Home / California / San Benito County / Plumber / Pipefitter
San Benito County · Plumber / Pipefitter
Plumber / Pipefitter prevailing wage in San Benito County, California
$138.04an hour, total
$83.57 wage + $54.47 employer payments
On California public works in San Benito County, a plumber or pipefitter must be paid at least $138.04 an hour in total: $83.57 in wages plus $54.47 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $186.58 and Sunday and holiday work is $235.11.
DIR general determination 204-393-1, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 30, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.
DIR lists 10 plumber or pipefitter rates for San Benito County, from $34.65 to $138.04 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe: $83.57 + $54.47
The basic hourly rate is the taxable wage. The other lines, usually called fringe benefits, 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 $138.04 or more.
| Basic hourly rate (taxable wage) (footnote A) | $83.57 |
| Health and welfare (footnote AU) | $18.65 |
| Pension (footnote AV) | $32.22 |
| Training | $2.65 |
| Other payments (footnote AW) | $0.95 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $138.04 |
Straight time covers an 8-hour day.
Davis-Bacon plumber or pipefitter rate in San Benito County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. 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).
For building, highway and heavy work, the matching Davis-Bacon classification is PLUMBER/PIPEFITTER (SAN BENITO AND SANTA CLARA COUNTIES) at $115.39 ($68.76 base + $46.63 fringe), from CA20260018 modification 8, published September 17, 2026, rate PLUM0393-001. Against DIR's $138.04: DIR's rate is $22.65 an hour higher. On a job covered by both, the higher rate applies.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base + fringe | Base | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building, Highway, Heavy | PLUMBER AND STEAMFITTER: (2) ALL OTHER WORK (CONTRA COSTA COUNTY)PLUM0159-001 | $117.61 | $68.57 | CA20260018 Mod 8 |
| Building, Highway, Heavy | PLUMBER/PIPEFITTER (SAN BENITO AND SANTA CLARA COUNTIES)PLUM0393-001 | $115.39 | $68.76 | CA20260018 Mod 8 |
| Building, Highway, Heavy | SPRINKLER FITTER (CALAVERAS, FRESNO, KINGS, MADERA, MARIPOSA, MERCED, MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SAN JOAQUIN, SANTA CRUZ, STANISLAUS AND TUOLUMNE COUNTIES)SFCA0669-011 | $79.41 | $49.69 | CA20260018 Mod 8 |
| Residential | PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS (SAN BENITO & SANTA CLARA COUNTIES)PLUM0393-002 | $38.80 | $30.90 | CA20260019 Mod 6 |
| Residential | SPRINKLER FITTER (MONTEREY, SAN BENITO AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES)SFCA0669-006 | $79.41 | $49.69 | CA20260019 Mod 6 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. California Davis-Bacon changes
Rate history since 2024
Total hourly rate for this classification in each DIR release.
| Release | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2 | $128.34 | |
| 2025-1 | $128.34 | no change |
| 2025-2 | $133.14 | +$4.80 |
| 2026-1 | $133.14 | no change |
| 2026-2 | $138.04 | +$4.90 |
Every plumber or pipefitter rate in San Benito County
As DIR lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC)$138.04
- Service and Repair$138.04
- Fire Sprinkler Fitter (Protection and Control Systems, Overhead and Underground)$82.74
- Underground Utility Pipefitter$54.96
- Construction Tradesman (Year 5)$53.65
- Construction Tradesman (Year 4)$48.91
- Construction Tradesman (Year 3)$47.53
- Construction Tradesman (Year 2)$41.93
- Underground Utility Assistant Journeyman$40.76
- Underground Utility Tradesman$34.65
| Classification | Total | Base | Employer payments | Daily OT | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Tradesman (Year 2) | $41.93 | $29.73 | $12.20 | $56.80 | 204-393-1 |
| Construction Tradesman (Year 3) | $47.53 | $35.33 | $12.20 | $65.20 | 204-393-1 |
| Construction Tradesman (Year 4) | $48.91 | $36.71 | $12.20 | $67.27 | 204-393-1 |
| Construction Tradesman (Year 5) | $53.65 | $39.70 | $13.95 | $73.50 | 204-393-1 |
| Plumber: Fire Sprinkler Fitter (Protection and Control Systems, Overhead and Underground) | $82.74 | $52.72 | $30.02 | $109.10 | 204-669-1 |
| Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $138.04 | $83.57 | $54.47 | $186.58 | 204-393-1 |
| Service and Repair | $138.04 | $83.57 | $54.47 | $186.58 | 204-393-1 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Assistant Journeyman | $40.76 | $21.81 | $18.95 | $53.04 | 204-355-1 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Pipefitter | $54.96 | $36.01 | $18.95 | $74.34 | 204-355-1 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Tradesman | $34.65 | $18.95 | $15.70 | $45.50 | 204-355-1 |
How San Benito County compares
The main plumber or pipefitter 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
Wage and employer payments, nearby
- San Benito Countybase $83.57$138.04
- Monterey Countybase $58.75$106.51
- Merced Countybase $59.25$101.11
- Santa Clara Countybase $83.57$138.04
Plumber / Pipefitter rates in nearby counties
Current DIR rates. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done, even if your shop is somewhere else.
| County | Classification | Total | Base | vs San Benito County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Benito County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $138.04 | $83.57 | |
| Santa Clara County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $138.04 | $83.57 | same |
| Monterey County | Plumber, Pipe Fitter & Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $106.51 | $58.75 | −$31.53 |
| Santa Cruz County | Plumber, Pipe Fitter & Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $106.51 | $58.75 | −$31.53 |
| Merced County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $59.25 | −$36.93 |
| Stanislaus County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $59.25 | −$36.93 |
| Fresno County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $55.50 | −$36.93 |
California plumber or pipefitter 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 Includes amount withheld for dues check off.
- AU Includes an amount for health and welfare extended reserve which is factored at the applicable overtime multiplier. Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1773.1 and 1773.8, the amount paid for this employer payment may vary resulting in a lower taxable basic hourly wage rate, but the total hourly rates for straight time and overtime may not be less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.
- AV Includes an amount for 401a-part b pension which is factored at the applicable overtime multiplier. Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1773.1 and 1773.8, the amount paid for this employer payment may vary resulting in a lower taxable basic hourly wage rate, but the total hourly rates for straight time and overtime may not be less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.
- AW Includes an amount for supplemental unemployment benefits.
- E Rate applies to the first 2 daily overtime hours and the first 10 hours on Saturday; all other time is paid at the Sunday and holiday overtime hourly rate.
DIR's other marks: # means an apprenticeable craft, * means in effect until superseded, ** means the next rate is already set.
More from DIR on this rate
- Holidays (DIR PDF)
- Scope of work: which tasks this rate covers
- Travel and subsistence
- Apprentice rates: DIR publishes these separately, by program. Look them up on DIR.
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 $138.04. 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 204-393-1: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/Subtrades/SBE.html
Each figure is copied from DIR's file and checked by a second, separate reader. How we check · How to read a determination · Download San Benito County as CSV · Report an error