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Georgia operating engineer prevailing wage, county by county
An operating engineer's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage in Georgia runs from $14.00 an hour in Wilkes County to $54.61 in Baldwin County. The median county is $16.15.
Main operating engineer classification in each county, Davis-Bacon wage determinations on SAM.gov, as of October 25, 2026. A contract keeps the wage determination in its bid documents. Modifications published before bid opening apply to it, though one published less than 10 days before can be left out if the agency finds there isn't time to tell bidders (29 CFR 1.6(c)). Checked October 25, 2026.
How much does an operating engineer make on prevailing wage in Georgia?
18 groups of counties with identical rates and 101 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The top 40 are drawn. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Clarke County group4 counties$54.61
- Columbia County group2 counties$54.61
- Elbert County group2 counties$54.61
- Gilmer County group2 counties$54.61
- Baldwin County1 county$54.61
- Banks County1 county$54.61
- Chattooga County1 county$54.61
- Franklin County1 county$54.61
- Gordon County1 county$54.61
- Greene County1 county$54.61
- Habersham County1 county$54.61
- Hart County1 county$54.61
- Jackson County1 county$54.61
- Lincoln County1 county$54.61
- Lumpkin County1 county$54.61
- McDuffie County1 county$54.61
- Polk County1 county$54.61
- Putnam County1 county$54.61
- Rabun County1 county$54.61
- Richmond County1 county$54.61
- Stephens County1 county$54.61
- Talbot County1 county$54.61
- Troup County1 county$54.61
- Union County1 county$54.61
- White County1 county$54.61
- Cherokee County group12 counties$41.77
- Henry County group2 counties$41.77
- Barrow County1 county$41.77
- Bartow County1 county$41.77
- Butts County1 county$41.77
- Clayton County1 county$41.77
- Cobb County1 county$41.77
- DeKalb County1 county$41.77
- Fayette County1 county$41.77
- Forsyth County1 county$41.77
- Fulton County1 county$41.77
- Gwinnett County1 county$41.77
- Hall County1 county$41.77
- Lamar County1 county$41.77
- Morgan County1 county$41.77
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County group, 4 localities: Clarke, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Columbia County group, 2 localities: Burke, Columbia | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Elbert County group, 2 localities: Elbert, Towns | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Gilmer County group, 2 localities: Fannin, Gilmer | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Baldwin County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Banks County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Chattooga County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Franklin County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Gordon County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Greene County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Habersham County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Hart County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Jackson County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Lincoln County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Lumpkin County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| McDuffie County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Polk County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Putnam County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Rabun County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Richmond County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Stephens County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Talbot County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Troup County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Union County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| White County | OPERATOR: CRANE | $54.61 | $38.53 |
| Cherokee County group, 12 localities: Carroll, Cherokee, Coweta, Dawson, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Pike | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Henry County group, 2 localities: Henry, Jasper | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Barrow County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Bartow County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Butts County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Clayton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Cobb County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| DeKalb County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Fayette County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Forsyth County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Fulton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Gwinnett County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Hall County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Lamar County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Morgan County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Rockdale County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Spalding County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Walton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $41.77 | $28.32 |
| Glynn County group, 2 localities: Brantley, Glynn | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Liberty County group, 2 localities: Liberty, Long | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Walker County group, 2 localities: Dade, Walker | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Whitfield County group, 2 localities: Murray, Whitfield | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Bryan County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Catoosa County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Chatham County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Effingham County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Floyd County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| McIntosh County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $30.06 | $19.78 |
| Schley County group, 2 localities: Schley, Webster | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Bleckley County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Crisp County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Dodge County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Dooly County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Laurens County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Macon County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Stewart County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Sumter County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Taylor County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Upson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Wilcox County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Wilkinson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $16.15 | $15.50 |
| Cook County group, 7 localities: Atkinson, Bacon, Calhoun, Clay, Clinch, Cook, Jeff Davis | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Seminole County group, 3 localities: Miller, Randolph, Seminole | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Appling County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Ben Hill County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Berrien County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Camden County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Charlton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Coffee County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Colquitt County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Decatur County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Early County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Grady County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Irwin County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Mitchell County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Pierce County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Quitman County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Telfair County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Thomas County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Tift County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Turner County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Ware County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Wayne County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $15.75 | $15.00 |
| Dougherty County group, 4 localities: Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, Worth | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Lowndes County group, 4 localities: Brooks, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Chattahoochee County group, 2 localities: Chattahoochee, Marion | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Monroe County group, 2 localities: Jones, Monroe | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Baker County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Bibb County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Crawford County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Harris County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Houston County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Muscogee County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Peach County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Pulaski County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Twiggs County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $14.24 | $14.24 |
| Candler County group, 2 localities: Candler, Evans | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Bulloch County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Emanuel County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Glascock County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Hancock County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Jefferson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Jenkins County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Johnson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Montgomery County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Screven County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Taliaferro County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Tattnall County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Toombs County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Treutlen County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Warren County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Washington County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Wheeler County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
| Wilkes County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR | $14.00 | $14.00 |
18 groups of counties with identical DOL rates, and 101 counties with rates of their own.
Questions about Georgia operating engineer pay
What is the operating engineer prevailing wage in Fulton County?
$41.77 an hour: a $28.32 base wage plus $13.45 in fringe benefits, under wage determination GA20260307, modification 2. Overtime and every operating engineer classification in Fulton County.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Fulton County the $41.77 total is a $28.32 base wage plus $13.45 in fringe benefits, about 32% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage pay overtime in Georgia?
Davis-Bacon rates are straight time. On contracts over $100,000, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requires 1½ times the basic rate for hours over 40 in a workweek (40 U.S.C. 3702). The fringe is owed for every hour at its straight-time amount.
Do apprentice operating engineers get this rate?
Davis-Bacon determinations list journeyworker rates. Apprentices in a program registered with DOL or a recognized state agency can be paid the program's percentage of the rate, within its ratio; anyone else gets the full rate (29 CFR 5.5(a)(4)).
Why do some counties have the same operating engineer rate?
DOL often publishes the same operating engineer rates for several counties. Across Georgia, the 159 counties with an operating engineer rate fall into 119 distinct sets of rates, and 18 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 12 counties (the Cherokee County group).