Prevailing Wage Electrician Pay (Davis-Bacon Act)

As of May 2026. Source: US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, sam.gov wage determinations, NCSL state prevailing wage tables.

Federal construction projects over $2,000 must pay the local Davis-Bacon prevailing wage, typically the IBEW Local A journeyman rate plus full fringe benefits. State little-Davis-Bacon equivalents extend the same rule to state and local projects in roughly half the states.

Major Metro Total72-90USD/hr

What Davis-Bacon prevailing wage actually is

The Davis-Bacon Act was enacted in 1931 to require federally funded construction projects to pay no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area. The intent was to prevent federal contracts from being awarded based on low wages by out-of-area contractors, which would have undermined local labour markets during the Great Depression. The Act has been amended multiple times but the core requirement has remained: workers on federally funded construction over $2,000 must be paid the prevailing wage for their craft and county.

The wage is determined by the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division through a periodic wage survey process. Contractors performing similar work in the county report their wages and benefits to DOL, which compiles the data and issues a wage determination listing the prevailing wage for each craft in each county. The prevailing wage is typically the modal rate (the wage paid to a majority of workers) in counties where one rate predominates, and a weighted average in counties where rates are more dispersed. For electrician work in counties with strong IBEW Local presence, the prevailing wage typically matches the IBEW Local A journeyman scale.

The wage determination has two parts: the base wage (paid in cash on the worker's paycheck) and the fringe benefit (paid either in cash or contributed to bona fide benefit plans). The fringe portion is typically $15 to $35 per hour for electricians, varying by county. The total package (base plus fringe) is the figure that matters for comparison to IBEW total package or non-union total compensation. A Davis-Bacon prevailing wage of $48 base plus $24 fringe equals $72 per hour total package, which is broadly comparable to the IBEW Local total package in major-market Locals.

For background on IBEW Local total package rates, see IBEW Local 3 NYC pay, Local 134 Chicago pay, Local 11 LA pay, and Local 46 Seattle pay. For broader union-vs-non-union context, see union vs non-union electrician pay.

How DOL determines the local prevailing wage

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) conducts wage surveys on a rolling basis, typically updating each county's wage determination every 1 to 5 years. The survey collects wage and fringe data from contractors performing construction in the county for the past 12-month period. The survey covers four construction types: Building (commercial and institutional), Heavy (utility and infrastructure), Highway (DOT road and bridge work), and Residential (single-family and low-rise multi-family). Each construction type has its own wage determination per county.

The wage determination methodology starts with the modal-rate test: if 50 percent or more of the workers in a given craft are paid the same rate, that rate is the prevailing wage. If no rate predominates, the methodology falls back to a weighted-average calculation based on the wage data submitted by contractors who responded to the survey. In practice, the modal-rate test usually identifies a clear prevailing wage for counties with strong union presence (the IBEW rate predominates), while the weighted-average is more common in non-union-majority counties.

Wage determinations are published on sam.gov in the Wage Determinations Online system. Each determination is a multi-page document listing every craft and labour classification with its current base wage and fringe benefit amount, plus the determination number, modification date, and applicable construction type. Contractors are required to incorporate the wage determination by reference into the project contract and to verify they have the most current version before contract award. Subcontractors performing covered work must comply with the same wage requirements.

The certified payroll requirement is the enforcement mechanism. Contractors must submit weekly certified payrolls (WH-347 form) to the contracting agency documenting hours worked, wages paid, and fringe benefits paid for each worker on the project. Misclassification of workers (paying a lower-rate classification than the actual work performed) is a common enforcement issue. DOL conducts periodic audits and has authority to impose back-wage payments, contract debarment, and criminal penalties for willful violations.

State little-Davis-Bacon equivalents

Roughly 24 states maintain their own prevailing wage laws (commonly called little-Davis-Bacon or state prevailing wage acts) that apply prevailing wage requirements to state-funded and local-government-funded construction projects within the state. The state laws are independent of the federal Davis-Bacon Act and apply on top of the federal requirements: a state highway project funded with a mix of federal and state money is subject to both federal Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage. The contractor must pay the higher of the two rates per craft.

States with strong active prevailing wage laws as of 2026 include California (Department of Industrial Relations administers), New York (Department of Labor), New Jersey (Department of Labor and Workforce Development), Illinois (Department of Labor), Massachusetts (Department of Labor Standards), Connecticut (Department of Labor), Maryland (Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation), Minnesota (Department of Labor and Industry), Ohio (Bureau of Workers Compensation administers some aspects), Michigan (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs), Washington (Labor and Industries), Hawaii (Department of Labor and Industrial Relations), Pennsylvania (Department of Labor and Industry), Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and several others.

States that have repealed or never had prevailing wage laws (effectively letting Davis-Bacon stand alone for federal projects but applying no state-funded prevailing wage) include Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, Indiana, Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa (repealed), Kentucky (repealed), West Virginia (repealed in 2016), Michigan (repealed and reinstated multiple times - check current status), and a handful of others. The state-level political environment has shifted prevailing wage laws repeatedly over the past two decades; the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) maintains the most current authoritative list.

For workers, the practical implication is straightforward. In states with active prevailing wage laws, public works projects (state highways, state and local government buildings, public schools, public housing, public transit) provide a substantial source of well-paying work at the prevailing rate. In states without state prevailing wage laws, federal projects (federal buildings, federally-funded transit, IRA-credit-bonus solar and wind projects) are the primary source of prevailing-wage employment. The intersection of Davis-Bacon with the IRA bonus credits has substantially expanded the demand for prevailing-wage-compliant electrical work over the past three years.

The fringe-benefit decomposition

The fringe-benefit portion of the prevailing wage is where the most variation happens between union and non-union contractors. The wage determination specifies a fringe amount (for example, $24 per hour); the contractor must provide at least that much in either cash or bona fide benefit plan contributions. The choice between cash and benefit plans has substantial tax and worker-utility implications.

For union contractors, the fringe is typically paid into the IBEW pension, health and welfare, annuity, and training funds, which are bona fide benefit plans qualifying under the regulation. The contributions are exempt from FICA, FUTA, SUTA, and workers compensation premium calculations, which substantially reduces the contractor's payroll-tax burden compared to paying the fringe as cash. The worker receives the benefit in non-taxable form (health insurance, pension accrual, annuity contribution).

For non-union contractors without established benefit plans, the most common approach is to pay the entire fringe amount as cash on the worker's paycheck. This subjects the entire amount to payroll taxes, which substantially increases the contractor's total labour cost compared to a union contractor on the same project. Some non-union contractors set up bona fide third-party benefit plans (for example, through a multi-employer benefit administrator) specifically to capture the payroll-tax savings on prevailing wage projects; this is increasingly common as non-union contractors compete for federal and state work.

For the worker, the cash-vs-benefit distinction matters for short-term liquidity (cash on the paycheck) vs long-term wealth accumulation (pension and annuity). A worker who plans to spend a full career in the trade benefits more from the benefit-plan contributions because the pension and annuity grow tax-deferred over decades. A worker doing a short-term project for prevailing wage may prefer cash. The choice is the contractor's, not the worker's, but the contractor often follows whatever its standard practice is across all projects.

How to find the rate for your state and county

The current source for federal Davis-Bacon wage determinations is sam.gov, the federal acquisition portal. From the homepage, navigate to Wage Determinations and select Davis-Bacon Act. The search interface allows filtering by state, county, construction type, and modification date. Each result is a downloadable PDF wage determination listing every craft and classification for the county.

For electrician work specifically, look for the Electricians classification in the determination. The base wage and fringe benefit are listed together. Some determinations distinguish between Inside Wireman (commercial and industrial) and Outside Lineman (utility transmission and distribution) and have separate rates for each. Lineman work, when separately specified, typically has higher base wages reflecting the more hazardous outdoor utility environment. For background on the lineman distinction, see lineman salary and electrician vs lineman.

For state prevailing wage rates, each state with a little-Davis-Bacon law publishes its own determinations through the state agency (California DIR, New York DOL, Massachusetts DLS, etc). The state determinations are typically organised similarly to the federal determinations, with separate wages by county and craft. Some states issue blanket statewide rates rather than county-specific rates. Several state agencies have online lookup tools comparable to sam.gov.

For workers verifying their pay on a prevailing wage project, the certified payroll (WH-347 federal or state equivalent) submitted by the contractor to the contracting agency is the authoritative document. Workers should request a copy of the certified payroll for their hours and verify it matches the rate listed in the project wage determination. Misclassification (being listed at a lower-rate classification than the work performed) is a common issue and is addressable through the DOL Wage and Hour Division complaint process.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?

Davis-Bacon prevailing wage is the minimum wage that must be paid to construction workers on federally funded or federally assisted construction projects over $2,000. The wage is set county-by-county based on a US Department of Labor wage survey of comparable local construction work. For electricians, the prevailing wage is typically the local IBEW Local A journeyman rate plus fringe benefits, though in some non-union markets it is a weighted average of union and non-union wages.

How do I look up the prevailing wage for my project?

The current source is sam.gov, the federal acquisition portal. Within sam.gov, the Wage Determinations search allows you to enter the construction type (Building, Heavy, Highway, Residential), the state, and the county to retrieve the binding wage determination for that project. The wage determination lists every craft (electrician, plumber, carpenter, etc.) with its current base wage and fringe benefit amount. Wage determinations are updated periodically; the determination effective at the date of contract award typically applies for the duration of the contract.

Do all states have a state prevailing wage law?

No. As of 2026, roughly 24 states have their own 'little-Davis-Bacon' laws that apply prevailing wage requirements to state-funded construction projects (in addition to federal projects governed by Davis-Bacon). Examples include California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, Hawaii. Other states (Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, South Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin, Idaho, Utah, plus several others) have repealed or never had prevailing wage laws. The state law typically applies to state and locally-funded projects above a threshold dollar amount.

How does prevailing wage compare to non-union journeyman rates?

In most markets, prevailing wage is significantly higher than the non-union journeyman base rate because the prevailing wage typically reflects the union contract rate (the rate that emerges from a wage survey of largely-union signatory contractors). For example, in a state with no state prevailing wage law, a non-union electrician might earn $32/hr base on a private commercial job; the same electrician working on a federally-funded project in the same county must be paid the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage of $48/hr base plus $24/hr in fringe benefits, regardless of whether the employer is union or non-union.

What are fringe benefits in the prevailing wage context?

The prevailing wage determination specifies both a base hourly wage AND a fringe benefit amount (typically $15 to $35 per hour for electricians depending on county). The fringe benefit can be paid as cash on the worker's paycheck (subject to payroll tax) OR contributed to bona fide benefit plans (health insurance, pension, training fund). Many non-union contractors pay the fringe as cash because they do not have benefit plans set up. Union contractors typically contribute the fringe to the IBEW pension, health and welfare, and annuity funds, which is more tax-efficient.

Union vs Non-Union IBEW Local 3 NYC Solar Electrician (IRA Bonus)EV Charging (NEVI)Lineman Salary 5-Year Journeyman Pay

Sources: US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/whd), Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. Chapter 31, Subchapter IV), sam.gov Wage Determinations Online, NCSL state prevailing wage table (ncsl.org). All figures and state-list information approximate as of May 2026; state laws can change rapidly with each legislative session.