Prevailing Wage for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
Prevailing wages for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers are set by DOL under SOC 49-9052, covering roles filed under titles like Cable Technician, Cable Splicer, and Field Service Technician. DOL establishes four experience levels, and the wage floor shifts significantly depending on the worksite city. Sponsored candidates should confirm their offer clears the applicable local threshold before accepting.
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Level 1 covers entry-level line installers and repairers with limited field experience, typically performing routine cable installation tasks under direct supervision. Workers at this level follow established procedures and have not yet developed independent troubleshooting judgment.
Level 2 applies to qualified technicians who handle standard installation and repair assignments with moderate supervision. This is the most common LCA filing level for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers, reflecting journey-level field competency and familiarity with splice and termination work.
Level 3 reflects experienced line technicians who work independently on complex cable systems, including fiber optic splicing and multi-circuit repairs. These workers may informally mentor junior staff and handle non-routine field conditions without supervisory guidance.
Level 4 applies to fully competent senior technicians or lead field specialists who set work standards, manage complex project assignments, and may supervise crews. Roles requiring specialized fiber optic certifications or project lead responsibilities typically fall here.
Prevailing Wage for Telecommunications Line 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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Confirm your title maps to SOC 49-9052
Employers sometimes file cable technician and combination technician roles under broader installation SOC codes, which carry different wage floors. Verify your LCA lists SOC 49-9052 so your offer is benchmarked against the correct Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers prevailing wage.
Watch for low-wage metro filings on worksite changes
DOL requires the LCA wage to reflect the actual worksite location. If your employer transfers you from a high-wage metro like San Jose to a lower-paying market, the prevailing wage floor changes and the LCA must be updated before the move.
Exclude signing bonuses from your wage compliance check
One-time signing bonuses and equipment stipends do not count toward the prevailing wage calculation for sponsored line installer roles. Your base hourly or annual rate must independently meet or exceed the DOL floor for your level and worksite city.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with telecom sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which companies have sponsored Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers for H-1B or green card positions in the past, letting you target employers already familiar with the LCA and DOL wage requirements for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 49-9052.00 alongside Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Cable Splicer Prevailing Wage
Cable Splicer Prevailing Wage
Cable Splicer positions fall under SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Cable Technician Prevailing Wage
Cable Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Cable Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Cable Television Technician (Cable TV Tech) Prevailing Wage
Cable Television Technician (Cable TV Tech) Prevailing Wage
Cable Television Technician (Cable TV Tech) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Combination Technician Prevailing Wage
Combination Technician Prevailing Wage
Combination Technician positions fall under SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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 Prevailing Wage
Field Service Technician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Field Service Technician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Installation and Repair Technician (I and R Technician) Prevailing Wage
Installation and Repair Technician (I and R Technician) Prevailing Wage
Installation and Repair Technician (I and R Technician) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Installer Prevailing Wage
Installer Prevailing Wage
Installer positions fall under SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Lineman Prevailing Wage
Lineman Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Lineman for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Outside Plant Technician Prevailing Wage
Outside Plant Technician Prevailing Wage
Outside Plant Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Service Technician Prevailing Wage
Service Technician Prevailing Wage
Service Technician positions fall under SOC 49-9052.00 (Telecommunications Line 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For SOC 49-9052, DOL calculates four wage levels based on the occupation's national and metro-level earnings distribution. Employers sponsoring a line installer or repairer for an H-1B or PERM must certify through OFLC that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level at the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level workers under close supervision, Level 2 to qualified journey-level technicians, Level 3 to experienced workers operating independently on complex systems, and Level 4 to senior or lead specialists. Your level should reflect your actual duties, required experience, and degree of supervisory oversight as described in the job offer, not just your job title. The employer's LCA specifies the filed level.
Why does the prevailing wage for this role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions for cable technicians and line installers in each metro area. The LCA worksite rule requires the wage to match the city where work is actually performed, not the employer's headquarters. Dense telecom markets in coastal metros consistently survey higher than rural or territory-based areas, producing wide geographic variation.
What happens if an employer's offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage is below the prevailing wage for the worksite and level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS cannot approve the H-1B petition. For PERM green card cases, DOL similarly requires the job offer to meet the prevailing wage determination before the application proceeds. An offer below the floor must be renegotiated or the employer must re-file at the correct wage before sponsorship can move forward.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up the current prevailing wage for SOC 49-9052 at any metropolitan or non-metropolitan area. Enter the occupation code and select your worksite area to see all four wage levels. You can also review the O*NET occupation profile for SOC 49-9052 to confirm the role scope matches your position before comparing your offered salary to the applicable floor.
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