Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages in Massachusetts

Select a county to view wage determinations for building, heavy, highway, and residential construction projects in Massachusetts (MA).

Quick Answer

Massachusetts has 14 counties with active Davis-Bacon wage determinations (140 total WDs) across four construction types — building, heavy, highway, and residential. Federal construction contracts of $2,000 or more in Massachusetts must pay no less than the DOL-published prevailing wage and fringe benefits for the project's county and construction type.

County Construction Types WDs
Barnstable building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Berkshire building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Bristol building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Dukes building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Essex building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Franklin building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Hampden building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Hampshire building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Middlesex building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Nantucket building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Norfolk building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Plymouth building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Suffolk building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Worcester building heavy highway residential 10 View →
View top-paying trades in Massachusetts →

Massachusetts State Prevailing Wage Law

State law: Yes — applies to qualifying state-funded projects
Threshold: No minimum threshold
Enforcing agency: Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS)

Massachusetts requires prevailing wages on any public works construction or maintenance contract awarded by a state or municipal agency, with no dollar threshold (M.G.L. c. 149 §§ 26-27H). The DLS publishes per-craft, per-locality rates that are typically benchmarked to local CBAs. Failure to file certified weekly payroll with the awarding authority is itself a violation.

Verify before relying on this: state prevailing-wage laws change. The summary above is a general reference compiled from publicly available state-law materials and is not legal advice. Confirm the current status with the cited state agency or a qualified attorney before bidding or paying workers under it.

Federal contracts ≥ $2,000 in Massachusetts must comply with the Davis-Bacon Act. Full compliance guide →