Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in Kentucky
Rates as of July 30, 2026, from the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations on SAM.gov
Kentucky has 106 active Davis-Bacon wage determinations covering building, residential, highway and heavy construction in 120 counties. Each one sets the minimum hourly rate and fringe benefit a contractor must pay each trade on federal and federally assisted jobs there.
Typical rates by trade
The lowest and highest basic hourly rate for each trade across the state's current determinations, the total with fringe, and the BLS median wage for the same occupation statewide (May 2025). Per-day rows and figures DOL printed outside the usual range are left out of the spread.
| Trade | Hourly rate | With fringe | Determinations | BLS median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $14.25 – $41.15 | $15.17 – $70.50 | 106 | $28.71 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $16.33 – $44.26 | $16.33 – $70.70 | 64 | $30.84 |
| Carpenters | $12.22 – $37.04 | $12.22 – $63.61 | 94 | $25.33 |
| Laborers | $9.14 – $38.22 | $9.14 – $54.53 | 106 | $21.98 |
| Power equipment operators | $19.69 – $45.14 | $23.29 – $61.58 | 101 | $27.78 |
| Ironworkers | $22.31 – $41.70 | $33.04 – $71.29 | 81 | $30.80 |
| Sheet metal workers | $20.40 – $40.32 | $28.20 – $67.52 | 56 | $29.17 |
| Painters | $10.00 – $37.53 | $10.00 – $61.48 | 64 | $23.13 |
| Roofers | $14.28 – $34.38 | $14.28 – $54.32 | 55 | $22.57 |
| Cement masons | $10.50 – $33.60 | $10.50 – $49.65 | 79 | $24.14 |
| Bricklayers | $16.00 – $41.05 | $16.00 – $62.84 | 59 | $28.76 |
| Truck drivers | $13.56 – $27.66 | $13.56 – $55.47 | 84 | not published |
Rates by county
Pages for more counties are coming. The determinations below also cover Adair County, Allen County, Anderson County, Ballard County, Barren County, Bath County, Bell County, Boone County, Bourbon County, Boyd County, Boyle County, Bracken County, Breathitt County, Breckinridge County, Bullitt County, Butler County, Caldwell County, Calloway County, Campbell County, Carlisle County, Carroll County, Carter County, Casey County, Christian County, Clark County, Clay County, Clinton County, Crittenden County, Cumberland County, Daviess County, Edmonson County, Elliott County, Estill County, Fleming County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Fulton County, Gallatin County, Garrard County, Grant County, Graves County, Grayson County, Green County, Greenup County, Hancock County, Hardin County, Harlan County, Harrison County, Hart County, Henderson County, Henry County, Hickman County, Hopkins County, Jackson County, Jessamine County, Johnson County, Kenton County, Knott County, Knox County, Larue County, Laurel County, Lawrence County, Lee County, Leslie County, Letcher County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Livingston County, Logan County, Lyon County, Madison County, Magoffin County, Marion County, Marshall County, Martin County, Mason County, McCracken County, McCreary County, McLean County, Meade County, Menifee County, Mercer County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Morgan County, Muhlenberg County, Nelson County, Nicholas County, Ohio County, Oldham County, Owen County, Owsley County, Pendleton County, Perry County, Pike County, Powell County, Pulaski County, Robertson County, Rockcastle County, Rowan County, Russell County, Scott County, Shelby County, Simpson County, Spencer County, Taylor County, Todd County, Trigg County, Trimble County, Union County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Whitley County, Wolfe County, Woodford County.
Active determinations
| Number | Type | Counties | Mod. | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KY20260018 | Building | Anderson, Bath, Boyle, Estill, Fleming, Garrard and 10 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260019 | Building | Bell | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260020 | Building | Calloway | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260021 | Building | Carroll | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260022 | Building | Carter | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260023 | Building | Franklin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260024 | Building | Hopkins | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260025 | Building | Laurel | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260026 | Building | Lawrence | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260027 | Building | Madison | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260028 | Building | Marshall | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260029 | Building | Mason | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260030 | Building | McCracken | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260031 | Building | Mercer | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260032 | Building | Montgomery | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260033 | Building | Pike | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260034 | Building | Pulaski | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260035 | Building | Rowan | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260036 | Building | Whitley | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260037 | Building | Adair, Simpson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260041 | Building | Ballard, Breckinridge, Caldwell, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton and 9 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260042 | Building | Barren, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Hart and 9 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260043 | Building | Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson and 11 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260044 | Building | Boone | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260087 | Building | Bullitt | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260088 | Building | Campbell | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260089 | Building | Christian | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260090 | Building | Fayette | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260091 | Building | Hardin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260092 | Building | Henderson | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260093 | Building | Jefferson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260094 | Building | Jessamine | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260095 | Building | Kenton | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260096 | Building | Nelson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260097 | Building | Trigg | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260098 | Building | Webster | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260099 | Building | Allen, Butler, Edmonson, Warren | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260100 | Building | Bourbon, Clark, Scott, Woodford | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260101 | Building | Boyd, Greenup | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260102 | Building | Bracken, Gallatin, Grant, Pendleton | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260103 | Building | Daviess, Hancock, McLean | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260104 | Building | Henry, Oldham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260105 | Building | Larue, Meade | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260106 | Building | Shelby, Spencer, Trimble | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260002 | Residential | Hart | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260003 | Residential | Adair, Allen, Barren, Bell, Butler, Casey and 21 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260004 | Residential | Anderson, Boyle, Breckinridge, Carroll, Franklin, Grayson and 6 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260005 | Residential | Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton and 11 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260006 | Residential | Bath, Breathitt, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Floyd and 22 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260007 | Residential | Clark | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260008 | Residential | Fayette | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260009 | Residential | Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton and 1 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260010 | Residential | Bourbon, Jessamine, Scott, Woodford | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260011 | Residential | Boyd, Greenup | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260012 | Residential | Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Meade, Nelson, Oldham and 3 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260013 | Residential | Christian, Trigg | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260014 | Residential | Daviess, Hancock, McLean | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260015 | Residential | Edmonson, Warren | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260016 | Residential | Hardin, Larue | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260017 | Residential | Henderson, Webster | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260038 | Highway | Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Bracken and 38 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260039 | Highway | Boone, Campbell, Kenton, Pendleton | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260040 | Highway | Allen, Ballard, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle and 24 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260107 | Highway | Adair, Barren, Bell, Breathitt, Casey, Clay and 36 more | 2 | July 30, 2026 |
| KY20260045 | Heavy | Ballard | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260046 | Heavy | Calloway | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260047 | Heavy | Franklin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260048 | Heavy | Graves | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260049 | Heavy | Harrison | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260050 | Heavy | Johnson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260051 | Heavy | Lyon | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260052 | Heavy | Marshall | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260053 | Heavy | McCracken | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260054 | Heavy | Monroe | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260055 | Heavy | Owen | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260056 | Heavy | Pike | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260057 | Heavy | Union | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260058 | Heavy | Adair, Barren, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green and 13 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260059 | Heavy | Anderson, Bath, Boyle, Carroll, Estill, Fleming and 14 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260060 | Heavy | Bell, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Floyd and 13 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260061 | Heavy | Breckinridge, Caldwell, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton, Grayson and 6 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260062 | Heavy | Boone | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260063 | Heavy | Bracken | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260064 | Heavy | Bullitt | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260065 | Heavy | Campbell | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260066 | Heavy | Christian | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260067 | Heavy | Daviess | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260068 | Heavy | Edmonson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260069 | Heavy | Hancock | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260070 | Heavy | Hardin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260071 | Heavy | Henderson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260072 | Heavy | Jefferson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260073 | Heavy | Kenton | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260074 | Heavy | McLean | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260075 | Heavy | Nelson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260076 | Heavy | Oldham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260077 | Heavy | Shelby | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260078 | Heavy | Trigg | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260079 | Heavy | Warren | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260080 | Heavy | Webster | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260081 | Heavy | Allen, Butler | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260082 | Heavy | Bourbon, Clark, Fayette, Jessamine, Scott, Woodford | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260083 | Heavy | Boyd, Greenup | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260084 | Heavy | Gallatin, Grant, Pendleton | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260085 | Heavy | Henry, Spencer, Trimble | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| KY20260086 | Heavy | Larue, Meade | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
Federal work only
Davis-Bacon rates apply to federal and federally assisted construction. Kentucky may set its own prevailing wages for state-funded work; see the Department of Labor's list of state prevailing wage laws. The determination attached to a contract governs, not the current one here. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Questions
- Which Davis-Bacon rate applies to my job in Kentucky?
- The determination for the county where the work is and for its construction type (building, residential, highway and heavy). The contracting agency attaches it to the bid documents and the contract; the one attached governs, even after a newer modification is published.
- Does this cover Kentucky's own prevailing wage law?
- No. These are federal Davis-Bacon determinations, for federal and federally assisted construction. State-funded work follows the state's own law and rates where it has one; the Department of Labor keeps a list of state prevailing wage laws.
- Why do survey rates look low or old?
- A row marked survey comes from a Department of Labor wage survey, and its identifier's date says when; some are more than ten years old. Union rows follow the collective bargaining agreement and update with it. Both are what contractors must pay at minimum today.