Delaware prevailing wage rates, by county
Federal Davis-Bacon base + fringe for every Delaware county, next to the market wage, with the determination numbers to cite.
Look up a Delaware county
Key trades by county (Building)
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | $83.43 | $61.63* | $63.61 | $55.15 | $56.12* | $52.46* | $74.23 | $41.51* |
| New Castle | $83.43 | $66.13* | $63.61 | $55.15 | $33.96* | $79.33 | $74.23 | $39.71* |
| Sussex | $83.43 | $61.63* | $51.85 | $33.10* | $48.10* | $51.00* | $74.23 | $41.51* |
Building construction type, base + fringe per hour, current revision. * = survey rate. Not the official determination; use the lookup for the determination number and a link to the official text.
Rates that have not kept up
Survey-based rates that are eight or more years old and how they compare with today's market median for the county's metro (or state).
| County | Trade | Survey year | Required package $/hr | Market median $/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | Plumber | 2016 | $61.63 | $28.08 |
| New Castle | Plumber | 2016 | $66.13 | $35.99 |
| Sussex | Plumber | 2016 | $61.63 | $31.11 |
| Sussex | Construction laborer | 2016 | $33.10 | $21.90 |
| Kent | Heavy equipment operator | 2016 | $56.12 | $23.49 |
| New Castle | Heavy equipment operator | 2016 | $33.96 | $32.12 |
| Sussex | Heavy equipment operator | 2016 | $48.10 | $27.89 |
| Kent | Ironworker | 2016 | $52.46 | $28.76 |
| Sussex | Ironworker | 2016 | $51.00 | $28.76 |
| Kent | Painter | 2016 | $41.51 | $24.27 |
| New Castle | Painter | 2016 | $39.71 | $27.60 |
| Sussex | Painter | 2016 | $41.51 | $28.14 |
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in Delaware?
For federally funded construction, the Davis-Bacon determinations for Delaware (11 active documents covering Building, Residential, Heavy and Highway work) set the required base wage and fringe by county and classification. Union-contract rates apply to electricians in 3 of 3 counties with a Building rate; the typical union package is $83.43 an hour.
How many Davis-Bacon determinations cover Delaware?
11 active general wage determinations cover Delaware: 3 Building, 4 Heavy, 3 Highway, 1 Residential. Together they list rates for 3 counties in the Building type shown here. State-funded projects may fall under a separate Delaware prevailing wage law; this page covers the federal rates.
How often do the rates change?
The Department of Labor publishes modifications most Thursdays. The latest change to a Delaware determination in our data is dated 2026-05-18. New determination numbers are issued each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Delaware, current revisions as of 2026-09-28: Residential 1, Heavy 4, Highway 3, Building 3.
- BLS OEWS May 2025 for market medians.
- Classification labels normalised to trades by Skilled Wages; where a determination lists several electrician or laborer classes, the journeyman / general class is shown. The official text governs.