Prevailing Wage for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other
Prevailing wage for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other (SOC 47-5049) is set by DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. DOL assigns four experience levels, each carrying a different wage floor. The floor also shifts by worksite city, so a job offer in one metro may clear the threshold while the same offer elsewhere falls short.
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Entry-level operators with limited underground mining experience and minimal independent judgment. DOL expects these workers to perform routine tasks under close supervision, typically with less than two years in the occupation.
Qualified operators who apply standard procedures with moderate independence. Level 2 is the most common filing level for underground mining machine operators, reflecting workers with two or more years of hands-on experience handling routine to moderately complex tasks.
Experienced operators who handle complex assignments, troubleshoot equipment issues without direct supervision, and may informally guide newer workers. DOL expects substantial tenure in the occupation and demonstrated proficiency across varied underground conditions.
Fully competent operators at the senior or lead level. These workers exercise independent judgment on complex operational decisions, may oversee shift activity, and bring specialized expertise in equipment operation or mine-specific systems.
Prevailing Wage for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other 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 SOC before accepting any offer
Underground mining operator roles are sometimes filed under adjacent SOC codes covering extraction workers or helpers, which carry different wage floors. Verify that your LCA specifically lists SOC 47-5049 before signing any offer.
Account for Wheeling as your sole metro benchmark
With only one metropolitan area reporting OES data for this occupation, Wheeling, OH is the primary geographic reference point. If your worksite is outside that metro, DOL falls back to state or national wage data, which can shift your floor significantly.
Exclude bonuses when checking the wage floor
DOL prevailing wage calculations for underground mining roles require that the base hourly or annual rate meets the floor independently. Signing bonuses and production incentives typically cannot be counted toward satisfying the required wage on the LCA.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored underground mining machine operators on work visas. Filtering by sponsorship history lets you focus on companies that have navigated the LCA process for this occupation before.
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Find Jobs for this roleFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for underground mining machine operators?
DOL uses Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys to calculate median wages for SOC 47-5049 by geography. OFLC then publishes four wage levels derived from that survey data. Employers filing an LCA must offer at least the level that matches the position's experience requirements, as documented in the job description and petition.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL's four levels correspond to experience and responsibility: Level 1 covers entry-level work under close supervision, Level 2 covers qualified independent work, Level 3 covers experienced workers handling complex tasks, and Level 4 covers senior or lead roles. Your level is determined by what the employer documents in the LCA job description, not by your self-assessment or job title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same job title vary so much from city to city?
OFLC bases wages on regional BLS surveys, so local labor market conditions directly affect the floor. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, so the wage for the city where you will physically work applies, not the employer's headquarters. For occupations like underground mining with limited metro data points, DOL may apply state-level or national figures when local survey samples are too small.
What happens if an employer's offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA cannot be certified by DOL if the offered wage does not meet or exceed the prevailing wage for the correct level and worksite. If a certified LCA later shows a wage below the floor, USCIS can deny or revoke the petition, and DOL can pursue back-wage liability against the employer. Candidates should verify the offered salary against the OFLC Wage Search before the LCA is submitted.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for underground mining machine operators at a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool and enter SOC code 47-5049 along with the worksite state and metropolitan area. The tool returns all four wage levels for that geography. If your city is not listed, check the state-level data. Migrate Mate also lets you filter sponsored job listings by role and location so you can compare posted salaries against the published floor before applying.
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