Colorado prevailing wage rates, by county
What contractors must pay each trade on federally funded jobs in Colorado, county by county. Wage plus fringe, next to what the same trade earns on private work.
Look up the prevailing wage in your Colorado county
Rates by county for the main trades
Rates are set by county, not by city. The Colorado metros with their own pay pages are Denver (Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek and more). Click any county below for every trade on its determination.
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | $66.33 | $68.91 | $48.93 | $19.17* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Alamosa | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Arapahoe | $66.33 | $68.91 | $29.46* | $19.75* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Archuleta | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Baca | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Bent | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Boulder | $66.33 | $68.91 | $29.45* | $11.76* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Broomfield | $66.33 | $68.91 | $27.95* | $19.84* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Chaffee | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Cheyenne | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Clear Creek | $66.33 | $68.91 | $27.95* | $19.84* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Conejos | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Costilla | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Crowley | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Custer | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Delta | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Denver | $66.33 | $68.91 | $27.40* | $19.71* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Dolores | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Douglas | $66.33 | $68.91 | $48.93 | $20.99* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Eagle | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| El Paso | $59.17 | $65.70 | $29.61* | $14.80* | $28.88* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Elbert | $66.33 | $68.91 | $27.95* | $19.84* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Fremont | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Garfield | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Gilpin | $66.33 | $68.91 | $27.95* | $19.84* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Grand | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Gunnison | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Hinsdale | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Huerfano | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Jackson | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Jefferson | $66.33 | $68.91 | $48.93 | $20.77* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Kiowa | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Kit Carson | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| La Plata | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Lake | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Larimer | $66.33 | $68.91 | $26.70* | $16.67* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Las Animas | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Lincoln | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Logan | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Mesa | $35.14* | $68.91 | $20.53* | $13.25* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Mineral | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Moffat | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Montezuma | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Montrose | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Morgan | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Otero | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Ouray | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Park | $66.33 | $68.91 | $24.60* | $19.84* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Phillips | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Pitkin | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Prowers | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Pueblo | $51.46 | $65.70 | $20.64* | $15.03* | $28.88* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Rio Blanco | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Rio Grande | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Routt | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Saguache | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| San Juan | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| San Miguel | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Sedgwick | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Summit | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Teller | $59.17 | $65.70 | $29.61* | $14.80* | $28.88* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Washington | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
| Weld | $66.33 | $68.91 | $18.22* | $14.00* | $26.56* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $38.97 |
| Yuma | $61.75 | $68.91 | $45.28 | $9.75* | $13.41* | $51.71 | $65.70 | $15.19* |
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 Colorado
The prevailing wage is what federally funded jobs must pay. The market median is what Colorado employers report paying across all work, with no benefits in it. Every trade in the state is ranked on the highest-paying trades in Colorado 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 Colorado | $29.92 | $61.75 | Union | +$31.83 |
| Plumber in Colorado | $30.40 | $68.91 | Union | +$38.51 |
| Carpenter in Colorado | $30.21 | $45.28 | Union | +$15.07 |
| Construction laborer in Colorado | $23.03 | $9.75 | Survey | $-13.28 |
| Heavy equipment operator in Colorado | $30.11 | $13.41 | Survey | $-16.70 |
| Ironworker in Colorado | $28.28 | $51.71 | Union | +$23.43 |
| Sheet metal worker in Colorado | $27.83 | $65.70 | Union | +$37.87 |
| Painter in Colorado | $25.47 | $38.97 | Union | +$13.50 |
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 Colorado?
On federally funded construction in Colorado, it is the Davis-Bacon rate: a wage plus a fringe amount for benefits, set by county and trade in 30 wage determinations covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work. Electricians are on a union rate in 63 of the 64 counties with a Building rate, and the typical union rate is $61.75 an hour, wage and fringe together.
How many Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover Colorado?
30 active determinations cover Colorado: 17 Building, 2 Heavy, 9 Highway, 2 Residential. The Building ones list rates for 64 counties, shown on this page. This page covers the federal rates; state-funded jobs may fall under Colorado's own prevailing wage law.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes changes most Thursdays. The latest change to a Colorado determination in our data is dated 2026-11-05. New determination numbers come out each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Colorado, current revisions as of 2026-11-13: Building 17, Heavy 2, Residential 2, Highway 9.
- 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.