Minnesota prevailing wage rates

What is the prevailing wage rate in Minnesota?

It depends on the trade and on the county where the work is done. Taking each trade's main rate in each county, DLI's figures run from $11.41 an hour (field surveyor, Clay County) to $111.42 (elevator constructor, Aitkin County). Each figure is the base wage plus fringe. 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 $37.36 to $81.40 an hour.

• Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer$25.86–$67.52
• Boilermaker$11.85–$80.28
• Bricklayer$77.81–$85.60
• Carpenter$37.36–$81.40
• Carpet & Soft Floor Layer$35.21–$78.38
• Cement Mason$42.99–$80.08
• Drywall Finisher$42.88–$77.34
• Drywall Installer / Lather$19.00–$80.35
• Electrician$20.00–$99.38
• Elevator Constructor$92.03–$111.42
• Field Surveyor$11.41–$74.12
• Flagger$15.08–$74.12
• Glazier$45.33–$82.28
• Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker)$24.60–$93.24
• Ironworker$32.77–$87.36
• Laborer$21.00–$74.12
• Landscape & Irrigation Laborer$11.41–$54.44
• Millwright$11.41–$83.96
• Operating Engineer$28.00–$85.21
• Painter$25.00–$77.34
• Pile Driver$43.57–$79.69
• Plasterer$14.00–$79.42
• Plumber / Pipefitter$39.72–$97.10
• Roofer$28.18–$76.86
• Sheet Metal Worker$27.77–$96.78
• Sign Installer$24.89–$57.07
• Striping & Traffic Control Worker$11.41–$74.12
• Teamster (Truck Driver)$17.00–$65.58
• Telecommunications Technician$33.47–$78.46
• Terrazzo Worker$41.19–$78.69
• Tile Finisher$14.00–$64.12
• Tile Setter$23.25–$78.66
• Tunnel Worker$48.14–$71.62

How Minnesota's prevailing wage rules work

• Which projects. Projects "financed in whole or part by state funds", from demolition and construction to repair (Minn. Stat. 177.42). The Act doesn't apply under $2,500 with one trade, or under $25,000 with more than one (177.43, subd. 7). State business subsidies can trigger it too (116J.871).
• Commercial by county, highway by area. DLI sets commercial rates county by county and highway and heavy rates for 10 areas (DLI's PDFs call them regions) (Minn. R. 5200.1030, 5200.1035). County pages show both.
• No published residential rates. Residential rates are set only on request for a specific contract (call 651-284-5091) (Minn. R. 5200.1020).
• Dated steps are part of the rate. Where a union rate changes within 12 months, DLI certifies the change on its effective date, so classes have several dated lines (Minn. R. 5200.1060). Rate pages list them.
• Fixed in the contract. Rates are set before bids and stated in the contract; if the authority leaves them out it must make the contractor whole for increases (177.43, subd. 3–4).
• Overtime. Over 8 hours a day or 40 a week is paid at 1½ times the basic rate; the fringe isn't multiplied (177.42, subd. 4).
• Adjacent-county rates and call-DLI classes. Where a county lacks data, DLI uses adjacent counties' and marks the class *. Some classes print "FOR RATE CALL 651-284-5091" instead of a rate (Minn. R. 5200.1035).
• Payroll and enforcement. Contractors give payroll copies to the agency within 14 days of each pay period and post the rates on site. DLI enforces most projects; MnDOT enforces its own highway contracts (177.44).