Prevailing Wage for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
Prevailing wage for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (SOC 51-8021) is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level Boiler Operator positions through senior Operating Engineer roles. Whether your offer covers a Boiler Technician or an Auxiliary Operator title, the floor shifts significantly by city, so checking the worksite location matters.
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Entry-level candidates with limited hands-on experience operating boilers, steam engines, or related mechanical equipment. Typically recent completions of apprenticeship or vocational training with close supervision expected. DOL defines this tier as workers still building core competency.
Qualified workers with solid independent operating experience across boiler and mechanical systems. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, reflecting journey-level skill without senior oversight responsibilities.
Experienced operators who handle complex or multi-system plant environments and may mentor junior staff. DOL expects demonstrated judgment, broad equipment familiarity, and the ability to troubleshoot without direct supervision.
Fully competent senior engineers or lead operators responsible for entire utility systems, overseeing others, or holding a chief stationary engineer license. DOL places these workers at the top of the wage range for the occupation.
Prevailing Wage for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators 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.
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Confirm your license tier before accepting
Many states require a stationary engineer or boiler operator license at specific horsepower ratings. Employers often file at Level 3 or Level 4 for licensed chief engineers, so confirm your license class matches the wage level on the LCA before signing.
Watch for shift-differential exclusions in boiler plant roles
Boiler and utility plant positions frequently include night-shift differentials and hazard pay. DOL prevailing wage calculations cover base wages only, so verify your base salary clears the floor independently of any shift or hazard additions.
Prioritize high-concentration metros for stationary engineer roles
The wage floor for Operating Engineers in California metros like San Francisco and San Jose runs significantly above the national median, while metros such as Knoxville and Houma sit near the low end. Targeting high-concentration markets improves both floor levels and sponsorship availability.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring boiler operator roles
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historically sponsored Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, letting you focus applications on facilities management companies, utilities, and industrial operators with an active H-1B or green card filing track record.
Jobs for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 51-8021.00 alongside Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Auxiliary Operator Prevailing Wage
Auxiliary Operator positions fall under SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Boiler Operator Prevailing Wage
Boiler Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Boiler Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech) Prevailing Wage
Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech) Prevailing Wage
Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Operating Engineer Prevailing Wage
Operating Engineer Prevailing Wage
Operating Engineer positions fall under SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Operator Prevailing Wage
Operator Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Operator for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Plant Utilities Engineer Prevailing Wage
Plant Utilities Engineer Prevailing Wage
Plant Utilities Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Recovery Boiler Operator Prevailing Wage
Recovery Boiler Operator Prevailing Wage
Recovery Boiler Operator positions fall under SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Stationary Engineer Prevailing Wage
Stationary Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Stationary Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Stationary Steam Engineer Prevailing Wage
Stationary Steam Engineer Prevailing Wage
Stationary Steam Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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.
Utilities Operator Prevailing Wage
Utilities Operator Prevailing Wage
Utilities Operator positions fall under SOC 51-8021.00 (Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators). 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 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages by occupation and metro area. For Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators under SOC 51-8021, those survey results are loaded into the OFLC Wage Search tool, which employers must consult when filing a Labor Condition Application for H-1B sponsorship or a PERM application for a green card.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify which applies to my offer?
DOL's four levels map to experience and responsibility: Level 1 is entry, Level 2 is qualified journey-level, Level 3 is experienced, and Level 4 is fully competent or senior lead. Your employer selects the level that matches the actual job duties listed on the LCA. Review the position description carefully; if it requires a chief stationary engineer license or supervisory duties, the employer should be filing at Level 3 or Level 4.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same boiler operator role vary so much city to city?
DOL calculates wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the figures. A dense industrial metro with unionized plant operators, like Chicago or San Francisco, produces higher survey medians than a smaller Southern market. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, and USCIS checks that the offered wage meets the prevailing wage for that specific metro, not a national average.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify the LCA if the offered wage falls below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite location and wage level. USCIS will not approve the H-1B petition, and a PERM application would fail DOL audit. The employer must either increase the offered wage to meet the floor or reclassify the position at a lower wage level that accurately reflects the duties, if that lower level genuinely applies.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators position at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, selecting SOC code 51-8021 and the metro area matching your worksite. The tool returns the four wage levels for that location. You can cross-check against Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment data for the same metro. Migrate Mate also lets you filter for employers with a history of sponsoring this occupation, so you can see which companies in your target city have filed before.
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