District of Columbia prevailing wage rates, by county
Federal Davis-Bacon base + fringe for every District of Columbia county, next to the market wage, with the determination numbers to cite.
Look up a District of Columbia county
Key trades by county (Building)
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $82.56 | $77.01 | $48.74 | $15.84* | — | $63.72 | $76.62 | $41.02 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | Construction laborer | 2009 | $15.84 | $22.80 |
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in District of Columbia?
For federally funded construction, the Davis-Bacon determinations for District of Columbia (3 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 1 of 1 counties with a Building rate; the typical union package is $82.56 an hour.
How many Davis-Bacon determinations cover District of Columbia?
3 active general wage determinations cover District of Columbia: 1 Building, 1 Heavy, 1 Highway, 1 Residential. Together they list rates for 1 counties in the Building type shown here. State-funded projects may fall under a separate District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia determination in our data is dated 2026-08-27. New determination numbers are issued each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for District of Columbia, current revisions as of 2026-09-28: Heavy 1, Highway 1, Building 1, Residential 1.
- 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.