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Thurston County, NE · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Thurston County, Nebraska
$24.04an hour, base + fringe
$21.82 wage + $2.22 fringe benefits · Building · SUNE2012-013
On federally funded or assisted building construction in Thurston County, 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 NE20260076 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $24.04 is our sum of the two.
Wage determination NE20260076, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier SUNE2012-013 (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 28 operating engineer rates for Thurston County, from $7.25 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 Thurston County
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Base + fringe | Base | Fringe benefits | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPERATOR: LOADERBuildingSUNE2012-013 | $17.52 | $16.58 | $0.94 | NE20260076 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuildingSUNE2012-013 | $24.04 | $21.82 | $2.22 | NE20260076 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: TRENCHERHighwayENGI0571-005 | $51.93 | $32.18 | $19.75 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MECHANIC (BOONE, BOYD, BURT, CEDAR, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $14.26 | $14.26 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: (CONCRETE TEXTURE CURE MACHINE)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $11.11 | $11.11 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: (BACKHOE LOADER COMBO)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $13.58 | $13.58 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: (ASPHALT PLANT)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $14.09 | $14.09 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: ROLLER (BOONE, BOYD, BURT, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $13.72 | $13.72 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: PAVER (BOONE, BOYD, BROWN, BURT, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLD, KEYA PAHA, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $14.76 | $14.76 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADE (ANTELOPE, BOONE, BOYD, BROWN, BURT, CEDAR, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAGNE COUTNEIS)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $16.26 | $16.26 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BROOM/SWEEPER (BOONE, BOYD, BROWN, BURT, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KEYA PAHA, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $11.62 | $11.62 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: TRACTOR (ANTELOPE, BOONE, BOYD, BURT, CEDAR, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $11.97 | $11.97 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCREED (BOONE, BOYD, BURT, CEDAR, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLD, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $12.60 | $12.60 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCRAPERHighwaySUNE2011-029 | $12.40 | $12.40 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: LOADER (ANTELOPE, BOONE, BOYD, BURT, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLT, KNOX, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $13.21 | $13.21 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: DISTRIBUTORHighwaySUNE2011-029 | $14.37 | $14.37 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: CRANEHighwaySUNE2011-029 | $16.17 | $16.17 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: COMPACTORHighwaySUNE2011-029 | $10.76 | $10.76 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighwaySUNE2011-029 | $16.21 | $16.21 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE, (ANTELOPE, BOONE, BOYD, BURT, COLFAX, CUMING, DODGE, HOLD, MADISON, PIERCE, PLATTE, ROCK, STANTON, THURSTON, WAYNE COUNTIES)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $15.83 | $15.83 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS: (SKID LOADER)HighwaySUNE2011-029 | $11.79 | $11.79 | $0.00 | NE20260033 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: SCRAPERHeavySUNE2011-009 | $16.95 | $14.89 | $2.06 | NE20260042 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: LOADERHeavySUNE2011-009 | $17.88 | $16.79 | $1.09 | NE20260042 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHeavySUNE2011-009 | $18.99 | $15.95 | $3.04 | NE20260042 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERHeavySUNE2011-009 | $23.54 | $19.47 | $4.07 | NE20260042 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATORHeavySUNE2011-009 | $20.54 | $18.23 | $2.31 | NE20260042 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (CRANE OPERATOR)ResidentialSUNE1984-004 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | NE20260009 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BACKHOE OPERATOR)ResidentialSUNE1984-004 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | NE20260009 Mod 1 |
How Thurston County 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
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Thurston Countybase $21.82$24.04
- Dakota Countybase $20.68$25.61
- Cuming Countybase $21.82$24.04
- Burt Countybase $21.82$24.04
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current DOL rates. Davis-Bacon rates are set for groups of counties, so neighbours often share them; the county where the work is done decides.
| County | Classification | Base + fringe | Base | vs Thurston County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 | +$1.57 |
| Dixon County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.61 | $20.68 | +$1.57 |
| Thurston County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 | |
| Cuming County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 | same |
| Burt County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 | same |
| Wayne County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 | same |
| Stanton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $24.04 | $21.82 | same |
Nebraska operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DOL on this rate
- DOL wage determination
- 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)).
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), wage determination NE20260076 Mod 1, published May 18, 2026: sam.gov/wage-determination/NE20260076/1
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 Thurston County as CSV · Report an error