Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages in Rhode Island

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

Quick Answer

Rhode Island has 5 counties with active Davis-Bacon wage determinations (50 total WDs) across four construction types — building, heavy, highway, and residential. Federal construction contracts of $2,000 or more in Rhode Island 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
Bristol building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Kent building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Newport building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Providence building heavy highway residential 10 View →
Washington building heavy highway residential 10 View →
View top-paying trades in Rhode Island →

Rhode Island State Prevailing Wage Law

State law: Yes — applies to qualifying state-funded projects
Threshold: $1,000
Enforcing agency: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT), Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety

Rhode Island's Prevailing Wage Law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-13-1 et seq.) covers public-works construction of $1,000 or more. The DLT publishes per-craft rates that are typically benchmarked to local CBAs and updated annually. Both federal and state rates may apply on the same project — the higher rate per craft governs.

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 Rhode Island must comply with the Davis-Bacon Act. Full compliance guide →