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Tulare County · Laborer

Laborer prevailing wage in Tulare County, California

$71.96an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Group 1

$39.65 base wage + $32.31 fringe benefits

Tulare County uses the same laborer rates as 39 other counties. See all of them on one page.

On California public works in Tulare County, a Group 1 laborer must be paid at least $71.96 an hour in total: $39.65 in wages plus $32.31 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $91.79 and Sunday and holiday work is $111.61. DIR puts 50 job titles in Group 1, biohazard cleanup worker and cut granite curb setter among them.

DIR general determination NC-23-102-1-2026-2, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 27, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.

DIR lists 16 laborer rates for Tulare County, from $59.89 to $72.92 an hour. See all of them.

Base wage and fringe benefits: $39.65 + $32.31

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 $71.96 or more.

Basic hourly rate (taxable wage) (footnote b)	$39.65
Health and welfare	$12.00
Pension	$15.46
Vacation and holiday	$4.00
Training	$0.52
Other payments	$0.33
Total straight-time hourly rate	$71.96

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 NC-23-102-1-2026-2, issued August 22, 2026; DIR's expiration date for it is June 27, 2027.

Scheduled increases

$71.96now$75.58Jun 28, 2027$79.19Jun 26, 2028$82.70Jun 25, 2029$86.21Jul 1, 2030

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
June 28, 2027	+$3.62	$75.58
June 26, 2028	+$3.61	$79.19
June 25, 2029	+$3.51	$82.70
July 1, 2030	+$3.51	$86.21

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

Laborer Group 1 job titles

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

Asphalt spreader boxes (all types)
Barko, wacker and similar type tampers
Biohazard cleanup worker
Buggymobile
Caulkers, banders, pipewrappers, conduit layers, plastic pipe layers
Certified asbestos and mold removal worker
Certified hazardous waste worker (including lead abatement)
Compactors of all types
Concrete and magnesite mixer and ½ yard
Concrete pan work
Concrete sanders, concrete saw
Cribbers and/or shoring
Cut granite curb setter
Dri pak-it machine
Faller, logloader and bucker
Form raisers, slip forms
Green cutters
Headerboard men, hubsetters, aligners by any method
High pressure blow pipe (1-1/2" or over, 100 lbs. Pressure/over)
Hydro seeder and similar type
Jackhammer operators
Jacking of pipe over 12 inches
Jackson and similar type compactors
Kettlemen, potmen, and men applying asphalt, lay kold, creosote, lime, caustic and similar type materials (applying means applying dipping, or handling of such materials)
Lagging, sheeting, whaling, bracing, trench-jacking, lagging hammer
Magnesite, epoxy resin, fiber glass and mastic workers (wet/dry)
No joint pipe and stripping of same, including repair of voids
Pavement breakers and spaders, including tool grinder
Perma curbs
Precast-manhole setters
Pipelayers (including grade checking in connection with pipelaying)
Pressure pipe tester
Post hole diggers-air, gas, and electric power broom sweepers
Power tampers of all types, except as shown in group 2
Ram set gun and stud gun
Riprap-stonepaver and rock-slinger, including placing of sacked concrete and/or sand (wet or dry) and gabions and similar type
Rotary scarifier or multiple head concrete chipping scarifier
Roto and ditch witch
Rototiller
Sand blasters, potmen, gunmen, and nozzlemen
Signaling and rigging
Skilled wrecker (removing and salvaging of sash, windows, doors, plumbing and electric fixtures)
Tank cleaners
Tree climbers
Trenchless technology laborer- pipe installation, bursting, relining, or similar
Trenchless laborer's work, camera controller, CCTV
Turbo blaster
Vibra-screed-bull float in connection with laborer's work
Vibrators
Sewer cleaners (any workmen who handle or come in contact with raw sewage in small diameter sewers) shall receive $4.00 per day abov group 1 wage rates. Those who work inside recently active, large diameter sewers, and all recently active sewer manholes shall receive $5.00 per day above group 1 wage rates.

Source: Group 1, page 5, Group 1 (B), page 6

Every laborer rate in Tulare County

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

Group 6$72.92
Construction Specialist$72.66
Group 6 (D)$72.54
Group 1 (E)$72.51
Group 6 (A)$72.42
Group 1 (A)$72.18
Group 1 (C)$72.01
Group 1 and Group 1(B)$71.96
Group 6 (C)$71.83
Group 2$71.81
Group 3 and Group 3 (A)$71.71
Group 6 (E)$71.56
Group 7 - Stage 3 (3rd 6 months)$67.77
Group 4 and Group 6 (B)$65.40
Group 7 - Stage 2 (2nd 6 months)$63.83
Group 7 - Stage 1 (1st 6 months)$59.89

Total hourly rate of each laborer classification in Tulare County, highest first, split into base wage and fringe benefits.

Classification	Base wage	Fringe benefits	Total rate	Daily OT	Determination
Construction SpecialistArea 2	$40.35	$32.31	$72.66	$92.84	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 1 (A)Area 2 10 jobs in this group All work of loading, placing and blasting of all powder & explosives of whatever type, regardless of method used for loading and placing Joy drill model twm-2a Gardener-denver model dh 143 and similar type drills Track drillers Jack leg drillers Wagon drillers Mechanical drillers-all types regardless of type or method of power Blasters and powderman Tree topper Bit grinder	$39.87	$32.31	$72.18	$92.12	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 1 (C)Area 2 2 jobs in this group Burning and welding in connection with laborer's work Synthetic thermoplastics and similar type welding	$39.70	$32.31	$72.01	$91.86	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 1 (E)Area 2 2 jobs in this group Work on and/or in bell hole footings and shafts thereof, and work on and in deep footings (deep footings is a hole 15 feet or more in depth) Shaft is an excavation over fifteen (15) feet deep of any type	$40.20	$32.31	$72.51	$92.61	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 1 and Group 1(B)Area 2	$39.65	$32.31	$71.96	$91.79	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 2Area 2 17 jobs in this group Asphalt shovelers Cement dumpers and handling dry cement or gypsum Choke-setter and rigger (clearing work) Concrete bucket dumper and chuteman Concrete chipping and grinding Concrete laborers (wet or dry) Drillers helper, chuck tender, nipper (one chucktender on single machine operation with minimum of one chucktender for each two machines on multiple machine operation. Jackhammers in no way involved in this item.) Guinea chaser (stakeman), grout crew High pressure nozzleman, adductors Hydraulic monitor (over 100 lbs. Pressure) Loading and unloading, carrying and handling of all rods and materials for use in reinforcing concrete construction Pittsburgh chipper, and similar type brush shredders Semi-skilled wrecker (salvaging of other building materials) - see also skilled wrecker (group 1) Sloper Singlefoot, hand held, pneumatic tamper All pneumatic, air, gas and electric tools not listed in groups 1 through 1 (f) Jacking of pipe-under 12 inches	$39.50	$32.31	$71.81	$91.56	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 3 and Group 3 (A)Area 2 19 jobs in this group Construction laborers including bridge laborers, general laborers and cleanup laborers Demolition worker Dumpman, load spotter Flagperson/pedestrian monitor Fire watcher Fence erectors, including temporary fencing Guardrail erectors Gardener, horticultural and landscape laborers (see group 4, for landscape maintenance on new construction during plant establishment period) Jetting Limbers, brush loaders, and pilers Pavement markers (button setters) Pavers/interlocking pavers (all types) and interlocking paver machines Maintenance, repair trackmen and road beds Streetcar and railroad construction track laborers Temporary air and water lines, victaulic or similar Tool room attendant (jobsite only) Tree removal Wheelbarrow, including power driven Composite crew person (operation of vehicles, when in conjunction with laborer's duties)	$39.40	$32.31	$71.71	$91.41	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 4 and Group 6 (B)Area 2 5 jobs in this group All final cleanup of debris, grounds and buildings near the completion of the project including but not limited to street cleaners (not applicable to engineering or heavy highway projects) Cleaning and washing windows (new construction only), service landscape laborers (such as gardener, horticulture, mowing, trimming, replanting, watering during plant establishment period) on new construction Brick cleaners (job site only) Material cleaners (job site only) Gunite trainee (one gunite laborer shall be allowed for each three (3) journeyman (group 6, 6a, 6c, or general laborer) on a crew. In the absence of the journeyman, the gunite trainee receives the journeyman scale.).	$33.09	$32.31	$65.40	$81.95	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 6Area 2 1 job in this group Structural nozzleman	$40.61	$32.31	$72.92	$93.23	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 6 (A)Area 2 3 jobs in this group Nozzleman (including gunman, potman) Rodman Groundman	$40.11	$32.31	$72.42	$92.48	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 6 (C)Area 2 1 job in this group Reboundman	$39.52	$32.31	$71.83	$91.59	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 6 (D)Area 2 1 job in this group Aligner of wire winding machine in connection with guniting or shot crete	$40.23	$32.31	$72.54	$92.66	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 6 (E)Area 2 1 job in this group Aligner helper of wire winding machine in connection with guniting or shot crete	$39.25	$32.31	$71.56	$91.19	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 7 - Stage 1 (1st 6 months)Area 2 1 job in this group Entry level landscape laborer (ratio for entry level is one in three. At least one second period entry level and at least one third period entry level must be employed before employing another first period trainee).	$27.58	$32.31	$59.89	$73.68	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 7 - Stage 2 (2nd 6 months)Area 2 1 job in this group Entry level landscape laborer (ratio for entry level is one in three. At least one second period entry level and at least one third period entry level must be employed before employing another first period trainee).	$31.52	$32.31	$63.83	$79.59	NC-23-102-1-2026-2
Group 7 - Stage 3 (3rd 6 months)Area 2 1 job in this group Entry level landscape laborer (ratio for entry level is one in three. At least one second period entry level and at least one third period entry level must be employed before employing another first period trainee).	$35.46	$32.31	$67.77	$85.50	NC-23-102-1-2026-2

Davis-Bacon laborer rate in Tulare 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 the federal determination for this county has no matching classification. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.

Construction	Federal classification	Base wage	Total rate	WD
Building	LABORERSUCA1984-001	$7.83	$10.69	CA20260016 Mod 4
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, WRECKING: GROUP 2: Semi-skilled wrecker (salvaging of other building materials)LABO0294-004	$35.35	$62.65	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, WRECKING: GROUP 1: Skilled wrecker (removing and salvaging of sash, windows and materials)LABO0294-004	$35.50	$62.80	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 4 ALL CLEAN-UP WORK OF DEBRIS, GROUNDS AND BUILDING INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: STREET CLEANER; CLEANING AND …LABO0294-004	$28.94	$56.24	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 3: CONSTRUCTION LABORERS, INCLUDING BRIDGE AND GENERAL LABORER; DUMP, LOAD SPOTTER; FLAG PERSON; FIRE WATCHER; …LABO0294-004	$35.25	$62.55	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 2: ASPHALT SHOVELER; CEMENT DUMPER AND HANDLING DRY CEMENT OR GYPSUM; CHOKE-SETTER AND RIGGER (CLEARING WORK); …LABO0294-004	$35.35	$62.65	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 1: ASPHALT SPREADER BOXES (ALL TYPES); BARKO, WACKER AND SIMILAR TYPE TAMPERS; BUGGYMOBILE; CAULKER, BANDER, …LABO0294-004	$35.50	$62.80	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 1-F: WIRE WINDING MACHINE IN CONNECTION WITH GUNITING OR SHOT CRETELABO0294-004	$36.08	$63.38	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 1-E: WORK ON AND/OR IN BELL HOLE FOOTINGS AND SHAFTS THEREOF, AND WORK ON AND IN DEEP FOOTINGS. (A DEEP FOOTING …LABO0294-004	$36.05	$63.35	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 1-C: BURNING AND WELDING IN CONNECTION WITH LABORERS' WORK; SYNTHETIC THERMOPLASTICS AND SIMILAR TYPE WELDINGLABO0294-004	$35.55	$62.85	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS:, CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: GROUP 1-A: JOY DRILL MODEL TWM-2A; GARDNER-DENVER MODEL DH143 AND SIMILAR TYPE DRILLS; TRACK DRILLER; JACK LEG DRILLER; …LABO0294-004	$35.72	$63.02	CA20260021 Mod 2
Highway, Heavy	LABORERS: CONSTRUCTION CRAFT LABORERS: CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST GROUP ASPHALT IRONER AND RAKER; CHAINSAW; LASER BEAM IN CONNECTION WITH LABORERS' WORK; MASONRY …LABO0294-004 DOL prints this rate per day: $36.20 base, fringe “27.30”.	—	—	CA20260021 Mod 2
Residential	LABORER, GENERALSUCA2001-001	$7.25	$7.25	CA20260009 Mod 1

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 Tulare County compares

The main laborer 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

Tulare $71.96611

$71.96Alpine$78.65Imperial

TulareNearby: Kings $71.96, Kern $78.65, Fresno $71.96Each column is a group of counties with about the same main rate; its height is how many. 18 counties pay more than Tulare, 39 the same, 0 less.

Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby

Tulare Countybase $39.65 · Area 2$71.96
Kings Countybase $39.65 · Area 2$71.96
Kern Countybase $49.20$78.65
Fresno Countybase $39.65 · Area 2$71.96

Laborer 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.

DIR's laborer rates for Tulare County are the same as in 39 other counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno and 31 more.

County	Classification	Base wage	Total rate	vs Tulare County
Kern County	Group 1	$49.20	$78.65	+$6.69
Inyo County	Group 1	$49.20	$78.65	+$6.69
San Luis Obispo County	Group 1	$49.20	$78.65	+$6.69
Tulare County	Group 1 and Group 1(B) (Area 2)	$39.65	$71.96
Kings County	Group 1 and Group 1(B) (Area 2)	$39.65	$71.96	same
Fresno County	Group 1 and Group 1(B) (Area 2)	$39.65	$71.96	same
Madera County	Group 1 and Group 1(B) (Area 2)	$39.65	$71.96	same

California laborer 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 Group 1(d) - maintenance or repair trackmen and road beds and all employees performing work covered by this classification shall receive $0.25 per hour above their regular rate for all work performed on underground structures not specifically covered herein. This shall not apply to work below ground level in open cut. This shall apply to cut and cover work of subway construction after temporary cover has been placed. Group 1(h) - all laborers working off or with or from bos'n chairs, swinging scaffolds, belts receive $0.50 per hour above their applicable wage rate. This shall not apply to laborers entitled to receive the wage rate set forth in group 1(a).
b Zone pay at three dollars ($3.00) per hour, factored at the applicable overtime multiple, will be added to the base rate for work performed outside the free zone described by the boundaries along township and range lines. Please see travel and subsistence provision for map description and exceptions.
c When three shifts are employed for five (5) or more consecutive days, seven and one-half (7 1/2) consecutive hours (exclusive of meal period), shall constitute a day of work, for which eight (8) times the straight time hourly rate shall be paid at the non-shift wage rate for the second shift. The third shift shall be seven (7) hours of work for eight (8) hours pay at the non-shift wage rate.
d Rate applies to the first 4 daily overtime hours worked on Monday through Friday and the first 12 hours worked on Saturday; all other time is paid at the Sunday and holiday overtime hourly rate. Saturdays in the same work week may be worked at straight-time if job is shut down during the normal work week due to inclement weather, major mechanical breakdown or lack of materials beyond the control of the employer.
e Group 1(b) receives an additional amount each day. See page 6 for details

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 $71.96. 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 NC-23-102-1-2026-2, page 2: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/Northern/NC-023-102-1.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 Tulare County as CSV · Report an error