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Massachusetts painter prevailing wage, county by county
A painter's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage in Massachusetts runs from $70.03 an hour in Hampshire County to $82.26 in Plymouth County. The median county is $80.32.
Main painter 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 a painter make on prevailing wage in Massachusetts?
1 group of counties with identical rates and 12 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Plymouth County1 county$82.26
- Worcester County1 county$82.26
- Dukes County group2 counties$80.32
- Barnstable County1 county$80.32
- Bristol County1 county$80.32
- Essex County1 county$80.32
- Middlesex County1 county$80.32
- Norfolk County1 county$80.32
- Suffolk County1 county$80.32
- Berkshire County1 county$70.03
- Franklin County1 county$70.03
- Hampden County1 county$70.03
- Hampshire County1 county$70.03
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth County | PAINTER (BRUSH/ROLLER, INCLUDING DRYWALL FINISHER/TAPER) | $82.26 | $46.26 |
| Worcester County | PAINTER (BRUSH/ROLLER, INCLUDING DRYWALL FINISHER/TAPER) | $82.26 | $46.26 |
| Dukes County group, 2 localities: Dukes, Nantucket | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Barnstable County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Bristol County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Essex County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Middlesex County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Norfolk County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Suffolk County | PAINTER BRUSH, TAPER (REPAINT:) | $80.32 | $44.32 |
| Berkshire County | PAINTER: BRUSH, TAPER (NEW CONSTRUCTION) | $70.03 | $38.08 |
| Franklin County | PAINTER: BRUSH, TAPER (NEW CONSTRUCTION) | $70.03 | $38.08 |
| Hampden County | PAINTER: BRUSH, TAPER (NEW CONSTRUCTION) | $70.03 | $38.08 |
| Hampshire County | PAINTER: BRUSH, TAPER (NEW CONSTRUCTION) | $70.03 | $38.08 |
1 group of counties with identical DOL rates, and 12 counties with rates of their own.
Questions about Massachusetts painter pay
What is the painter prevailing wage in Middlesex County?
$80.32 an hour: a $44.32 base wage plus $36.00 in fringe benefits, under wage determination MA20260001, modification 1. Overtime and every painter classification in Middlesex County.
Does painter prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Middlesex County the $80.32 total is a $44.32 base wage plus $36.00 in fringe benefits, about 45% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does painter prevailing wage pay overtime in Massachusetts?
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 painters 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 painter rate?
DOL often publishes the same painter rates for several counties. Across Massachusetts, the 14 counties with a painter rate fall into 13 distinct sets of rates, and 1 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 2 counties (the Dukes County group).