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Operating Engineer prevailing wage, Clay County group, Nebraska (3 counties)
DOL sets the same operating engineer rates, row for row, in 3 counties: Clay, Nuckolls and Webster. Every figure on this page applies in each of them.
$24.04an hour, base + fringe
$21.82 wage + $2.22 fringe benefits · Building · SUNE2012-017
On federally funded or assisted building construction in each of these 3 counties, an operating engineer must be paid at least $24.04 an hour: a $21.82 base wage plus $2.22 in fringe benefits, under wage determination NE20260080 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $24.04 is our sum of the two.
Wage determination NE20260080, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier SUNE2012-017 (April 19, 2012). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.
Nebraska has no state wage schedule; Davis-Bacon applies to federally funded work. Bidders on state work file a statement that they follow "fair labor standards" (Neb. Rev. Stat. 73-104), but no agency publishes rates.
DOL lists 29 operating engineer rates for each of these counties, from $10.05 to $51.93 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $21.82 + $2.22
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) | $21.82 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $2.22 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total) | $24.04 |
When this rate changes
- 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)).
- DOL changes a WD by publishing a numbered modification on SAM.gov. This page reads the modification named in the Source line; the Nebraska change log lists what each one changed.
Every operating engineer rate in the Clay County group
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Base + fringe | Base | Fringe benefits | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPERATOR: LOADERBuildingSUNE2012-017 | $17.52 | $16.58 | $0.94 | NE20260080 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuildingSUNE2012-017 | $24.04 | $21.82 | $2.22 | NE20260080 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: TRENCHERHighwayENGI0571-005 | $51.93 | $32.18 | $19.75 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE, EXCAVATOR, TRACKHOE (ADAMS, BLAINE, BUFFALO, CLAY, CUSTER, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HALL, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY, WEBSTER, WHEELER)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $15.14 | $15.14 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADE (BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, WEBSTER & WHEELER COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $15.51 | $15.51 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: TRACTOR (ADAMS, BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HAMILTON, HARLAND, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY WEBSTER, & WHEELE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.80 | $12.80 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCREEDHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.01 | $12.01 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCRAPER (ADAMS, BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HALL, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY WEBSTER, & WHEELE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $15.79 | $15.79 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: ROLLER (BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HALL, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, WEBSTER, & WHEELE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.00 | $12.00 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.35 | $12.35 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: MECHANIC (ADAMS, BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HAMILTON, HARLAND, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY WEBSTER, & WHEELE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $15.42 | $15.42 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: LOADER (ADAMS, BLAINE, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MARRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY, WEBSTER, WHEELER COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $14.68 | $14.68 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: DISTRIBUTORHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $14.37 | $14.37 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: CRANE (ADAMS, BLAINE, BUFFALO, CUSTER, CLAY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GREELEY, HALL, HAMILTON, HOWARD, KEARNEY, LOUP, MERRICK, NANCE, NUCKOLLS, PHELPS, SHERMAN, VALLEY WEBSTER, & WHEELE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $16.17 | $16.17 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: COMPACTORHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $10.05 | $10.05 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: CHAIN SAWHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $13.35 | $13.35 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $15.69 | $15.69 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BROOM/SWEEPERHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $10.77 | $10.77 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE LOADER COMBOHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $14.33 | $14.33 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: ASPHALT PLANTHighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.75 | $12.75 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS: (SKID LOADER)HighwaySUNE2011-027 | $12.96 | $12.96 | $0.00 | NE20260031 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCRAPERHeavySUNE2011-014 | $16.95 | $14.89 | $2.06 | NE20260047 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: LOADERHeavySUNE2011-014 | $16.73 | $15.54 | $1.19 | NE20260047 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHeavySUNE2011-014 | $18.99 | $15.95 | $3.04 | NE20260047 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERHeavySUNE2011-014 | $23.54 | $19.47 | $4.07 | NE20260047 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEHeavySUNE2011-014 | $22.57 | $19.96 | $2.61 | NE20260047 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: SCRAPERResidentialSUNE1982-002 | $10.45 | $10.45 | $0.00 | NE20260014 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: LOADERResidentialSUNE1982-002 | $12.50 | $12.50 | $0.00 | NE20260014 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (PAVING MACHINE OPERATOR)ResidentialSUNE1982-002 | $12.50 | $12.50 | $0.00 | NE20260014 Mod 1 |
How the Clay County group compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Nebraska
Clay $24.043053
$23.08Arthur$28.27Douglas
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Clay County groupbase $21.82$24.04
- Fillmore Countybase $21.82$24.04
- Adams Countybase $21.82$24.04
- Seward Countybase $20.68$25.61
Which county is in which operating engineer group
Every Nebraska county with a operating engineer rate. Counties DOL treats alike share one page; the rest have their own.
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $28.27 | $22.55 |
| Cass County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $26.67 | $21.20 |
| Sarpy County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $26.67 | $21.20 |
| Washington County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $26.67 | $21.20 |
| Dakota County group, 2 localities: Dakota, Dixon | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 |
| Lancaster County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 |
| Saunders County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 |
| Seward County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 |
| Clay County group, 3 localities: Clay, Nuckolls, Webster | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Colfax County group, 3 localities: Boyd, Colfax, Rock | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Hamilton County group, 3 localities: Garfield, Hamilton, Sherman | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Phelps County group, 3 localities: Franklin, Kearney, Phelps | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Richardson County group, 3 localities: Johnson, Nemaha, Richardson | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Cuming County group, 2 localities: Cuming, Stanton | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Greeley County group, 2 localities: Greeley, Loup | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Otoe County group, 2 localities: Otoe, Pawnee | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Saline County group, 2 localities: Polk, Saline | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Adams County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Antelope County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Blaine County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Boone County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Brown County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Buffalo County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Burt County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Butler County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Cedar County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Custer County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Dodge County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Fillmore County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Gage County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Hall County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Harlan County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Holt County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Howard County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Jefferson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Keya Paha County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Knox County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Madison County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Merrick County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Nance County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Pierce County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Platte County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Thayer County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Thurston County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Valley County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Wayne County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Wheeler County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| York County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 |
| Dawes County group, 5 localities: Dawes, Deuel, Kimball, Sheridan, Sioux | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Red Willow County group, 5 localities: Chase, Frontier, Keith, Perkins, Red Willow | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Furnas County group, 2 localities: Furnas, Gosper | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Hooker County group, 2 localities: Grant, Hooker | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Morrill County group, 2 localities: Garden, Morrill | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Arthur County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Banner County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Box Butte County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Cherry County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Cheyenne County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Dawson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Dundy County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Hayes County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Hitchcock County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Lincoln County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Logan County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| McPherson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Scotts Bluff County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
| Thomas County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.08 | $20.24 |
15 groups of counties with identical DOL rates, and 52 counties with rates of their own.
Nebraska operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DOL on this rate
- SAM.gov wage determinations
- 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)).
Every trade's rates, county by county: Clay · Nuckolls · Webster
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base pay to the fringe your employer pays for you, in cash or into plans, and compare the sum with the total. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes complaints: 1-866-487-9243, or dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints.
Source
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (DOL), Davis-Bacon wage determinations on SAM.gov, as of October 25, 2026. For the row this page leads with:
- Clay: NE20260080 Mod 1
- Nuckolls: NE20260080 Mod 1
- Webster: NE20260080 Mod 1
We read every active Nebraska Davis-Bacon wage determination from SAM.gov's own data and check every number with a second, independent read of the same file. DOL prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download every Nebraska rate as CSV · Report an error