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San Diego County · Pile Driver
Pile Driver prevailing wage in San Diego County, California
$105.06an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Group 1
$63.75 base wage + $41.31 fringe benefits
On California public works in San Diego County, a Group 1 pile driver must be paid at least $105.06 an hour in total: $63.75 in wages plus $41.31 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $136.935 and Sunday and holiday work is $168.81.
DIR general determination SD-23-63-3-2026-2B, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 30, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.
DIR lists 13 pile driver rates for San Diego County, from $105.06 to $111.06 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $63.75 + $41.31
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 $105.06 or more.
| Basic hourly rate (taxable wage) | $63.75 |
| Health and welfare | $17.45 |
| Pension (footnote d) | $18.40 |
| Vacation and holiday (footnote e) | $3.95 |
| Training | $1.10 |
| Other payments | $0.41 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $105.06 |
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 SD-23-63-3-2026-2B, issued August 22, 2026; DIR's expiration date for it is June 30, 2027.
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 | +$4.50 | $109.56 |
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
- Fork Lift Operator (includes Loed, Lull or similar types)
Source: Group 1, page 4
Every pile driver rate in San Diego County
As DIR lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Group 13$111.06
- Group 12$110.06
- Group 11$109.06
- Group 10$108.06
- Group 9$107.06
- Group 8$106.89
- Group 7$106.72
- Group 6$106.60
- Group 5$106.49
- Group 4$106.27
- Group 3$106.13
- Group 2$105.84
- Group 1$105.06
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Daily OT | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | $63.75 | $41.31 | $105.06 | $136.935 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 106 jobs in this group
| $66.75 | $41.31 | $108.06 | $141.435 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 115 jobs in this group
| $67.75 | $41.31 | $109.06 | $142.935 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 124 jobs in this group
| $68.75 | $41.31 | $110.06 | $144.435 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 136 jobs in this group
| $69.75 | $41.31 | $111.06 | $145.935 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 21 job in this group
| $64.53 | $41.31 | $105.84 | $138.105 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 32 jobs in this group
| $64.82 | $41.31 | $106.13 | $138.54 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 44 jobs in this group
| $64.96 | $41.31 | $106.27 | $138.75 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 54 jobs in this group
| $65.18 | $41.31 | $106.49 | $139.08 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 611 jobs in this group
| $65.29 | $41.31 | $106.60 | $139.245 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 74 jobs in this group
| $65.41 | $41.31 | $106.72 | $139.425 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 88 jobs in this group
| $65.58 | $41.31 | $106.89 | $139.68 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Group 97 jobs in this group
| $65.75 | $41.31 | $107.06 | $139.935 | SD-23-63-3-2026-2B |
Davis-Bacon pile driver 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).
We don't put a federal figure next to DIR's here, because this page leads with a classification the federal determinations don't list one to one. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | PILEDRIVERMANCARP0619-003 | $52.37 | $78.55 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 13- Crane operator (over 300 tons); Derrick barge operator (over 300 tons); Helicopter pilot; …ENGI0012-024 | $70.75 | $103.95 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 12- Crane operator (over 200 tons up to and including 300 tons mrc); Derrick barge operator …ENGI0012-024 | $69.75 | $102.95 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 11- Crane operator (over 100 tons and up to and including 200 tons mrc); Derrick barge …ENGI0012-024 | $68.75 | $101.95 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 10- Crane operator (over 50 tons and up to and including 100 tons mrc); Derrick barge operator …ENGI0012-024 | $67.75 | $100.95 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 9- Crane operator (over 25 tons and up to and including 50 tons mrc); Derrick barge operator …ENGI0012-024 | $66.75 | $99.95 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 8- Crane operator (up to and including 25 ton capacity); Crawler transporter operator; Derrick …ENGI0012-024 | $66.58 | $99.78 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 7- PEDESTAL CRANE OPERATOR; SHOVEL, BACKHOE, DRAGLINE, CLAMSHELL OPERATOR (OVER 5 CU. YDS. …ENGI0012-024 | $66.41 | $99.61 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 6- Bridge crane operator; Cretor crane operator; Hoist operator (Chicago boom and similar …ENGI0012-024 | $66.29 | $99.49 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 5- HYDRAULIC BOOM TRUCK; STINGER CRANE (AUSTIN-WESTERN OR SIMILAR TYPE); TUGGER HOIST OPERATOR …ENGI0012-024 | $66.18 | $99.38 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 4- Bridge-type unloader and turntable operator; Helicopter hoist operator PREMIUM PAY: $10.00 …ENGI0012-024 | $65.96 | $99.16 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 3- A-frame or winch truck operator; Ross carrier operator (jobsite) PREMIUM PAY: $10.00 PER …ENGI0012-024 | $65.82 | $99.02 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 2- Truck crane oiler PREMIUM PAY: $10.00 PER HOUR SHALL BE PAID ON ALL POWER EQUIPMENT …ENGI0012-024 | $65.53 | $98.73 | CA20260001 Mod 3 |
| Building, Residential, Highway, Heavy | OPERATOR: POWER EQUIPMENT, CRANES, PILEDRIVING & HOISTING: GROUP 1- Engineer oiler; Fork lift operator (includes loed, lull or similar types) PREMIUM PAY: …ENGI0012-024 | $64.75 | $97.95 | 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
How San Diego County 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
Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- San Diego Countybase $63.75$105.06
- Riverside Countybase $65.75$105.10
- Orange Countybase $65.75$105.10
- Imperial Countybase $65.75$105.10
Pile Driver 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 | Base wage | Total rate | vs San Diego County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| Orange County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| Imperial County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| Los Angeles County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| San Bernardino County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| Ventura County | Group 1 | $65.75 | $105.10 | +$0.04 |
| San Diego County | Group 1 | $63.75 | $105.06 |
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 classcations within each group, see pages 4 thru 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. Cranes, Pile Driving and Hoisting Equipment (Operating Engineer)
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 $105.06. 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-23-63-3-2026-2B, page 1: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/SanDiego/SD-023-63-3(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 San Diego County as CSV · Report an error