Rhode Island prevailing wage rates, by county
Federal Davis-Bacon base + fringe for every Rhode Island county, next to the market wage, with the determination numbers to cite.
Look up a Rhode Island county
Key trades by county (Building)
| County | Electrician | Plumber | Carpenter | Construction laborer | Heavy equipment operator | Ironworker | Sheet metal worker | Painter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | $80.85 | $88.84 | $78.38 | $65.90 | $78.52 | $76.56 | $86.36 | $64.37 |
| Kent | $80.85 | $88.84 | $78.38 | $65.90 | $78.52 | $76.56 | $86.36 | $64.37 |
| Newport | $80.85 | $88.84 | $78.38 | $65.90 | $78.52 | $76.56 | $86.36 | $64.37 |
| Providence | $80.85 | $88.84 | $78.38 | $65.90 | $78.52 | $76.56 | $86.36 | $64.37 |
| Washington | $80.85 | $88.84 | $78.38 | $65.90 | $78.52 | $76.56 | $86.36 | $64.37 |
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.
Questions this page answers
What is the prevailing wage in Rhode Island?
For federally funded construction, the Davis-Bacon determinations for Rhode Island (4 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 5 of 5 counties with a Building rate; the typical union package is $80.85 an hour.
How many Davis-Bacon determinations cover Rhode Island?
4 active general wage determinations cover Rhode Island: 1 Building, 2 Heavy, 1 Highway, 2 Residential. Together they list rates for 5 counties in the Building type shown here. State-funded projects may fall under a separate Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island determination in our data is dated 2026-07-30. New determination numbers are issued each January.
Sources and notes
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Rhode Island, current revisions as of 2026-09-28: Building 1, Heavy 2, Highway 1, Residential 2.
- 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.