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Somerset County, ME · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Somerset County, Maine
$49.06an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Crane and Tower Operators
$40.43 base wage + $8.63 fringe benefits · Building 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) · Western region
On Maine public works in Somerset County, an operating engineer working as crane and tower operators must be paid at least $49.06 an hour: a $40.43 base wage plus $8.63 in benefits.
MDOL 2026 rates, effective January 10, 2026; this rate, effective January 10, 2026. A rate written into a contract "must remain unchanged during the time the contract is in effect" (26 MRSA §1306). Checked against maine.gov on October 25, 2026.
MDOL lists 27 operating engineer rates for Somerset County, from $28.82 to $73.34 an hour. See all of them.
MDOL's website rates "are for reference only". Bidders get the project-specific determination from the agency soliciting bids (§1306).
Base wage and fringe benefits: $40.43 + $8.63
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. MDOL prints the benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $40.43 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $8.63 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $49.06 |
When does this rate change?
- A rate in a contract stays unchanged for the life of the contract (26 MRSA §1306), so later sets don't change existing jobs.
- MDOL publishes one set a year. The 2026 set took effect January 10, 2026 after a 30-day notice period; the next comes after the July 2026 survey (MDOL 2026 rates).
Every operating engineer rate in Somerset County
As MDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldozer OperatorBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $30.62 | $5.38 | $36.00 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $30.17 | $13.77 | $43.94 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $40.43 | $8.63 | $49.06 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $26.15 | $3.24 | $29.39 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $34.12 | $6.49 | $40.61 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $24.61 | $4.21 | $28.82 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $29.71 | $4.79 | $34.50 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $39.74 | $3.67 | $43.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)Western region | $30.74 | $10.67 | $41.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Bulldozer OperatorHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $30.62 | $5.38 | $36.00 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $30.17 | $13.77 | $43.94 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $40.43 | $8.63 | $49.06 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $26.15 | $3.24 | $29.39 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $35.64 | $11.38 | $47.02 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $24.61 | $4.21 | $28.82 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $27.84 | $4.12 | $31.96 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $39.74 | $3.67 | $43.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHighway & EarthworkWestern region | $24.31 | $11.77 | $36.08 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Bulldozer OperatorHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $40.90 | $32.21 | $73.11 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $30.17 | $13.77 | $43.94 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $36.73 | $9.13 | $45.86 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $26.15 | $3.24 | $29.39 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $41.13 | $32.21 | $73.34 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $24.61 | $4.21 | $28.82 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $41.13 | $32.21 | $73.34 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $34.96 | $24.79 | $59.76 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHeavy & BridgeWestern region | $30.74 | $10.67 | $41.41 | Jan 10, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon operating engineer rate in Somerset County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Maine's law excludes projects under Davis-Bacon with federally set rates, so a job uses one schedule or the other (26 M.R.S. 1304).
We don't put a federal figure next to MDOL's here, because the federal determinations split this trade into groups that don't line up with MDOL's. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | OPERATOR: CRANESUME2014-021 | $23.98 | $31.44 | ME20260012 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOESUME2014-021 | $20.42 | $23.54 | ME20260012 Mod 1 |
| Highway | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADE, MILLING MACHINEENGI0004-022 | $30.17 | $43.97 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: ROLLER ASPHALTSUME2014-037 | $21.56 | $26.98 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: ROLLER (EARTH)SUME2014-037 | $16.43 | $19.83 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: SCREEDSUME2014-037 | $19.02 | $23.84 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)SUME2014-037 | $20.92 | $27.11 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: MECHANICSUME2014-037 | $22.07 | $30.80 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: LOADERSUME2014-037 | $18.59 | $24.12 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: BULLDOZERSUME2014-037 | $17.30 | $20.80 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: BROOM/SWEEPERSUME2014-037 | $19.09 | $24.29 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERSUME2014-037 | $21.66 | $26.57 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Highway | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOESUME2014-037 | $18.80 | $22.96 | ME20260042 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BULLDOZERENGI0004-002 | $43.60 | $77.46 | ME20260025 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE,EXCAVATOR, LOADER, TRACKHOEENGI0004-002 | $43.86 | $77.72 | ME20260025 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | OPERATOR: CRANESUME2014-006 | $24.57 | $31.46 | ME20260025 Mod 1 |
| Residential | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: BULLDOZERSUME1988-001 | $7.25 | $7.25 | ME20260003 Mod 1 |
| Residential | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BACKHOE)SUME1988-001 | $7.25 | $7.25 | ME20260003 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Maine Davis-Bacon changes
How Somerset County compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Maine
Wage and benefits, nearby
- Somerset Countybase $40.43$49.06
- Piscataquis Countybase $40.43$49.06
- Franklin Countybase $40.43$49.06
- Penobscot Countybase $40.43$49.06
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current MDOL rates. Rates are published per county. "Locality" in the law is where the work is done plus the areas labor is recruited from (26 MRSA §1304(6)).
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Somerset County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | |
| Piscataquis County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
| Franklin County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
| Penobscot County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
| Kennebec County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
| Oxford County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
| Waldo County | Crane and Tower Operators | $40.43 | $49.06 | same |
Maine operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from MDOL on this rate
- MDOL MDOL determination, page 1
- MDOL's 2026 fair minimum wage rates
- MDOL lists journey-level rates. Apprentice rates are those in a registered sponsorship agreement (26 MRSA §1314).
Are you being paid this rate?
You must get at least the minimum wage, and wage plus benefits of at least the total. Contractors post the rates on site and file payroll monthly with the public authority. An underpaid worker can recover the difference plus an equal penalty (26 MRSA §1312). MDOL Wage and Hour: (207) 623-7900.
Source
Department of Labor (MDOL), MDOL determination MDOL-2026-somerset-b2, effective January 10, 2026, page 1: www.maine.gov/labor/docs/2026/laborstats/prevailingwage/Somerset/2026%20B2%20Somerset%20County.pdf
We read every row of MDOL's 2026 county and statewide PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. Wage plus benefit equals MDOL's printed total except for 28 one-cent rounding differences; we show the printed total. How we check · Download Somerset County as CSV · Report an error