Home / California / San Diego County / Carpenter
San Diego County · Carpenter
Carpenter prevailing wage in San Diego County, California
$80.71an hour, total
$51.11 wage + $29.60 employer payments
On California public works in San Diego County, a carpenter must be paid at least $80.71 an hour in total: $51.11 in wages plus $29.60 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $106.265 and Sunday and holiday work is $131.82.
DIR general determination SD-23-31-4-2026-2A, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 30, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.
DIR lists 11 carpenter rates for San Diego County, from $67.81 to $144.82 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe: $51.11 + $29.60
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 $80.71 or more.
| Basic hourly rate (taxable wage) | $51.11 |
| Health and welfare | $10.25 |
| Pension | $6.41 |
| Vacation and holiday (footnote a) | $7.57 |
| Training | $0.79 |
| Other payments (footnote b) | $4.58 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $80.71 |
Straight time covers an 8-hour day.
Davis-Bacon carpenter rate in San Diego 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 work, the matching Davis-Bacon classification is CARPENTER: (2) COMMERCIAL BUILDING at $75.12 ($48.94 base + $26.18 fringe), from CA20260001 modification 3, published May 18, 2026, rate CARP0619-003. Against DIR's $80.71: DIR's rate is $5.59 an hour higher. On a job covered by both, the higher rate applies.
For highway and heavy work, the matching Davis-Bacon classification is CARPENTER: (3) HEAVY & HIGHWAY at $67.68 ($51.40 base + $16.28 fringe), from CA20260001 modification 3, published May 18, 2026, rate CARP0619-003. Against DIR's $80.71: DIR's rate is $13.03 an hour higher. On a job covered by both, the higher rate applies.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base + fringe | Base | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | CARPENTER: (4) RESIDENTIAL CARPENTERCARP0619-003 | $65.33 | $39.15 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | CARPENTER: (3) HEAVY & HIGHWAYCARP0619-003 | $67.68 | $51.40 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | CARPENTER: (2) COMMERCIAL BUILDINGCARP0619-003 | $75.12 | $48.94 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | CARPENTER: (1) BRIDGECARP0619-003 | $78.55 | $52.37 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, TUNNEL WORK: GROUP 2- Power-driven jumbo form setter operator PREMIUM PAY: $10.00 per hour shall be paid on all Power Equipment …ENGI0012-024 | $99.23 | $66.03 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
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
Scheduled increases
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 | +$3.50 | $84.21 |
| July 1, 2028 | +$4.25 | $88.46 |
| July 1, 2029 | +$4.50 | $92.96 |
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, DIR increase PDF
Every carpenter rate in San Diego County
As DIR lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Diver, Wet (up to 50ft. depth)Engineering Construction$144.82
- Diver, StandbyEngineering Construction$88.48
- Diver's TenderEngineering Construction$87.45
- MillwrightEngineering Construction$85.02
- Bridge Carpenter (Highway Work)Engineering Construction$84.45
- Pile DriverEngineering Construction$84.45
- Carpenter (Heavy and Highway Work)Engineering Construction$84.32
- CarpenterEngineering Construction$80.71
- Terrazzo InstallerEngineering Construction$74.31
- Light CommercialEngineering Construction$70.49
- Terrazzo FinisherEngineering Construction$67.81
| Classification | Total | Base | Employer payments | Daily OT | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Bridge Carpenter (Highway Work) | $84.45 | $54.54 | $29.91 | $111.72 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Engineering Construction: Carpenter | $80.71 | $51.11 | $29.60 | $106.265 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2A |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Carpenter (Heavy and Highway Work) | $84.32 | $54.41 | $29.91 | $111.525 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Diver's Tender | $87.45 | $57.54 | $29.91 | $116.22 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Diver, Standby | $88.48 | $58.57 | $29.91 | $117.765 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Diver, Wet (up to 50ft. depth) | $144.82 | $114.91 | $29.91 | $202.275 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Engineering Construction: Light Commercial | $70.49 | $40.89 | $29.60 | $90.935 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2A |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Millwright | $85.02 | $54.91 | $30.11 | $116.26 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Pile Driver | $84.45 | $54.54 | $29.91 | $111.72 | SD-23-31-4-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Terrazzo Finisher | $67.81 | $43.56 | $24.25 | $89.59 | SD-31-741-1-2026-2 |
| Carpenter#: Engineering Construction: Terrazzo Installer | $74.31 | $50.06 | $24.25 | $99.34 | SD-31-741-1-2026-2 |
How San Diego County compares
The main carpenter 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 Diego Countybase $51.11$80.71
- Riverside Countybase $54.41$84.32
- Orange Countybase $54.41$84.32
- Imperial Countybase $54.41$84.32
Carpenter 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 Diego County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| Orange County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| Imperial County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| Los Angeles County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| San Bernardino County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| Ventura County | Carpenter , Cabinet Installer, Insulation Installer, Hardwood Floor Worker, Acoustical Installer | $84.32 | $54.41 | +$3.61 |
| San Diego County | Carpenter | $80.71 | $51.11 |
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 amounts for Vacation and Supplemental Dues. For Millwright only, Vacation is factored at the applicable overtime multiplier.
- b Includes an amount for Annuity.
- g Rate only applies to the first 4 daily overtime hours and the first 8 hours on Saturday; all other time is paid at the Sunday/Holiday rate. Saturday in the same workweek may be worked at straight-time rate for the first 8 hours if the employee was unable to complete the 40 hours during the normal workweek due to inclement weather, major mechanical breakdown or lack of materials beyond the control of the Employer or because the employee voluntarily chooses to miss a scheduled workday, he may voluntarily work on Saturdays at straight time 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 $80.71. 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 SD-23-31-4-2026-2A, page 2: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/SanDiego/SD-023-31-4.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 San Diego County as CSV · Report an error