Home / Arizona / Operating Engineer
Arizona · Operating Engineer
Arizona operating engineer prevailing wage, county by county
An operating engineer's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage in Arizona runs from $15.80 an hour in Santa Cruz County to $49.56 in Cochise County. The median county is $49.56.
Main operating engineer classification in each county, Davis-Bacon wage determinations on SAM.gov, as of October 25, 2026. 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)). Checked October 25, 2026.
How much does an operating engineer make on prevailing wage in Arizona?
15 counties, highest main rate first. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Cochise County1 county$49.56
- Coconino County1 county$49.56
- Maricopa County1 county$49.56
- Mohave County1 county$49.56
- Pima County1 county$49.56
- Pinal County1 county$49.56
- Yavapai County1 county$49.56
- Yuma County1 county$49.56
- Apache County1 county$15.80
- Gila County1 county$15.80
- Graham County1 county$15.80
- Greenlee County1 county$15.80
- La Paz County1 county$15.80
- Navajo County1 county$15.80
- Santa Cruz County1 county$15.80
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cochise County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Coconino County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Maricopa County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Mohave County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Pima County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Pinal County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Yavapai County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Yuma County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANE | $49.56 | $36.04 |
| Apache County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| Gila County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| Graham County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| Greenlee County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| La Paz County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| Navajo County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
| Santa Cruz County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE | $15.80 | $14.00 |
No two counties have identical DOL rates for this trade.
Questions about Arizona operating engineer pay
What is the operating engineer prevailing wage in Maricopa County?
$49.56 an hour: a $36.04 base wage plus $13.52 in fringe benefits, under wage determination AZ20260039, modification 1. Overtime and every operating engineer classification in Maricopa County.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Maricopa County the $49.56 total is a $36.04 base wage plus $13.52 in fringe benefits, about 27% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage pay overtime in Arizona?
Davis-Bacon rates are straight time. On contracts over $100,000, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requires 1½ times the basic rate for hours over 40 in a workweek (40 U.S.C. 3702). The fringe is owed for every hour at its straight-time amount.
Do apprentice operating engineers get this rate?
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)).
Which county pays operating engineers the most in Arizona?
Cochise County, at $49.56 an hour for the main classification. The lowest is Santa Cruz County at $15.80, and the median county is $49.56.