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Howard County, MD · Electrical Utility Lineman
Electrical Utility Lineman prevailing wage in Howard County, Maryland
$35.03an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)
$29.81 base wage + $5.22 fringe benefits · CR
On Maryland public works in Howard County, a utility lineman must be paid at least $35.03 an hour: a $29.81 base wage plus $5.22 in fringe benefits. DOL prints no total, so $35.03 is our sum of the two.
Maryland informational rates as printed October 25, 2026. A determination applies to a project advertised before it expires, and mid-year changes apply only to newly issued determinations (SFP 17-209; DOL FAQ #47). Checked against labor.maryland.gov on October 25, 2026.
DOL lists 2 utility lineman rates for Howard County, from $35.03 to $49.00 an hour. See all of them.
These are DOL's informational rates. The binding rates are in the project's wage determination, in the bid documents.
- On April 10, 2026 the Governor directed DOL to pause implementation of the newly issued rates for Underground Cable Splicer, Underground Lineworker and Underground Gas Mechanic in all jurisdictions pending a review (DOL notice). The portal still lists these rates.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $29.81 + $5.22
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe 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) | $29.81 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $5.22 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total) | $35.03 |
When does this rate change?
- A determination applies to a project whose call for bids is published before it expires. Mid-year changes apply only to newly issued determinations: "Wage determinations that have already been issued will not be affected" (SFP 17-209(c)(4); DOL notice).
- DOL publishes rates on or about December 1 each year, effective for one year, and adds supplemental rates in between (DOL FAQ #11, #20). The portal prints no issue or effective date, so this page shows the date it was printed.
Every utility lineman rate in Howard County
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANICCR | $29.81 | $5.22 | $35.03 | — |
| UNDERGROUND CABLE SPLICERCR | $34.00 | $15.00 | $49.00 | — |
Davis-Bacon utility lineman rate in Howard County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Maryland's law excludes the federally funded part of a contract that already pays Davis-Bacon rates (MD Labor FAQ).
We don't put a federal figure next to DOL'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway, Heavy | UNDERGROUND CABLE SPLICERSAMD2025-001 | $34.00 | $49.00 | MD20260041 Mod 3 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Maryland Davis-Bacon changes
How Howard County compares
The main utility lineman rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Maryland
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Howard Countybase $29.81$35.03
- Montgomery Countybase $34.18$41.22
- Baltimore Citybase $36.40$47.73
- Baltimore Countybase $39.33$44.38
Electrical Utility Lineman rates in nearby counties
Current DOL rates. "Locality" is the county where the work is done (SFP 17-201(g)).
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Howard County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore City | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $36.40 | $47.73 | +$12.70 |
| Baltimore County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $39.33 | $44.38 | +$9.35 |
| Frederick County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $31.51 | $41.26 | +$6.23 |
| Montgomery County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $34.18 | $41.22 | +$6.19 |
| Howard County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $29.81 | $35.03 | |
| Anne Arundel County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $28.61 | $32.83 | −$2.20 |
| Carroll County | LINEWORKER/UNDERGROUND MECHANIC | $27.00 | $28.00 | −$7.03 |
Maryland utility lineman prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DOL on this rate
- DOL DOL informational rates report, page 2
- Maryland DOL's prevailing wage portal
- These are journeyworker rates. Apprentices registered with the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council get the Council's percentage; helpers and trainees aren't allowed (SFP 17-205).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base wage to what your employer pays for bona fide benefits for you (or in cash), and compare it with the total. Certified payrolls go to the Commissioner within 14 days of each payroll, and underpayment is fined up to $250 per worker per day (SFP 17-220). Prevailing Wage Unit: 410-767-2342.
Source
Department of Labor (DOL), DOL informational rates report MD-INFO-2026-10-25-H-027, page 2: www.dllr.state.md.us/PrevWage/web/content/PWRequestRates.aspx
We pull every locality's Building and Highway informational report from DOL's portal, read every row, and check every number with a second read and against DOL's rate workbook. DOL prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download Howard County as CSV · Report an error