How to Look Up Prevailing Wage Rates: A Contractor's Guide

What Are Prevailing Wage Rates?

Prevailing wages are the hourly wage rates (including fringe benefits) that the Department of Labor determines must be paid to workers on federally-funded construction projects. These rates are set by geographic area and trade classification, and they're based on surveys of wages paid to workers in the area.

The Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148) requires that contractors and subcontractors on federal construction contracts exceeding $2,000 pay their workers at least the prevailing wage rate. The rates are incorporated into your contract through a "wage determination" — a document that lists every applicable trade classification with its base rate and fringe benefit requirement. Getting the wrong rate is one of the most common causes of Davis-Bacon penalties, including back wages and debarment.

Where to Find Prevailing Wage Rates

SAM.gov — The Official Source

The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is the official repository for wage determinations. The Wage Determinations section (formerly on WDOL.gov, which now redirects to SAM.gov) is where you'll find current and historical wage determinations for every county in the United States.

Step-by-Step: Finding Your Wage Determination

1. Go to SAM.gov and navigate to the Wage Determinations section under Contract Opportunities.
2. Select your state and county. Wage determinations are county-specific. If your project spans multiple counties, you may need multiple determinations.
3. Select the construction type. There are four categories: Building, Heavy, Highway, and Residential. Choose the one that matches your project.
4. Review the wage determination. It will list trade classifications (Carpenter, Electrician, Laborer, etc.) with base hourly rates and fringe benefit requirements.
5. Check the modification date. Wage determinations are updated periodically. The one incorporated into your contract is the one that applies — not necessarily the most recent version.

Understanding a Wage Determination

The Header

Every wage determination has a unique number (e.g., "IL20260001") that identifies the state, year, and sequence. Your contract will reference this number. Always verify the number on your contract matches the wage determination you're using.

Trade Classifications

Each classification lists a specific trade or group of trades. Common classifications include Carpenter, Electrician, Ironworker, Laborer, Operating Engineer, Painter, Pipefitter, Plumber, and Truck Driver. Some determinations also include specialized classifications like Tower Crane Operator or Millwright.

If your workers perform duties that cross multiple classifications, you must pay the highest applicable rate for any hour in which they perform that work. A Laborer who operates a piece of equipment for two hours must be paid the Operating Engineer rate for those two hours. Misclassifying workers is a frequent source of violations — learn more in our guide on how to fill out the WH-347.

Base Rate vs. Fringe Benefits

Each classification shows two numbers: the base hourly rate and the fringe benefit amount. The total prevailing wage is the sum of both. You can pay the fringe as cash (added to the hourly rate), contribute it to approved benefit plans, or use a combination. This is what the Section 4 election on the WH-347 Statement of Compliance refers to.

General Decision vs. Project Wage Determination

Most projects use a "General Decision" — a published wage determination that covers a specific area and construction type. In rare cases, the contracting agency may request a "Project Wage Determination" specific to that project. Check your contract to see which applies.

Common Lookup Mistakes

Using the Wrong County

Prevailing wages vary significantly between counties, even adjacent ones. If your project site is in Cook County, IL but your office is in DuPage County, IL, you use the Cook County determination — it's where the work is performed that matters.

Using the Wrong Construction Type

A highway bridge project uses the Highway determination, not Building. A residential housing development uses Residential, not Building. Using the wrong construction type can result in different classifications and rates being applied.

Using an Updated Determination Instead of the Contract Determination

The wage determination locked into your contract (at the time of bid opening or contract award) is the one you must follow. If the DOL updates the determination after your contract is awarded, the new rates generally don't apply to your contract unless it's a multi-year contract with anniversary dates. For details on the latest form updates, see our WH-347 Form 2025 guide.

Ignoring Modification Numbers

Wage determinations have modification numbers (Mod 0, Mod 1, Mod 2, etc.). Each modification updates rates for specific classifications. Make sure you're looking at the correct modification for your contract.

What If Your Classification Isn't Listed?

If a trade classification you need isn't listed on the wage determination, you must request a "conformance" from the contracting agency. The agency will work with the DOL to establish the appropriate rate. Do NOT simply assign workers to the closest classification — this can create compliance issues and potential Davis-Bacon penalties.

Putting It All Together

Once you've identified the correct wage determination and rates, you need to apply them correctly on your certified payroll (WH-347). Each worker's hourly rate must meet or exceed the prevailing wage for their classification, and fringe benefits must be properly accounted for. For a complete walkthrough of every field, read our step-by-step WH-347 guide.

Our free WH-347 generator makes it easy to enter worker classifications, rates, and hours, with auto-calculated totals that help catch errors before submission.