Alabama prevailing wage rates, by county
What contractors must pay each trade on federally funded jobs in Alabama, county by county. Wage plus fringe, next to what the same trade earns on private work.
Look up the prevailing wage in your Alabama county
Rates by county for the main trades
Highest electrician rates
Lowest
- 1Dale$16.18
- 2Tuscaloosa$19.39
- 3Hale, Pickens$19.41
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour. Counties sharing one rate are grouped. Solid is a union rate, hatched is a survey rate. Click a county for every trade.
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autauga | $23.78* | $48.71 | $19.62* | $12.29* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $16.16* | $14.31* |
| Baldwin | $41.24 | $48.71 | $17.37* | $12.31* | $32.01* | $20.88* | $41.20 | $14.31* |
| Barbour | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Bibb | $19.98* | $19.33* | $44.30 | $17.99* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Blount | $19.98* | $19.33* | $44.30 | $17.99* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Bullock | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Butler | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Calhoun | $20.03* | $19.33* | $17.57* | $12.93* | $32.68* | $47.78 | $27.42* | $14.31* |
| Chambers | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Cherokee | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Chilton | $19.98* | $19.33* | $44.30 | $17.99* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Choctaw | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Clarke | $41.24 | $48.71 | $17.00* | $11.40* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Clay | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Cleburne | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Coffee | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Colbert | $23.35* | $51.83 | $45.04 | $24.88 | $17.01* | $28.54* | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Conecuh | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Coosa | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Covington | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Crenshaw | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Cullman | $28.00* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Dale | $16.18* | $48.71 | $15.64* | $11.34* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Dallas | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| DeKalb | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Elmore | $23.78* | $48.71 | $17.07* | $12.29* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $16.16* | $14.31* |
| Escambia | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Etowah | $20.03* | $19.33* | $16.50* | $12.50* | $32.68* | $47.78 | $27.42* | $14.31* |
| Fayette | $27.98* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Franklin | $27.98* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Geneva | $23.79* | $48.71 | $16.95* | $20.74* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $27.79* | $14.31* |
| Greene | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Hale | $19.41* | $19.33* | $16.18* | $12.91* | $32.68* | $47.78 | $31.96* | $14.31* |
| Henry | $23.79* | $48.71 | $16.95* | $20.74* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $27.79* | $14.31* |
| Houston | $23.79* | $48.71 | $15.00* | $26.06 | $16.69* | $47.78 | $27.79* | $14.31* |
| Jackson | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Jefferson | $19.91* | $19.33* | $18.43* | $18.51* | $23.13* | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Lamar | $27.98* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Lauderdale | $23.35* | $51.83 | $45.04 | $24.88 | $17.01* | $28.54* | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Lawrence | $23.03* | $51.83 | $18.18* | $14.06* | $17.01* | $28.54* | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Lee | $20.70* | $48.71 | $18.20* | $11.94* | $12.00* | $47.05 | $14.78* | $14.31* |
| Limestone | $48.63 | $24.82* | $17.69* | $13.10* | $16.00* | $28.54* | $23.12* | $14.31* |
| Lowndes | $23.78* | $48.71 | $17.07* | $12.29* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $16.16* | $14.31* |
| Macon | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Madison | $48.63 | $24.82* | $18.53* | $12.92* | $16.00* | $28.54* | $23.12* | $14.31* |
| Marengo | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Marion | $27.98* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Marshall | $27.98* | $52.05 | $22.44* | $12.90* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Mobile | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.16* | $11.94* | $32.85* | $20.88* | $41.20 | $14.31* |
| Monroe | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Montgomery | $23.30* | $48.71 | $16.84* | $11.73* | $16.69* | $47.78 | $16.16* | $14.31* |
| Morgan | $23.03* | $51.83 | $18.18* | $13.37* | $17.01* | $28.54* | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Perry | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Pickens | $19.41* | $19.33* | $16.18* | $12.91* | $32.68* | $47.78 | $31.96* | $14.31* |
| Pike | $49.58 | $48.71 | $14.01* | $11.41* | $32.26* | — | $30.94* | $15.83* |
| Randolph | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Russell | $20.95* | $48.71 | $15.17* | $10.00* | $13.65* | $47.05 | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Shelby | $19.98* | $19.33* | $44.30 | $19.94* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| St. Clair | $19.98* | $19.33* | $16.06* | $17.99* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Sumter | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Talladega | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.58* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Tallapoosa | $27.98* | $52.05 | $21.96* | $13.13* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
| Tuscaloosa | $19.39* | $19.33* | $16.18* | $12.81* | $32.68* | $47.78 | $50.99 | $14.31* |
| Walker | $19.98* | $19.33* | $44.30 | $17.99* | $46.62 | $47.78 | $32.17* | $14.31* |
| Washington | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Wilcox | $41.24 | $48.71 | $18.08* | $12.76* | $32.26* | — | $41.20 | $15.83* |
| Winston | $27.98* | $48.71 | $45.04 | $13.75* | $32.26* | — | — | $15.10* |
Building construction, wage + fringe per hour, current revision. * = survey rate. Not the official determination: the lookup gives the determination number and a link to the official text.
Prevailing wage vs market pay in Alabama
The prevailing wage is what federally funded jobs must pay. The market median is what Alabama employers report paying across all work, with no benefits in it. Every trade in the state is ranked on the highest-paying trades in Alabama page, and every state is compared on the prevailing wage rates by state page.
| Trade | Market median $/hr | Prevailing wage $/hr (wage + fringe) | Rate type | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician in Alabama | $26.78 | $41.24 | Union | +$14.46 |
| Plumber in Alabama | $28.21 | $48.71 | Union | +$20.50 |
| Carpenter in Alabama | $23.18 | $45.04 | Union | +$21.86 |
| Construction laborer in Alabama | $17.74 | $24.88 | Union | +$7.14 |
| Heavy equipment operator in Alabama | $22.84 | $46.62 | Union | +$23.78 |
| Ironworker in Alabama | $27.23 | $47.78 | Union | +$20.55 |
| Sheet metal worker in Alabama | $22.85 | $41.20 | Union | +$18.35 |
| Painter in Alabama | $21.12 | $15.10 | Survey | $-6.02 |
Prevailing wage is the typical Davis-Bacon rate across counties with one, Building construction. The market median has no benefits in it, so the gap is bigger than the difference in take-home pay. Not the official determination.
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in Alabama?
On federally funded construction in Alabama, it is the Davis-Bacon rate: a wage plus a fringe amount for benefits, set by county and trade in 167 wage determinations covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work. Electricians are on a union rate in 24 of the 67 counties with a Building rate, and the typical union rate is $41.24 an hour, wage and fringe together.
How many Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover Alabama?
167 active determinations cover Alabama: 31 Building, 29 Heavy, 52 Highway, 55 Residential. The Building ones list rates for 67 counties, shown on this page. This page covers the federal rates; state-funded jobs may fall under Alabama's own prevailing wage law.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes changes most Thursdays. The latest change to a Alabama determination in our data is dated 2026-05-18. New determination numbers come out each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Alabama, current revisions as of 2026-11-13: Heavy 29, Residential 55, Building 31, Highway 52.
- BLS OEWS May 2025 for market medians.
- Trade names simplified from the official classification labels by Skilled Wages; where a determination lists several electrician or laborer classes, the journeyman or general class is shown. The official text governs.