Apprentice Wages Under Davis-Bacon: Rules and Requirements
Jul 4, 2026
One of the most nuanced aspects of Davis-Bacon compliance involves apprentice wages. While the law requires journeyman prevailing wages for most workers, registered apprentices may be paid a percentage of the journeyman rate — but only under specific conditions.
The Registration Requirement
To qualify for apprentice wage rates, a worker must be individually enrolled in a DOL-registered or state-approved apprenticeship program. Program registration alone is not sufficient — the individual worker must be enrolled and have paperwork to prove it.
Apprentice Wage Rates
Apprentice rates are set by the apprenticeship program standards, typically as percentages of the journeyman rate that increase as the apprentice advances through the program (e.g., 50%, 60%, 75%, 90%).
Ratio Requirements
Most apprenticeship programs specify a journeyman-to-apprentice ratio. Apprentices in excess of this ratio must be paid journeyman prevailing wage rates.