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New York City, NY · Tunnel Worker
Tunnel Worker prevailing wage in New York City, New York
$141.65an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum) · Blasters, Mucking Machine Operators
$75.14 base wage + $66.51 fringe benefits (supplements) · NYC Comptroller §220
On New York public works in New York City, a tunnel worker working as blasters, mucking machine operators must be paid at least $141.65 an hour: a $75.14 base wage plus $66.51 in supplements. NYC Comptroller prints no total, so $141.65 is our sum of the two.
2026-27 schedules, with the October 1, 2026 updates; this rate, effective July 1, 2026. New York doesn't lock rates at bid: contractors pay the current prevailing rate, including the dated steps in the schedule, and monthly corrections retroactive to July 1 (NYSDOL). Checked against dol.ny.gov on October 25, 2026.
NYC Comptroller lists 10 tunnel worker rates for New York City, from $103.81 to $141.65 an hour. See all of them.
NYSDOL's posted schedules are informational. An original schedule must be requested for each project (PRC number).
New York City agency projects use the NYC Comptroller's §220 schedule. State and other non-City projects in the five boroughs use NYSDOL's Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens and Richmond county schedules.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $75.14 + $66.51
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. NYC Comptroller prints the supplements 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) | $75.14 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $66.51 |
| Base + supplements (our sum; NYC Comptroller prints no total) | $141.65 |
When does this rate change?
- New York rates aren't locked at bid. Each rate stays until its next printed effective date or the new annual determination on July 1, and contractors must pay the current rate (Article 8 schedules).
- NYSDOL posts error corrections and updates on the first business day of each month, and contractors pay them "retroactive to July 1" (NYSDOL). This page uses the 2026-27 schedules with the October 1, 2026 updates.
Every tunnel worker rate in New York City
As NYC Comptroller lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- TUNNEL WORKER: Blasters, Mucking Machine Operators (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$141.65
- Tunnel Workers (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$136.87
- TUNNEL WORKER: Blasters (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$135.53
- TUNNEL WORKER: Top Nipper (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$134.38
- TUNNEL WORKER: Outside Lock Tender, Outside Gauge Tender,Muck Lock Tender (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$131.94
- TUNNEL WORKER: Bottom Bell & Top Bell Signal Person: Shaft Person (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$131.94
- Tunnel Workers (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$129.76
- TUNNEL WORKER: All Others (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$120.02
- TUNNEL WORKER: Changehouse Attendant: Powder Watchperson (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$119.75
- TUNNEL WORKER: Microtunneling (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220$103.81
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUNNEL WORKER: Blasters, Mucking Machine Operators (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $75.14 | $66.51 | $141.65 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| Tunnel Workers (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $72.46 | $64.41 | $136.87 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Top Nipper (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $71.24 | $63.14 | $134.38 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Outside Lock Tender, Outside Gauge Tender,Muck Lock Tender (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $69.83 | $62.11 | $131.94 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Bottom Bell & Top Bell Signal Person: Shaft Person (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $69.83 | $62.11 | $131.94 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Changehouse Attendant: Powder Watchperson (Compressed Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $61.57 | $58.18 | $119.75 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Blasters (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $71.69 | $63.84 | $135.53 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| Tunnel Workers (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $68.58 | $61.18 | $129.76 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: All Others (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $63.40 | $56.62 | $120.02 | Jul 1, 2026 |
| TUNNEL WORKER: Microtunneling (Free Air Rates)NYC Comptroller §220 | $54.86 | $48.95 | $103.81 | Jul 1, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon tunnel worker rate in New York City
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. 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.
We don't put a federal figure next to NYC Comptroller'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, Residential, Highway, Heavy | LABORERS: FREE AIR & TUNNEL MAINTENANCE MEN, INSIDE MUCK LOCK TENDERS, PUMP MEN, ELECTRICIANS, CEMENT FINISHERS, CAULKERS, HYDRAULIC MEN, SHIELD MEN, MONORAIL …LABO0147-001 | $64.08 | $118.08 | NY20260003 Mod 6 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. New York Davis-Bacon changes
How New York City compares
The main tunnel worker rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in New York
Wage and supplements, nearby
- New York Citybase $75.14$141.65
More from NYC Comptroller on this rate
- NYC Comptroller NYSDOL schedule, page 92
- NYSDOL's Article 8 schedules
- These are journeyworker rates. Only apprentices individually registered in a NYSDOL-registered program may be paid apprentice rates (Labor Law §220(3-e)).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your hourly wage to the supplements your employer pays for you (benefits or cash), and compare it with the total. Contractors need a Contractor Registry certificate and file certified payroll electronically with NYSDOL. NYSDOL Bureau of Public Work: dol.ny.gov/prevailing-wage.
Source
Department of Labor (NYC Comptroller), NYSDOL schedule NYCCOMP-220-2026-07-01, issued July 1, 2026, effective July 1, 2026, page 92: comptroller.nyc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Construction_Worker_Schedule-2026-2027.pdf
We read every NYSDOL job description and county schedule for 2026-27, with the monthly updates through October 1, 2026, and the NYC Comptroller's schedule, and check every number with a second read. Neither agency prints a total; ours is wage plus supplements. How we check · Download New York City as CSV · Report an error