OPERATING ENGINEERS — Prevailing Wage Rates

Davis-Bacon prevailing wages for OPERATING ENGINEERSs across all covered states and counties. Rates vary by location and construction type.

Quick Answer

Across 189 Davis-Bacon rate records nationwide, the median total package (base + fringe) for OPERATING ENGINEERS is $43.84/hr, with the middle 80% of counties paying between $11.17 and $46.77/hr. The highest state average is Tennessee at $46.19/hr; the lowest is Nebraska at $12.25/hr.

Bottom 10%
$11.17
Median
$43.84
Average
$30.70
Top 10%
$46.77

Range: $11.17 – $46.77/hr across 3 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 47-2073Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators.

Davis-Bacon median
$43.84/hr
National median total package (base + fringe)
BLS OEWS market median
$28.23/hr
All-industry hourly median, U.S. (2024)
Davis-Bacon premium
+55.3%
D-B rate exceeds 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

Georgia GA
Avg base: $28.32/hr
Avg total: $41.77/hr
2 rates
Nebraska NE
Avg base: $12.10/hr
Avg total: $12.25/hr
86 rates
Tennessee TN
Avg base: $32.70/hr
Avg total: $46.19/hr
101 rates

All Rates

189 county-level rates for OPERATING ENGINEERS, ordered by state and county.

County State Type Base $/hr Fringe $/hr Total
Carter TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Chester TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Claiborne TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Clay TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Cocke TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Coffee TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Crockett TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Cumberland TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
De Kalb TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Decatur TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Dyer TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Fayette TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Fentress TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Franklin TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Gibson TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Giles TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Grainger TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Grainger TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Greene TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Grundy TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Hamblen TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Hamblen TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Hamilton TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Hamilton TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Hancock TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Hardeman TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Hardin TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Hawkins TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Hawkins TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Haywood TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Henderson TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Henry TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Houston TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Humphreys TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Jackson TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Jefferson TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Jefferson TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Johnson TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Knox TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Knox TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Lake TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Lauderdale TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Lawrence TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Lewis TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Lincoln TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Loudon TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Loudon TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Madison TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Marion TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Marion TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Marshall TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Maury TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
McMinn TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
McNairy TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Meigs TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Monroe TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Montgomery TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Moore TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Morgan TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Obion TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Overton TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Perry TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Pickett TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Polk TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Polk TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Putnam TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Rhea TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Roane TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Scott TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Sequatchie TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Sequatchie TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Sevier TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Shelby TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Stewart TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Sullivan TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Sullivan TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Sumner TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Tipton TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Unicoi TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Unicoi TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Union TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Union TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Van Buren TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Warren TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Washington TN heavy $30.44 $13.40 $43.84 WD →
Washington TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Wayne TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
Weakley TN heavy $33.15 $13.62 $46.77 WD →
White TN heavy $33.23 $13.40 $46.63 WD →
Top-paying counties for OPERATING ENGINEERS →