Prevailing Wage for Woodworkers, All Other
Prevailing wage for Woodworkers, All Other (SOC 51-7099) is set by DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Four experience levels produce four distinct wage floors, and the city where work is performed determines which local survey applies. Offers below the applicable floor cannot support a sponsored visa petition.
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Level 1 covers entry-level woodworkers with limited experience, typically performing routine tasks under close supervision. Workers at this stage follow established procedures, require frequent instruction, and have not yet developed independent judgment in production or finishing work.
Level 2 applies to qualified woodworkers with some independent judgment and a broader range of tasks. This is the most common filing level for Woodworkers, All Other, reflecting the skill base typical of journeyman-level shop and production roles.
Level 3 covers experienced woodworkers who handle complex tasks with minimal supervision, often mentoring junior staff. These workers apply specialized techniques across a wide range of materials, joinery methods, or custom fabrication work with demonstrated consistency.
Level 4 reflects fully competent woodworkers in senior or lead roles, exercising independent judgment on custom, architectural, or high-tolerance production work. Responsibilities typically include process oversight, quality control decisions, and technical guidance to other shop personnel.
Prevailing Wage for Woodworkers, 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.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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Verify your worksite city before comparing wages
Prevailing wage for woodworking roles varies sharply by metro. The Washington, DC area floor sits significantly higher than markets like Morristown, TN or Memphis, AR. The LCA must list the actual worksite, so a shop's headquarters city is irrelevant if you work at a different facility.
Watch for title mismatches that shift your SOC
Employers sometimes post woodworking roles under broader titles like Production Worker or Manufacturing Technician, which can trigger a different SOC code and a different prevailing wage floor. Confirm the approved LCA lists SOC 51-7099 before accepting a sponsored offer.
Understand how piece-rate pay affects the wage floor
Some woodworking shops structure compensation partly through piece-rate or productivity bonuses. DOL requires the guaranteed base rate to meet the prevailing wage floor on its own; variable output bonuses cannot be counted toward satisfying the LCA wage obligation.
Use Migrate Mate to find sponsors with woodworking history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored workers under SOC 51-7099, so you can prioritize shops and manufacturers with an established visa filing track record rather than approaching employers who have never run an LCA for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for Woodworkers, All OtherFrequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Woodworkers, All Other?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, which collect wage data by occupation and metro area annually. For SOC 51-7099, the OFLC Wage Search publishes four level-specific rates for each surveyed area. Employers filing an LCA must pay at least the rate corresponding to the worker's experience level at the actual worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 is entry-level with close supervision; Level 2 is qualified with routine independent work; Level 3 is experienced with complex tasks and limited supervision; Level 4 is fully competent in senior or lead scope. Your level should reflect the actual duties and supervision structure in your job offer, not simply your years of experience. Employers are responsible for the level selection, but you can cross-check the job description against DOL's level definitions using the OFLC Wage Search.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same woodworking role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, which capture local labor market conditions. A metropolitan area with high housing costs, strong union density, or concentrated demand for skilled woodworkers will produce higher survey results than a rural or lower-cost market. The LCA must list the specific worksite address, and USCIS reviews whether the offered wage meets the rate for that precise location, not a national average.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA filed at a wage below the applicable DOL floor will not be certified by OFLC. Without a certified LCA, the employer cannot file an H-1B or other visa petition with USCIS. If the wage is corrected after filing but before certification, the employer must amend the LCA. Accepting a below-floor offer and hoping OFLC overlooks it is not a viable strategy; the agency audits wage attestations and can debar non-compliant employers.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Woodworkers, All Other in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, select SOC code 51-7099, choose the relevant metro or county area, and select the wage year matching your intended filing period. The tool returns all four level rates for that location. If your worksite falls outside a defined metro, OFLC will assign the statewide or national rate. Migrate Mate can also help you identify employers who have sponsored this occupation before, giving you a practical starting point for your job search.
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