nashville is the top-paying non-coastal market for this occupation, with L2 and L3 wages competitive with New York. If you have music industry experience, using Nashville's wage floor as a negotiating reference can outperform what lower-tier metros offer at the same level.
Find employers who have sponsored this role with Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which companies have a verified history of sponsoring Sound Engineering Technicians, so you can target studios, broadcasters, and streaming platforms that have actually filed LCAs for this occupation rather than guessing from job titles alone.
Jobs for Sound Engineering Technicians are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Sound Engineering TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 27-4014.00 alongside Sound Engineering Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Audio Engineer Prevailing Wage
Audio Engineer Prevailing Wage
Audio Engineer positions fall under SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Audio Operator Prevailing Wage
Audio Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Audio Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mastering Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mastering Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mastering Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Mixing Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mixing Engineer Prevailing Wage
Mixing Engineer positions fall under SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Mixing Technician (Mixing Tech) Prevailing Wage
Mixing Technician (Mixing Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mixing Technician (Mixing Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Music Producer Prevailing Wage
Music Producer Prevailing Wage
Music Producer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Recording Engineer Prevailing Wage
Recording Engineer Prevailing Wage
Recording Engineer positions fall under SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Sound Editor Prevailing Wage
Sound Editor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Sound Editor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Sound Engineer Prevailing Wage
Sound Engineer Prevailing Wage
Sound Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Sound Technician (Sound Tech) Prevailing Wage
Sound Technician (Sound Tech) Prevailing Wage
Sound Technician (Sound Tech) positions fall under SOC 27-4014.00 (Sound Engineering Technicians). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Sound Engineering Technicians?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Sound Engineering Technicians from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These surveys collect wage data by SOC code and metropolitan area, which OFLC then organizes into four experience-based levels. Employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the level that matches the position's actual duties and seniority.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
The four levels reflect increasing experience, autonomy, and complexity. Level 1 is entry-level and closely supervised; Level 2 is qualified with independent task execution; Level 3 is experienced with complex assignments and possible mentoring duties; Level 4 is fully competent with broad authority. Your level is determined by the actual job duties described in the LCA and petition, not your job title or years of experience alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Audio Engineer role vary so much city to city?
OFLC assigns wages based on the metropolitan area where the work is physically performed, using regional BLS survey data that captures local labor market conditions. Dense employer markets like Seattle and San Francisco have a high concentration of well-funded studios and tech-adjacent production companies, pushing surveyed wages up significantly. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so a remote arrangement that moves to a lower-wage city legally shifts the applicable floor to that city.
What happens if a job offer for a sponsored position is below the prevailing wage?
An employer cannot certify an LCA with a wage below the applicable DOL prevailing wage level. OFLC will not certify the application, and USCIS will deny the subsequent H-1B or other visa petition. If a below-floor offer is discovered after certification, DOL can require back pay equal to the difference and may debar the employer from future sponsorships. As a candidate, you cannot waive this requirement.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Sound Engineering Technicians in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 27-4014 for any metropolitan area covered by DOL wage surveys. Select the survey year that matches your intended filing date, enter the SOC code or occupation title, and choose your worksite metro. The result shows all four wage levels. You can also search O*NET for the occupation profile to confirm the correct SOC code before running the lookup. Migrate Mate can help you identify which employers have actively sponsored this role in your target city.
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