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Yellowstone County, MT · Laborer
Laborer prevailing wage in Yellowstone County, Montana
$36.65an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)
$26.80 base wage + $9.85 fringe benefits · Building Construction · District 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney)
Yellowstone County uses the same laborer rates as 20 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On Montana public works in Yellowstone County, a laborer must be paid at least $36.65 an hour: a $26.80 base wage plus $9.85 in benefits. DLI prints no total, so $36.65 is our sum of the two.
DLI 2026 rates, revised April 25, 2026; this rate, effective April 25, 2026. "The wage rates applicable to a particular public works project are those in effect at the time the bid specifications are advertised" (ARM 24.17.127). Checked against erd.dli.mt.gov on October 25, 2026.
DLI lists 8 laborer rates for Yellowstone County, from $36.65 to $44.48 an hour. See all of them.
- DLI allowances (verbatim): Zone Pay:; All Districts; 0-15 mi. free zone; >15-30 mi. + $0.65/hr; >30-50 mi. + $0.85/hr.; >50 mi. + $1.25/hr.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $26.80 + $9.85
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DLI 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) | $26.80 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $9.85 |
| Base + benefits (our sum; DLI prints no total) | $36.65 |
When does this rate change?
- Montana rates lock when the bid specifications are advertised, so a later revision doesn't change an advertised project (ARM 24.17.127; section E of each 2026 schedule). Contracts of more than 30 months add 3% a year (MCA 18-2-417).
- DLI sets rates once a year and revises them mid-year when needed. The 2026 rates were revised effective April 25, 2026; the 2027 drafts are out for comment until November 15, 2026 (DLI rates page).
Every laborer rate in Yellowstone County
As DLI lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Highway Construction · Statewide$44.48
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Building Construction · District 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney)$43.82
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 3Highway Construction · Statewide$42.93
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 3Heavy Construction · Statewide$42.51
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Highway Construction · Statewide$41.68
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Heavy Construction · Statewide$38.99
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Heavy Construction · Statewide$38.78
- CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Building Construction · District 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney)$36.65
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Building ConstructionDistrict 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney) | $26.80 | $9.85 | $36.65 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 3Building ConstructionDistrict 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney) DLI prints 'No Rate Established' for the benefit, so no total is given; pay at least the base. | $25.95 | $-25.95 | — | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Building ConstructionDistrict 4 (Billings, Miles City and Sidney) | $31.60 | $12.22 | $43.82 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Heavy ConstructionStatewide | $27.96 | $10.82 | $38.78 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 3Heavy ConstructionStatewide | $30.62 | $11.89 | $42.51 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Heavy ConstructionStatewide | $25.55 | $13.44 | $38.99 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2Highway ConstructionStatewide | $28.88 | $12.80 | $41.68 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 3Highway ConstructionStatewide | $30.73 | $12.20 | $42.93 | Apr 25, 2026 |
| CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 4Highway ConstructionStatewide | $32.12 | $12.36 | $44.48 | Apr 25, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon laborer rate in Yellowstone County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Montana's law doesn't apply where federal law sets the rate, so a Davis-Bacon job uses the federal schedule (DLI FAQ).
We don't put a federal figure next to DLI'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | LABORER, ZONE 1: COMMON OR GENERAL ZONE DEFINITIONS FOR LABORERS THE ZONE HOURLY RATES APPLICABLE TO EACH PROJECT SHALL BE DETERMINED BY MEASURING THE ROAD …LABO1686-009 | $23.05 | $35.77 | MT20260064 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | LABORER, ZONE 1: COMMON OR GENERAL ZONE DEFINITIONS FOR LABORERS THE ZONE HOURLY RATES APPLICABLE TO EACH PROJECT SHALL BE DETERMINED BY MEASURING THE ROAD …LABO1686-010 | $25.55 | $38.99 | MT20260068 Mod 1 |
| Residential | LABORERSUMT1992-002 | $9.00 | $10.20 | MT20260011 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Montana Davis-Bacon changes
How Yellowstone County compares
The main laborer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Montana
Wage and benefits, nearby
- Yellowstone Countybase $26.80$36.65
- Musselshell Countybase $26.80$36.65
- Big Horn Countybase $26.80$36.65
- Golden Valley Countybase $27.90$37.45
Laborer rates in nearby counties
Current DLI rates. Building rates apply "to the district in which the work is being performed"; heavy and highway rates are statewide (MCA 18-2-403).
DLI's laborer rates for Yellowstone County are the same as in 20 other counties: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield and 12 more.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Yellowstone County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $27.90 | $37.45 | +$0.80 |
| Yellowstone County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | |
| Musselshell County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | same |
| Big Horn County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | same |
| Treasure County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | same |
| Stillwater County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | same |
| Carbon County | CONSTRUCTION LABORERS GROUP 2 | $26.80 | $36.65 | same |
More from DLI on this rate
- DLI DLI 2026 schedule, page 11
- DLI's state prevailing wage rates
- DLI lists journey-level rates. Registered apprentices get their program's percentage of the rate plus the full benefit (MCA 18-2-416).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base wage to what your employer pays into benefit plans for you (or in cash), and compare it with the total. Contractors post the wages and benefits on site from day one and keep payroll records 3 years (MCA 18-2-422). DLI: (406) 444-6543.
Source
Department of Labor & Industry (DLI), DLI 2026 schedule MTDLI-BLD-2026-04-25, effective April 25, 2026, page 11: erd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/labor-standards/Prevailing-Wage/2026-Building-Construction.pdf
We read every row of DLI's 2026 Building, Heavy and Highway PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. DLI prints no total; ours is base plus benefit. How we check · Download Yellowstone County as CSV · Report an error