Kentucky prevailing wage rates (Davis-Bacon)

What is the prevailing wage rate in Kentucky?

It depends on the trade and on the county where the work is done. Taking each trade's main rate in each county, DOL's figures run from $12.50 an hour (laborer, Allen County) to $95.85 (elevator constructor, Adair County). Each figure is the base wage plus fringe benefits. Pick a county or a trade below for the exact rate.

Rates by trade

Each trade page maps that trade's main rate in every county. Carpenter rates, for example, range from $18.67 to $63.61 an hour.

• Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer$34.16–$47.32
• Boilermaker$72.29
• Brick Tender$15.43–$48.09
• Bricklayer$32.06–$52.13
• Carpenter$18.67–$63.61
• Cement Mason$27.99–$49.65
• Diver & Tender$70.48–$75.27
• Drywall Finisher$16.00–$58.24
• Drywall Installer / Lather$35.24–$63.61
• Electrical Utility Lineman$44.35–$66.00
• Electrician$39.71–$70.50
• Elevator Constructor$93.52–$95.85
• Fence Builder$46.53–$53.22
• Flagger$27.20–$49.97
• Glazier$47.22–$52.30
• Inland Boatman$57.97
• Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker)$39.50–$68.92
• Ironworker$33.04–$63.78
• Laborer$12.50–$48.09
• Landscape & Irrigation Laborer$49.97
• Millwright$64.67
• Operating Engineer$54.59–$60.25
• Painter$17.79–$55.91
• Pile Driver$39.05–$58.45
• Plumber / Pipefitter$43.98–$66.79
• Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic$16.00
• Roofer$25.73–$54.32
• Sheet Metal Worker$33.97–$67.52
• Siding & Gutter Installer$65.98
• Teamster (Truck Driver)$13.56–$38.94
• Telecommunications Technician$41.74
• Tile Finisher$21.05–$53.06
• Tile Setter$20.96–$53.37
• Tunnel Worker$47.43–$54.17

How Davis-Bacon rates work in Kentucky

• Which projects. Davis-Bacon and its Related Acts cover contractors and subcontractors "performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000" for the construction, alteration or repair of public buildings or public works (DOL).
• Kentucky's own law. Davis-Bacon is the only prevailing wage here (federally funded or assisted work). Kentucky repealed its law in 2017 (HB 3), which also bars local prevailing wage rules (17RS HB 3).
• Four kinds of construction. Each wage determination (WD) covers building, residential, highway or heavy construction, or a mix, in a set of counties (29 CFR 1.2, 1.5). Residential WDs cover single family homes and apartments up to and including four stories. A project uses the WD for its kind of work, and a mixed project can need more than one.
• Which rate applies. 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)).
• Base plus one fringe amount. Each classification has a base rate and one fringe figure. The contractor can pay the fringe into bona fide benefit plans or as cash, and can meet the total with any mix of wage and fringe (29 CFR 5.5(a)(1)). Our total is the base plus the fringe; DOL prints no total.
• Rate identifiers. Each rate carries an identifier. A union code such as ELEC0011-002 means DOL found the collectively bargained rate prevailing; SU marks a survey rate, UAVG a weighted union average, and SA a rate adopted from a state survey. The date after it is the date of that rate, not of the WD.
• Overtime. 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.
• Classifications that aren't listed. If the work needs a classification the WD doesn't list, it can be added after award only through the contract's labor standards clauses (29 CFR 5.5(a)(1)(iii)), as each WD says.
• Payroll. Contractors and subcontractors submit certified payrolls every week to the contracting agency and keep the records for three years (29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)).