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La Paz County, AZ · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in La Paz County, Arizona
$15.80an hour, base + fringe · BACKHOE
$14.00 wage + $1.80 fringe benefits · Building · SUAZ2012-018
On federally funded or assisted building construction in La Paz County, an operating engineer working as backhoe must be paid at least $15.80 an hour: a $14.00 base wage plus $1.80 in fringe benefits, under wage determination AZ20260029 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $15.80 is our sum of the two.
Wage determination AZ20260029, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier SUAZ2012-018 (May 30, 2012). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.
Davis-Bacon is the only prevailing wage here (federally funded or assisted work). Arizona bars its agencies and political subdivisions from requiring a prevailing wage (A.R.S. 34-321).
DOL lists 19 operating engineer rates for La Paz County, from $15.80 to $62.50 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $14.00 + $1.80
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $14.00 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $1.80 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total) | $15.80 |
When this rate changes
- A contract keeps the wage determination in its bid documents. Modifications published before bid opening apply to it, though one published less than 10 days before can be left out if the agency finds there isn't time to tell bidders (29 CFR 1.6(c)).
- DOL changes a WD by publishing a numbered modification on SAM.gov. This page reads the modification named in the Source line; the Arizona change log lists what each one changed.
Every operating engineer rate in La Paz County
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE / DERRICKSHighway · SUAZ2023-017$62.50
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE/DERRICKHeavy · ENGI0012-042$54.76
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: (DRILL RIG/AUGER)Highway · ENGI0012-068$53.68
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER/FRONT END LOADERHeavy · ENGI0012-049$53.68
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (4) 100 TONS AND OVERBuilding · ENGI0428-003$48.09
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: FORKLIFTHighway · SUAZ2023-017$47.96
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (3) 15 TONS TO 100 TONS, TOWER CRANEBuilding · ENGI0428-003$47.06
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (2) UNDER 15 TONSBuilding · ENGI0428-003$45.98
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: OILERHighway · SUAZ2023-017$41.87
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: FORKLIFTHeavy · LABO1184-015$40.14
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MOTOR GRADER/BLADEHighway · SUAZ2023-017$40.08
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEHighway · SUAZ2023-017$39.48
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER/FRONT END LOADERHighway · SUAZ2023-017$38.50
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CONCRETE SCREEDHighway · SUAZ2023-017$33.90
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: COMPACTOR/ROLLERHighway · SUAZ2023-017$32.53
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERHighway · SUAZ2023-017$32.53
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: PAVER/SPREADER/FINISH EQUIPMENT (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, & CONCRETE)Highway · SUAZ2023-017$31.61
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/BACKHOE & LOADER COMBO/TRACK BACKHOEHeavy · SUAZ2023-002$27.38
- OPERATOR: BACKHOEBuilding · SUAZ2012-018$15.80
| Classification | Base + fringe | Base | Fringe benefits | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (4) 100 TONS AND OVERBuildingENGI0428-003 | $48.09 | $35.52 | $12.57 | AZ20260029 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (3) 15 TONS TO 100 TONS, TOWER CRANEBuildingENGI0428-003 | $47.06 | $34.49 | $12.57 | AZ20260029 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE (2) UNDER 15 TONSBuildingENGI0428-003 | $45.98 | $33.41 | $12.57 | AZ20260029 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOEBuildingSUAZ2012-018 | $15.80 | $14.00 | $1.80 | AZ20260029 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: (DRILL RIG/AUGER)HighwayENGI0012-068 | $53.68 | $35.56 | $18.12 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: PAVER/SPREADER/FINISH EQUIPMENT (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, & CONCRETE)HighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $31.61 | $31.55 | $0.06 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: OILERHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $41.87 | $31.86 | $10.01 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MOTOR GRADER/BLADEHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $40.08 | $36.47 | $3.61 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER/FRONT END LOADERHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $38.50 | $38.50 | $0.00 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: FORKLIFTHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $47.96 | $38.76 | $9.20 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $39.48 | $39.48 | $0.00 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE / DERRICKSHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $62.50 | $48.32 | $14.18 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CONCRETE SCREEDHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $33.90 | $33.90 | $0.00 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: COMPACTOR/ROLLERHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $32.53 | $32.53 | $0.00 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERHighwaySUAZ2023-017 | $32.53 | $32.53 | $0.00 | AZ20260032 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE/DERRICKHeavyENGI0012-042 | $54.76 | $36.64 | $18.12 | AZ20260052 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER/FRONT END LOADERHeavyENGI0012-049 | $53.68 | $35.56 | $18.12 | AZ20260052 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: FORKLIFTHeavyLABO1184-015 | $40.14 | $30.88 | $9.26 | AZ20260052 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/BACKHOE & LOADER COMBO/TRACK BACKHOEHeavySUAZ2023-002 | $27.38 | $27.38 | $0.00 | AZ20260052 Mod 1 |
How La Paz County compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Arizona
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- La Paz Countybase $14.00$15.80
- Yuma Countybase $36.04$49.56
- Maricopa Countybase $36.04$49.56
- Yavapai Countybase $36.04$49.56
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current DOL rates. Davis-Bacon rates are set for groups of counties, so neighbours often share them; the county where the work is done decides.
| County | Classification | Base + fringe | Base | vs La Paz County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| Maricopa County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| Yavapai County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| Mohave County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| Pinal County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| Pima County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 | +$33.76 |
| La Paz County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
Arizona operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DOL on this rate
- DOL wage determination
- SAM.gov wage determinations
- Davis-Bacon determinations list journeyworker rates. Apprentices in a program registered with DOL or a recognized state agency can be paid the program's percentage of the rate, within its ratio; anyone else gets the full rate (29 CFR 5.5(a)(4)).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base pay to the fringe your employer pays for you, in cash or into plans, and compare the sum with the total. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes complaints: 1-866-487-9243, or dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints.
Source
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (DOL), wage determination AZ20260029 Mod 1, published May 18, 2026: sam.gov/wage-determination/AZ20260029/1
We read every active Arizona Davis-Bacon wage determination from SAM.gov's own data and check every number with a second, independent read of the same file. DOL prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download La Paz County as CSV · Report an error