POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CLASS 1- BACKHOE; EXCAVATOR — Prevailing Wage Rates

Davis-Bacon prevailing wages for POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CLASS 1- BACKHOE; EXCAVATORs across all covered states and counties. Rates vary by location and construction type.

Quick Answer

Across 19 Davis-Bacon rate records nationwide, the median total package (base + fringe) for POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CLASS 1- BACKHOE; EXCAVATOR is $56.96/hr, with the middle 80% of counties paying between $56.96 and $57.35/hr. The highest state average is Iowa at $56.91/hr; the lowest is Iowa at $56.91/hr.

Bottom 10%
$56.96
Median
$56.96
Average
$56.91
Top 10%
$57.35

Range: $52.89 – $57.35/hr across 1 state. 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
$56.96/hr
National median total package (base + fringe)
BLS OEWS market median
$28.23/hr
All-industry hourly median, U.S. (2024)
Davis-Bacon premium
+101.8%
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

Iowa IA
Avg base: $36.67/hr
Avg total: $56.91/hr
19 rates

All Rates

19 county-level rates for POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CLASS 1- BACKHOE; EXCAVATOR, ordered by state and county.

County State Type Base $/hr Fringe $/hr Total
Benton IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Black Hawk IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Bremer IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Dallas IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Dubuque IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Grundy IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Guthrie IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Harrison IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Johnson IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Jones IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Linn IA residential $39.00 $18.35 $57.35 WD →
Madison IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Mills IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Polk IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Pottawattamie IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Story IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Warren IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Washington IA residential $35.02 $21.94 $56.96 WD →
Woodbury IA residential $34.54 $18.35 $52.89 WD →
Top-paying counties for POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CLASS 1- BACKHOE; EXCAVATOR →