Laborer, Unskilled — Prevailing Wage Rates

Davis-Bacon prevailing wages for Laborer, Unskilleds across all covered states and counties. Rates vary by location and construction type.

Quick Answer

Across 211 Davis-Bacon rate records nationwide, the median total package (base + fringe) for Laborer, Unskilled is $8.13/hr, with the middle 80% of counties paying between $7.25 and $17.54/hr. The highest state average is New York at $50.56/hr; the lowest is Puerto Rico at $7.29/hr.

Bottom 10%
$7.25
Median
$8.13
Average
$12.76
Top 10%
$17.54

Range: $7.25 – $64.73/hr across 7 states. Total package = base hourly rate + fringe benefits.

Davis-Bacon vs. Market Median

Comparison of the Davis-Bacon national median total package against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) median for the comparable BLS occupation 47-2061 — Construction Laborers.

Davis-Bacon median
$8.13/hr
National median total package (base + fringe)
BLS OEWS market median
$22.47/hr
All-industry hourly median, U.S. (2024)
Davis-Bacon premium
-63.8%
D-B rate is below market median

Davis-Bacon rates include required fringe benefits; OEWS reflects mean/median wages from the BLS establishment survey across all industries. Direct comparison is approximate — D-B rates target the construction-industry union/competitive-wage benchmark, while OEWS spans every industry that employs the occupation.

Average Rates by State

Illinois IL
Avg base: $15.64/hr
Avg total: $22.69/hr
51 rates
Indiana IN
Avg base: $26.40/hr
Avg total: $45.30/hr
2 rates
New Mexico NM
Avg base: $8.24/hr
Avg total: $8.24/hr
30 rates
New York NY
Avg base: $29.07/hr
Avg total: $50.56/hr
1 rate
Pennsylvania PA
Avg base: $10.36/hr
Avg total: $12.85/hr
38 rates
Puerto Rico PR
Avg base: $7.25/hr
Avg total: $7.29/hr
88 rates
Rhode Island RI
Avg base: $13.23/hr
Avg total: $17.03/hr
1 rate

All Rates

211 county-level rates for Laborer, Unskilled, ordered by state and county.

County State Type Base $/hr Fringe $/hr Total
Trujillo Alto PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Utuado PR residential $7.25 $0.36 $7.61 WD →
Utuado PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Vega Alta PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Vega Baja PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Vieques PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Vieques PR residential $7.25 $0.36 $7.61 WD →
Villalba PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Yabucoa PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Yauco PR building $7.25 $0.00 $7.25 WD →
Newport RI residential $13.23 $3.80 $17.03 WD →
Top-paying counties for Laborer, Unskilled →