Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in North Carolina
Rates as of May 18, 2026, from the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations on SAM.gov
North Carolina has 97 active Davis-Bacon wage determinations covering building, residential, highway and heavy construction in 100 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 | $14.50 – $32.31 | $14.50 – $45.97 | 91 | $27.31 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $13.71 – $33.96 | $13.71 – $47.44 | 71 | $27.44 |
| Carpenters | $12.43 – $29.00 | $12.54 – $40.20 | 96 | $23.61 |
| Laborers | $9.08 – $16.88 | $9.08 – $21.79 | 96 | $21.50 |
| Power equipment operators | $9.30 – $25.00 | $9.30 – $25.95 | 90 | $23.71 |
| Ironworkers | $12.48 – $29.75 | $12.48 – $47.75 | 71 | $23.43 |
| Sheet metal workers | $13.09 – $30.74 | $14.37 – $47.25 | 65 | $24.39 |
| Painters | $9.87 – $24.57 | $9.87 – $24.57 | 77 | $21.21 |
| Roofers | $11.06 – $18.26 | $12.32 – $22.64 | 71 | $23.56 |
| Cement masons | $13.10 – $18.79 | $13.67 – $19.16 | 82 | $22.49 |
| Bricklayers | $18.45 – $20.42 | $18.62 – $28.94 | 65 | $24.01 |
| Truck drivers | $10.35 – $16.56 | $10.35 – $19.65 | 89 | not published |
Rates by county
- Buncombe County
- Cabarrus County
- Cumberland County
- Durham County
- Forsyth County
- Gaston County
- Guilford County
- Johnston County
- Mecklenburg County
- New Hanover County
- Union County
- Wake County
Pages for more counties are coming. The determinations below also cover Alamance County, Alexander County, Alleghany County, Anson County, Ashe County, Avery County, Beaufort County, Bertie County, Bladen County, Brunswick County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Camden County, Carteret County, Caswell County, Catawba County, Chatham County, Cherokee County, Chowan County, Clay County, Cleveland County, Columbus County, Craven County, Currituck County, Dare County, Davidson County, Davie County, Duplin County, Edgecombe County, Franklin County, Gates County, Graham County, Granville County, Greene County, Halifax County, Harnett County, Haywood County, Henderson County, Hertford County, Hoke County, Hyde County, Iredell County, Jackson County, Jones County, Lee County, Lenoir County, Lincoln County, Macon County, Madison County, Martin County, McDowell County, Mitchell County, Montgomery County, Moore County, Nash County, Northampton County, Onslow County, Orange County, Pamlico County, Pasquotank County, Pender County, Perquimans County, Person County, Pitt County, Polk County, Randolph County, Richmond County, Robeson County, Rockingham County, Rowan County, Rutherford County, Sampson County, Scotland County, Stanly County, Stokes County, Surry County, Swain County, Transylvania County, Tyrrell County, Vance County, Warren County, Washington County, Watauga County, Wayne County, Wilkes County, Wilson County, Yadkin County, Yancey County.
Active determinations
| Number | Type | Counties | Mod. | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC20260002 | Building | Catawba | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260003 | Building | Durham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260004 | Building | Forsyth | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260005 | Building | Gaston | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260006 | Building | Guilford | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260007 | Building | Iredell | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260008 | Building | Mecklenburg | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260009 | Building | New Hanover | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260010 | Building | Onslow | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260011 | Building | Wake | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260012 | Building | Wayne | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260013 | Building | Alamance, Chatham, Orange, Person | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260014 | Building | Alexander, Burke, Caldwell | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260015 | Building | Brunswick, Pender | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260016 | Building | Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260017 | Building | Cabarrus, Lincoln, Rowan, Union | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260018 | Building | Craven, Jones, Pamlico | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260021 | Building | Anson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260046 | Building | Greene | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260050 | Building | Alleghany | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260051 | Building | Avery | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260052 | Building | Cherokee | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260054 | Building | Jackson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260055 | Building | Northampton | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260056 | Building | Pasquotank | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260057 | Building | Perquimans | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260058 | Building | Sampson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260059 | Building | Stanly | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260060 | Building | Watauga | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260061 | Building | Ashe, Clay, Graham, Macon, McDowell, Mitchell and 7 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260062 | Building | Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Hertford, Hyde and 1 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260063 | Building | Bladen, Cleveland, Columbus, Harnett, Richmond, Robeson and 2 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260064 | Building | Caswell, Granville, Halifax, Vance, Warren | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260065 | Building | Chowan, Dare, Martin, Washington | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260066 | Building | Duplin, Lee, Lenoir, Montgomery, Moore | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260122 | Building | Cumberland, Hoke | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260123 | Building | Currituck, Gates | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260124 | Building | Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Yadkin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260125 | Building | Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260126 | Building | Franklin, Johnston | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260127 | Building | Randolph, Rockingham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260092 | Residential | Carteret | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260093 | Residential | Wilson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260094 | Residential | Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Cherokee, Clay, Graham and 9 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260095 | Residential | Anson, Caswell, Cleveland, Granville, Lee, Montgomery and 7 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260096 | Residential | Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Duplin, Greene, Harnett and 4 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260097 | Residential | Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Dare, Halifax, Hertford and 8 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260098 | Residential | Alamance | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260099 | Residential | Cumberland | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260100 | Residential | Davidson | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260101 | Residential | Forsyth | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260102 | Residential | Hoke | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260103 | Residential | Iredell | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260104 | Residential | Lincoln | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260105 | Residential | Mecklenburg | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260106 | Residential | New Hanover | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260107 | Residential | Orange | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260108 | Residential | Rowan | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260109 | Residential | Union | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260110 | Residential | Wayne | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260111 | Residential | Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260112 | Residential | Brunswick, Onslow, Pender | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260113 | Residential | Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260114 | Residential | Cabarrus, Gaston | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260115 | Residential | Chatham, Durham, Person | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260116 | Residential | Craven, Jones, Pamlico | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260117 | Residential | Currituck, Gates | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260118 | Residential | Davie, Stokes, Yadkin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260119 | Residential | Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260120 | Residential | Franklin, Johnston, Wake | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260121 | Residential | Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260086 | Highway | Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland and 14 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260087 | Highway | Alexander, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Haywood and 2 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260088 | Highway | Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Chatham, Davie, Durham and 11 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260089 | Highway | Caswell, Davidson, Iredell, Lee, Montgomery, Moore and 3 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260090 | Highway | Brunswick, Cumberland, Currituck, Edgecombe, Franklin, Greene and 9 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260091 | Highway | Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Camden, Carteret, Chowan and 25 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260019 | Heavy | Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery and 94 more | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260067 | Heavy | Alleghany | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260068 | Heavy | Ashe, Avery, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson and 11 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260069 | Heavy | Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven and 11 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260070 | Heavy | Bladen, Cleveland, Columbus, Davidson, Duplin, Harnett and 13 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260071 | Heavy | Caswell, Granville, Halifax, Northampton, Vance, Warren | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260072 | Heavy | Alamance | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260073 | Heavy | Mecklenburg | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260074 | Heavy | Union | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260075 | Heavy | Wake | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260076 | Heavy | Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260077 | Heavy | Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260078 | Heavy | Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260079 | Heavy | Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260080 | Heavy | Chatham, Durham, Edgecombe, Greene, Nash, Orange and 3 more | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260081 | Heavy | Cumberland, Hoke | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260082 | Heavy | Currituck, Onslow | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260083 | Heavy | Davie, Forsyth, Stokes, Yadkin | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260084 | Heavy | Franklin, Johnston | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| NC20260085 | Heavy | Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
Federal work only
Davis-Bacon rates apply to federal and federally assisted construction. North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
- 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 North Carolina'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.