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Prevailing wage rates in Cook County, Minnesota
DLI's DLI certifications of Nov 3 and Dec 22, 2025 (revised to Feb 9, 2026) sets 58 rates across 30 trades for public works in Cook County. Of each trade's main rate, elevator constructor is the highest at $111.42 an hour and teamster the lowest at $25.50, total.
DLI certifications of Nov 3 and Dec 22, 2025 (revised to Feb 9, 2026). The rates "must be ascertained before the state asks for bids" and written into the contract, with their dated steps (Minn. Stat. 177.43). Checked against dli.mn.gov on October 25, 2026.
Cook County is in Region 1. Commercial rates are county by county, highway and heavy by area (Minn. R. 5200.1030, 5200.1035).
Cook County rates by trade, highest first
Each trade's main rate, highest first, split into the base wage and the fringe DLI lists. All bars share one scale. The table below lists the same rates A to Z with classifications.
- Elevator Constructor$111.42
- Bricklayer$85.58
- Ironworker$84.57
- Plumber / Pipefitter$83.15
- Sheet Metal Worker$82.48
- Electrician$80.79
- Boilermaker$80.28
- Terrazzo Worker$78.69
- Telecom Technician$78.46
- Heat & Frost Insulator$76.96
- Tile Setter$76.17
- Operating Engineer$74.45
- Carpenter$73.03
- Roofer$71.93
- Glazier$69.85
- Drywall Finisher$69.82
- Painter$69.82
- Soft Floor Layer$67.92
- Abatement Laborer$67.52
- Cement Mason$67.47
- Millwright$64.51
- Pile Driver$60.99
- Laborer$60.39
- Plasterer$54.17
- Landscape Laborer$51.57
- Striping & Traffic Control$49.66
- Field Surveyor$47.71
- Flagger$45.81
- Sign Installer$40.52
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$25.50
All trades and classifications, A to Z
One main rate per trade, with its classification and base wage. Open a trade for its other classifications, dated steps and DLI's notes. Click a column heading to sort.
| Trade | Main classification | Total | Base | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer · St. Louis County group | ASBESTOS ABATEMENT WORKER (729) | $67.52 | $40.83 | 1 |
| Boilermaker · Rice County group | BOILERMAKERS (702) | $80.28 | $48.35 | 1 |
| Bricklayer · St. Louis County group | BRICKLAYERS (703) | $85.58 | $52.48 | 1 |
| Carpenter · St. Louis County group | CARPENTERS (704) | $73.03 | $44.29 | 1 |
| Carpet & Soft Floor Layer | CARPET LAYERS (LINOLEUM) (705) | $67.92 | $43.25 | 1 |
| Cement Mason · Pine County group | CEMENT MASONS (706) | $67.47 | $43.98 | 1 |
| Drywall Finisher · St. Louis County group | DRYWALL TAPER (726) | $69.82 | $41.77 | 1 |
| Electrician · St. Louis County group | ELECTRICIANS (707) | $80.79 | $47.46 | 1 |
| Elevator Constructor · Crow Wing County group | ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS (708) | $111.42 | $65.21 | 1 |
| Field Surveyor | SURVEY FIELD TECHNICIAN (OPERATE TOTAL STATION, GPS RECEIVER, LEVEL, ROD OR RANGE POLES, STEEL TAPE MEASUREMENT; MARK AND DRIVE STAKES; HAND OR POWER DIGGING FOR AND IDENTIFICATION OF MARKERS OR MONUMENTS; PERFORM AND CHECK CALCULATIONS; REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND LAND SURVEY MATERIALS). THIS CLASSIFICATION DOES NOT APPLY TO THE WORK PERFORMED ON A PREVAILING WAGE PROJECT BY A LAND SURVEYOR WHO IS LICENSED PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTIONS 326.02 TO 326.15. (110) | $47.71 | $27.52 | 1 |
| Flagger · Pine County group | FLAG PERSON (104) | $45.81 | $26.52 | 1 |
| Glazier · St. Louis County group | GLAZIERS (709) | $69.85 | $41.76 | 1 |
| Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker) · St. Louis County group | HEATING AND FROST INSULATORS (701) | $76.96 | $53.18 | 1 |
| Ironworker · St. Louis County group | IRONWORKERS (712) | $84.57 | $46.79 | 1 |
| Laborer | LABORER, COMMON (GENERAL LABOR WORK) (101) | $60.39 | $35.22 | 6 |
| Landscape & Irrigation Laborer | LABORER, LANDSCAPING (GARDENER, SOD LAYER AND NURSERY OPERATOR) (103) | $51.57 | $30.04 | 1 |
| Millwright · Cass County group | MILLWRIGHT (714) | $64.51 | $39.18 | 1 |
| Operating Engineer | Commercial Power Equipment Operator - Group 1 | $74.45 | $49.25 | 17 |
| Painter · St. Louis County group | PAINTERS (INCLUDING HAND BRUSHED, HAND SPRAYED, AND THE TAPING OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS) (715) | $69.82 | $41.77 | 1 |
| Pile Driver · Pine County group | PILEDRIVER (INCLUDING VIBRATORY DRIVER OR EXTRACTOR FOR PILING AND SHEETING OPERATIONS) (716) | $60.99 | $38.91 | 1 |
| Plasterer | PLASTERERS (718) | $54.17 | $34.74 | 1 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter · St. Louis County group | PLUMBERS (719) | $83.15 | $55.59 | 3 |
| Roofer · Carlton County group | ROOFER (720) | $71.93 | $48.87 | 1 |
| Sheet Metal Worker · Carlton County group | SHEET METAL WORKERS (721) | $82.48 | $49.83 | 1 |
| Sign Installer · Polk County group | SIGN ERECTOR (730) | $40.52 | $27.10 | 1 |
| Striping & Traffic Control Worker | TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSON (TEMPORARY SIGNAGE) (111) | $49.66 | $28.72 | 2 |
| Teamster (Truck Driver) | Truck Driver - Group 1 | $25.50 | $19.80 | 4 |
| Telecommunications Technician · St. Louis County group | WIRING SYSTEM TECHNICIAN (727) | $78.46 | $54.44 | 2 |
| Terrazzo Worker · St. Louis County group | TERRAZZO WORKERS (723) | $78.69 | $50.80 | 1 |
| Tile Setter · St. Louis County group | TILE SETTERS (724) | $76.17 | $41.02 | 1 |
DLI prints no rate here for Drywall Installer / Lather (“FOR RATE CALL 651-284-5091 OR EMAIL DLI.PREVWAGE@STATE.MN.US”); Tile Finisher (“FOR RATE CALL 651-284-5091 OR EMAIL DLI.PREVWAGE@STATE.MN.US”); Tunnel Worker (“FOR RATE CALL 651-284-5091 OR EMAIL DLI.PREVWAGE@STATE.MN.US”).
Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Cook County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's rates. When a contract requires both the state rate and the Davis-Bacon rate, paying the higher of the two meets both. The contract documents say which apply. Each trade's page shows its federal rate next to DLI's.
| Construction | Wage determination | Modification | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | MN20260042 Please refer to Minnesota Rules 5200.1100, 5200.1101, and 5200.1102 for definitions of labor classifications o | 2 | July 30, 2026 |
| Residential | MN20260026 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Highway | MN20260231 Please refer to Minnesota Rules 5200.1100, 5200.1101, and 5200.1102 for definitions of labor classifications o | 2 | July 30, 2026 |
| Heavy | MN20260231 Please refer to Minnesota Rules 5200.1100, 5200.1101, and 5200.1102 for definitions of labor classifications o | 2 | July 30, 2026 |
Questions about Cook County rates
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Cook County?
$80.79 an hour: a $47.46 base wage plus $33.33 in fringe, for the main classification, under DLI certifications of Nov 3 and Dec 22, 2025 (revised to Feb 9, 2026). Overtime and every electrician rate in Cook County.
What is the prevailing wage for a laborer in Cook County?
$60.39 an hour: a $35.22 base wage plus $25.17 in fringe, for the main classification, under DLI certifications of Nov 3 and Dec 22, 2025 (revised to Feb 9, 2026). Overtime and every laborer rate in Cook County.
Does the prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. The rate is a base wage plus fringe, and the employer owes both for every hour. For elevator constructor, the highest-paid trade in Cook County, the $111.42 total is a $65.21 base wage plus $46.21 in fringe.
Do Davis-Bacon rates apply in Cook County?
On federally funded or assisted construction, yes: MN20260042 (modification 2, July 30, 2026) for building construction, MN20260026 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for residential construction and MN20260231 (modification 2, July 30, 2026) for highway and heavy construction. When a contract requires both the state rate and the Davis-Bacon rate, paying the higher of the two meets both. The contract documents say which apply.
Does Cook County share its rates with other counties?
For 22 of its 30 trades, yes: DLI sets the same rates, row for row, in other counties too. Electrician rates, for example, are the same in 11 counties (the St. Louis County group). The other 8 are Cook County's own.