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Pile Driver prevailing wage, Southern California (11 counties)

DIR sets the same pile driver rates, row for row, in 11 counties: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. Every figure on this page applies in each of them.

$105.10an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Group 1

$65.75 base wage + $39.35 fringe benefits

On California public works in each of these 11 counties, a Group 1 pile driver must be paid at least $105.10 an hour in total: $65.75 in wages plus $39.35 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $137.975 and Sunday and holiday work is $170.85. DIR puts 2 job titles in Group 1, engineer oiler and soils inspector among them.

DIR general determination SC-23-63-2-2026-2B, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 30, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.

DIR lists 13 pile driver rates for each of these counties, from $105.10 to $111.10 an hour. See all of them.

Base wage and fringe benefits: $65.75 + $39.35

The basic hourly rate is the taxable wage. The other lines, the fringe benefits DIR calls employer payments, are what DIR expects the employer to pay into health, pension and other plans for each hour worked. An employer can pay part of that as extra wages instead, as long as the total per hour stays at $105.10 or more.

Basic hourly rate (taxable wage)	$65.75
Health and welfare	$17.45
Pension (footnote d)	$17.40
Vacation and holiday (footnote e)	$2.95
Training	$1.10
Other payments	$0.45
Total straight-time hourly rate	$105.10

Straight time covers an 8-hour day.

When does this rate change?

A project pays the rates in effect on its bid advertisement date for the life of the job, plus any increase DIR set in advance (DIR FAQ).
DIR issues new determinations on February 22 and August 22, and they take effect 10 days later. This rate is from determination SC-23-63-2-2026-2B, issued August 22, 2026; DIR's expiration date for it is June 30, 2027.

Scheduled increases

$105.10now$109.61Jul 1, 2027

Current rate, DIR Aug 22, 2026Increases DIR has already set

DIR has already set these increases. Work on or after each date is paid the higher rate. DIR often leaves part of an increase "to be allocated to wages and/or employer payments" and confirms the split when it comes due, and it can reduce a scheduled increase in a later notice, so check DIR's increase page before you pay it.

Takes effect	Increase per hour	Total after increase
July 1, 2027	+$4.51	$109.61

The double asterisk after DIR's expiration date means the next rate is already set. If the work runs past that date you have to pay the new rate, and DIR says to build it into contracts signed now (DIR FAQ, Q8).

Source: DIR increase PDF

Pile Driver Group 1 job titles

Work DIR classifies in Group 1, copied as printed. The other groups and their rates are in the table below.

Engineer Oiler
Soils Inspector

Source: Group 1, page 4

Every pile driver rate in Southern California

As DIR lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.

Group 13$111.10
Group 12$110.10
Group 11$109.10
Group 10$108.10
Group 9$107.10
Group 8$106.93
Group 7$106.76
Group 6$106.64
Group 5$106.53
Group 4$106.31
Group 3$106.17
Group 2$105.88
Group 1$105.10

Total hourly rate of each pile driver classification in Southern California, highest first, split into base wage and fringe benefits.

Classification	Base wage	Fringe benefits	Total rate	Daily OT	Determination
Group 1	$65.75	$39.35	$105.10	$137.975	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 10 6 jobs in this group ABI/Fundex Machine Crane Operator (over 50 tons, up to and including 100 ton M.R.C.) Derrick Barge Operator (over 50 tons, up to and including 100 ton M.R.C.) Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (over 50 tons, up to and including 100 ton M.R.C.) Mobile Tower Crane Operator (over 50 tons, up to and including 100 ton M.R.C.) Shovel, Dragline, Clamshell Operator (over 10 cu. yrds.)	$68.75	$39.35	$108.10	$142.475	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 11 5 jobs in this group Crane Operator (over 100 tons, up to and including 200 ton M.R.C.) Derrick Barge Operator (over 100 tons, up to and including 200 ton M.R.C.) Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (over 100 tons, up to and including 200 ton M.R.C.) Mobile Tower Crane Operator (over 100 tons, up to and including 200 ton M.R.C.) Tower Crane Operator and Tower Gantry	$69.75	$39.35	$109.10	$143.975	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 12 4 jobs in this group Crane Operator (over 200 tons, up to and including 300 ton M.R.C.) Derrick Barge Operator (over 200 tons, up to and including 300 ton M.R.C.) Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (over 200 tons, up to and including 300 ton M.R.C.) Mobile Tower Crane Operator (over 200 tons, up to and including 300 ton M.R.C.)	$70.75	$39.35	$110.10	$145.475	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 13 6 jobs in this group Crane Operator (over 300 tons) Derrick Barge Operator (over 300 tons) Helicopter Pilot Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (over 300 tons) Hydraulically Controlled Lift Gantry Operator BCR Lift System (over 300 tons) Mobile Tower Crane Operator (over 300 tons)	$71.75	$39.35	$111.10	$146.975	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 2 2 jobs in this group Truck Crane Oiler Fiber Wrap Inspector	$66.53	$39.35	$105.88	$139.145	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 3 2 jobs in this group A-Frame or Winch Truck Operator Ross Carrier Operator (Jobsite)	$66.82	$39.35	$106.17	$139.58	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 4 4 jobs in this group Bridge-Type Unloader and Turntable Operator Helicopter Hoist Operator Ojjo Earth Truss Driver Machine Operator or similar types Snobble Unit (pin-n-go or similar type)	$66.96	$39.35	$106.31	$139.79	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 5 3 jobs in this group Hydraulic Boom Truck/Knuckleboom Stinger Crane (Austin-Western or similar type) Tugger Hoist Operator (1 drum)	$67.18	$39.35	$106.53	$140.12	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 6 12 jobs in this group Bridge Crane Operator Cretor Crane Operator Hoist Operator (Chicago Boom and similar type) Lift Mobile Operator Lift Slab Machine Operator (Vagtborg and similar types) Material Hoist and/or Manlift Operator Polar Gantry Crane Operator Prentice Self-Loader Self Climbing Scaffold (or similar type) Shovel, Dragline, Clamshell Operator (over ¾ yd and up to 5 cu yds, M.R.C.) Silent Piler (Giken or similar types) Tugger Hoist Operator (2 drum)	$67.29	$39.35	$106.64	$140.285	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 7 4 jobs in this group Pedestal Crane Operator Shovel, Dragline, Clamshell Operator (over 5 cu yds, M.R.C.) Tower Crane Repairman Tugger Hoist Operator (3 drum)	$67.41	$39.35	$106.76	$140.465	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 8 8 jobs in this group Crane Operator (up to and including 25 ton capacity) Crawler Transporter Operator Derrick Barge Operator (up to and including 25 ton capacity) Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (up to and including 25 ton capacity) Rotational Telehandler Operator Self-Propelled Modular Transporter (Schuerle, Goldhofer or similar types) Shovel, Dragline, Clamshell Operator (over 7 cu yds M.R.C.) Timber Handler - Sennebogen or similar types (tree hoisting/removal/site clearing)	$67.58	$39.35	$106.93	$140.72	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B
Group 9 7 jobs in this group Crane Operator (over 25 tons, up to and including 50 ton M.R.C.) Derrick Barge Operator (over 25 tons, up to and including 50 ton M.R.C.) Highline Cableway Operator Hoist Operator, Stiff Legs, Guy Derrick or similar type (over 25 tons, up to and including 50 ton M.R.C.) K-Crane Polar Crane Operator Self Erecting Tower Crane Operator Maximum Lifting Capacity ten (10) tons	$67.75	$39.35	$107.10	$140.975	SC-23-63-2-2026-2B

Davis-Bacon pile driver rates in these counties

The counties share DIR's rates, but not always the same federal wage determination. When a California awarding body runs a federally funded or assisted project, DIR's rates must be paid where they are higher than the Davis-Bacon rates (DIR public works FAQ).

County	Federal classification	Base + fringe	WD	vs DIR
Imperial County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Inyo County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Kern County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Los Angeles County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Mono County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Orange County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Riverside County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
San Bernardino County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
San Luis Obispo County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Santa Barbara County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match
Ventura County	Federal rates listed on the county page; no one-to-one match

How Southern California compares

The main pile driver rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and in the nearest counties. All bars use the same scale.

Every county in California

Los Angeles $105.1046

$105.06San Diego$111.87Alameda

Los AngelesNearby: Imperial $105.10, Inyo $105.10, Kern $105.10, Mono $105.10, Orange $105.10, Riverside $105.10, San Bernardino $105.10, San Luis Obispo $105.10, Santa Barbara $105.10, Ventura $105.10Each column is a group of counties with about the same main rate; its height is how many. 46 counties pay more than Los Angeles, 10 the same, 1 less.

Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby

Southern Californiabase $65.75$105.10
Ventura Countybase $65.75$105.10
Orange Countybase $65.75$105.10
San Diego Countybase $63.75$105.06

Which county is in which pile driver group

Every California county with a pile driver rate. Counties DIR treats alike share one page; the rest have their own. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done, even if your shop is somewhere else.

Counties	Main classification	Base wage	Total rate
Sacramento County group, 39 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Benito, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, Yuba	Pile Driver, Wharf, and Dock Builder	$69.51	$111.87
Santa Clara County group, 7 counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano	Pile Driver, Wharf, and Dock Builder	$69.51	$111.87
Southern California, 11 counties: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura	Group 1	$65.75	$105.10
San Diego County	Group 1	$63.75	$105.06

3 groups of counties with identical DIR rates, and 1 county with rates of its own.

California pile driver prevailing wage by county, with a map

Footnotes on this rate

DIR's footnotes, in DIR's words. Several change the rate itself: zone pay, a percentage added to the total, or which overtime hours get which rate.

a For classifications within each group, see Pages 4 and 5.
b Rate applies to the first 4 overtime hours. All other daily overtime is paid at the Sunday rate.
c Rate applies to the first 12 hours worked. All other time is paid at the Sunday rate.
d Includes an amount for Annuity.
e Includes an amount withheld for supplemental dues.

DIR's other marks: # means an apprenticeable craft, * means in effect until superseded, ** means the next rate is already set.

Are you being paid this rate?

Add your hourly wage to what your employer pays into health, pension and other plans for you, and compare it with $105.10. Plan payments only count if the money goes into the plan; your pay stub won't show them, but plan statements will. The training amount goes to the California Apprenticeship Council or an apprenticeship program, not to you. Check a week of pay.

Contractors on most public works jobs file certified payroll with the state, and anyone can look it up in DIR's CPR public search. If your total comes up short, you can file a public works complaint with the California Labor Commissioner.

Source

California Department of Industrial Relations, general prevailing wage determination SC-23-63-2-2026-2B, page 1: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/Southern/SC-023-63-2(B).pdf

Each figure is copied from DIR's file and checked by a second, separate reader. How we check · How to read a determination · Download every California rate as CSV · Report an error