Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in Rhode Island
Rates as of October 1, 2026, from the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations on SAM.gov
Rhode Island has 4 active Davis-Bacon wage determinations covering building, residential, highway and heavy construction in 5 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 | $18.49 – $56.11 | $22.41 – $80.85 | 3 | $35.62 |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | $17.83 – $54.34 | $20.90 – $88.84 | 3 | $36.77 |
| Carpenters | $12.95 – $47.88 | $18.46 – $78.38 | 3 | $29.25 |
| Laborers | $13.23 – $55.40 | $17.03 – $79.55 | 2 | $27.52 |
| Power equipment operators | $11.71 – $51.30 | $14.04 – $81.25 | 3 | $30.58 |
| Ironworkers | $43.03 | $76.56 | 1 | $47.27 |
| Sheet metal workers | $24.21 – $44.42 | $28.45 – $86.36 | 2 | $31.30 |
| Painters | $16.55 – $57.85 | $19.20 – $84.25 | 3 | $20.00 |
| Roofers | $47.49 | $78.93 | 3 | $29.63 |
| Cement masons | $20.45 – $44.75 | $31.85 – $73.85 | 2 | $30.26 |
| Bricklayers | $20.45 – $46.86 | $31.85 – $76.00 | 3 | $38.12 |
| Truck drivers | $31.86 – $32.81 | $66.37 – $67.32 | 1 | not published |
Rates by county
Pages for more counties are coming. The determinations below also cover Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Washington County.
Active determinations
| Number | Type | Counties | Mod. | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RI20260001 | Building, Heavy, Highway | Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington | 5 | October 1, 2026 |
| RI20260002 | Residential | Bristol, Kent, Providence, Washington | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| RI20260003 | Residential | Newport | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
| RI20260005 | Heavy | Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington | 2 | May 18, 2026 |
Federal work only
Davis-Bacon rates apply to federal and federally assisted construction. Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
- 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 Rhode Island'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.