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North Carolina · Laborer

North Carolina laborer prevailing wage, county by county

A laborer's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage in North Carolina runs from $10.20 an hour in Wayne County to $21.79 in Iredell County. The median county is $12.17.

Main laborer classification in each county (Laborer: common or general), Davis-Bacon wage determinations on SAM.gov, as of October 25, 2026. 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)). Checked October 25, 2026.

Rockingham County laborer: $12.53 per hourFranklin County laborer: $16.91 per hourRandolph County laborer: $12.53 per hourYadkin County laborer: $12.94 per hourAlexander County laborer: $12.63 per hourOnslow County laborer: $12.79 per hourOrange County laborer: $15.74 per hourCabarrus County laborer: $16.91 per hourIredell County laborer: $21.79 per hourStokes County laborer: $12.94 per hourGuilford County laborer: $12.10 per hourPerson County laborer: $15.74 per hourVance County laborer: $12.89 per hourLenoir County laborer: $11.92 per hourCleveland County laborer: $11.92 per hourTransylvania County laborer: $12.17 per hourCraven County laborer: $15.27 per hourEdgecombe County laborer: $10.88 per hourCaldwell County laborer: $12.63 per hourPitt County laborer: $10.88 per hourJones County laborer: $15.27 per hourForsyth County laborer: $12.94 per hourWayne County laborer: $10.20 per hourBladen County laborer: $11.92 per hourPolk County laborer: $12.17 per hourMitchell County laborer: $12.17 per hourCurrituck County laborer: $15.27 per hourLincoln County laborer: $16.91 per hourHaywood County laborer: $16.25 per hourDurham County laborer: $11.72 per hourGreene County laborer: $10.20 per hourJohnston County laborer: $16.91 per hourNew Hanover County laborer: $11.92 per hourChatham County laborer: $15.74 per hourRichmond County laborer: $11.92 per hourScotland County laborer: $11.92 per hourDavidson County laborer: $12.94 per hourAnson County laborer: $14.03 per hourRutherford County laborer: $12.17 per hourYancey County laborer: $12.17 per hourSwain County laborer: $12.17 per hourHertford County laborer: $11.24 per hourCumberland County laborer: $19.76 per hourWilkes County laborer: $12.17 per hourSampson County laborer: $11.92 per hourPamlico County laborer: $15.27 per hourWashington County laborer: $11.24 per hourMoore County laborer: $11.92 per hourRobeson County laborer: $11.92 per hourSurry County laborer: $12.17 per hourCarteret County laborer: $11.24 per hourAlleghany County laborer: $12.17 per hourHarnett County laborer: $11.92 per hourHoke County laborer: $19.76 per hourPerquimans County laborer: $11.24 per hourGranville County laborer: $12.89 per hourHyde County laborer: $11.24 per hourWatauga County laborer: $11.56 per hourMacon County laborer: $12.17 per hourClay County laborer: $12.17 per hourChowan County laborer: $11.24 per hourGates County laborer: $15.27 per hourPasquotank County laborer: $12.20 per hourGraham County laborer: $12.17 per hourCherokee County laborer: $12.17 per hourBrunswick County laborer: $13.63 per hourHalifax County laborer: $12.89 per hourJackson County laborer: $14.03 per hourWarren County laborer: $12.89 per hourNorthampton County laborer: $12.89 per hourAshe County laborer: $12.17 per hourBuncombe County laborer: $16.25 per hourBurke County laborer: $12.63 per hourMcDowell County laborer: $12.17 per hourColumbus County laborer: $11.92 per hourCaswell County laborer: $12.89 per hourHenderson County laborer: $16.25 per hourGaston County laborer: $16.91 per hourTyrrell County laborer: $11.24 per hourDavie County laborer: $12.94 per hourAvery County laborer: $12.17 per hourPender County laborer: $13.63 per hourCatawba County laborer: $12.58 per hourMecklenburg County laborer: $15.90 per hourNash County laborer: $10.88 per hourMadison County laborer: $16.25 per hourStanly County laborer: $14.76 per hourDare County laborer: $11.24 per hourWilson County laborer: $11.92 per hourDuplin County laborer: $11.92 per hourMartin County laborer: $11.24 per hourWake County laborer: $16.74 per hourLee County laborer: $11.92 per hourBertie County laborer: $11.24 per hourRowan County laborer: $16.91 per hourAlamance County laborer: $15.74 per hourMontgomery County laborer: $11.92 per hourUnion County laborer: $16.91 per hourCamden County laborer: $11.24 per hourBeaufort County laborer: $11.24 per hour
$10$11$12$12$15$21Laborer, main rate, base + fringe per hour. Each shade holds about a fifth of the counties.

How much does a laborer make on prevailing wage in North Carolina?

18 groups of counties with identical rates and 40 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The top 40 are drawn. The table below lists which counties are in each group.

  1. Iredell County1 county$21.79
  2. Cumberland County1 county$19.76
  3. Hoke County1 county$19.76
  4. Johnston County group2 counties$16.91
  5. Cabarrus County1 county$16.91
  6. Gaston County1 county$16.91
  7. Lincoln County1 county$16.91
  8. Rowan County1 county$16.91
  9. Union County1 county$16.91
  10. Wake County1 county$16.74
  11. Buncombe County group4 counties$16.25
  12. Mecklenburg County1 county$15.90
  13. Chatham County group2 counties$15.74
  14. Alamance County1 county$15.74
  15. Orange County1 county$15.74
  16. Craven County group3 counties$15.27
  17. Currituck County1 county$15.27
  18. Gates County1 county$15.27
  19. Stanly County1 county$14.76
  20. Anson County1 county$14.03
  21. Jackson County1 county$14.03
  22. Brunswick County group2 counties$13.63
  23. Stokes County group3 counties$12.94
  24. Davidson County1 county$12.94
  25. Forsyth County1 county$12.94
  26. Granville County group2 counties$12.89
  27. Halifax County group2 counties$12.89
  28. Caswell County1 county$12.89
  29. Northampton County1 county$12.89
  30. Onslow County1 county$12.79
  31. Burke County group3 counties$12.63
  32. Catawba County1 county$12.58
  33. Randolph County group2 counties$12.53
  34. Pasquotank County1 county$12.20
  35. McDowell County group10 counties$12.17
  36. Surry County group3 counties$12.17
  37. Alleghany County1 county$12.17
  38. Avery County1 county$12.17
  39. Cherokee County1 county$12.17
  40. Guilford County1 county$12.10

Which counties pay which rate

CountiesMain classificationBase + fringeBase
Iredell CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$21.79 $13.97 
Cumberland CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$19.76 $15.00 
Hoke CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$19.76 $15.00 
Johnston County group, 2 localities: Franklin, JohnstonLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.78 
Cabarrus CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.12 
Gaston CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.12 
Lincoln CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.12 
Rowan CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.12 
Union CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.91 $14.12 
Wake CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.74 $14.67 
Buncombe County group, 4 localities: Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, MadisonLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$16.25 $13.56 
Mecklenburg CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.90 $15.00 
Chatham County group, 2 localities: Chatham, PersonLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.74 $12.68 
Alamance CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.74 $12.68 
Orange CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.74 $12.68 
Craven County group, 3 localities: Craven, Jones, PamlicoLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.27 $12.94 
Currituck CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.27 $12.94 
Gates CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$15.27 $12.94 
Stanly CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$14.76 $12.54 
Anson CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$14.03 $11.88 
Jackson CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$14.03 $11.98 
Brunswick County group, 2 localities: Brunswick, PenderLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$13.63 $12.20 
Stokes County group, 3 localities: Davie, Stokes, YadkinLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.94 $12.94 
Davidson CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.94 $12.94 
Forsyth CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.94 $12.94 
Granville County group, 2 localities: Granville, VanceLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.89 $11.47 
Halifax County group, 2 localities: Halifax, WarrenLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.89 $11.47 
Caswell CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.89 $11.47 
Northampton CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.89 $11.47 
Onslow CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.79 $11.98 
Burke County group, 3 localities: Alexander, Burke, CaldwellLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.63 $12.63 
Catawba CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.58 $12.58 
Randolph County group, 2 localities: Randolph, RockinghamLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.53 $12.53 
Pasquotank CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.20 $10.93 
McDowell County group, 10 localities: Ashe, Clay, Graham, Macon, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, YanceyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.17 $11.07 
Surry County group, 3 localities: Rutherford, Surry, WilkesLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.17 $11.07 
Alleghany CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.17 $11.07 
Avery CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.17 $11.07 
Cherokee CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.17 $11.07 
Guilford CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$12.10 $12.10 
Harnett County group, 5 localities: Bladen, Columbus, Harnett, Robeson, ScotlandLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Moore County group, 3 localities: Lee, Montgomery, MooreLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Lenoir County group, 2 localities: Duplin, LenoirLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Cleveland CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
New Hanover CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $11.92 
Richmond CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Sampson CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Wilson CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.92 $10.53 
Durham CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.72 $11.72 
Watauga CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.56 $10.56 
Hertford County group, 5 localities: Bertie, Camden, Hertford, Hyde, TyrrellLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.24 $10.57 
Dare County group, 4 localities: Chowan, Dare, Martin, WashingtonLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.24 $10.57 
Beaufort CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.24 $10.57 
Carteret CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.24 $10.57 
Perquimans CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$11.24 $10.57 
Pitt County group, 3 localities: Edgecombe, Nash, PittLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$10.88 $10.88 
Greene CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$10.20 $10.20 
Wayne CountyLABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL$10.20 $10.20 

18 groups of counties with identical DOL rates, and 40 counties with rates of their own.

Questions about North Carolina laborer pay

What is the laborer prevailing wage in Wake County?

$16.74 an hour: a $14.67 base wage plus $2.07 in fringe benefits, under wage determination NC20260011, modification 1. Overtime and every laborer classification in Wake County.

Does laborer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?

Yes. In Wake County the $16.74 total is a $14.67 base wage plus $2.07 in fringe benefits, about 12% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.

Does laborer prevailing wage pay overtime in North Carolina?

Davis-Bacon rates are straight time. On contracts over $100,000, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requires 1½ times the basic rate for hours over 40 in a workweek (40 U.S.C. 3702). The fringe is owed for every hour at its straight-time amount.

Do apprentice laborers get this rate?

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)).

Why do some counties have the same laborer rate?

DOL often publishes the same laborer rates for several counties. Across North Carolina, the 100 counties with a laborer rate fall into 58 distinct sets of rates, and 18 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 10 counties (the McDowell County group).