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North Carolina operating engineer prevailing wage, county by county
An operating engineer's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage in North Carolina runs from $15.96 an hour in Warren County to $25.00 in Franklin County. The median county is $19.05.
Main operating engineer classification in each county (Operator: backhoe/excavator/trackhoe), 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.
How much does an operating engineer make on prevailing wage in North Carolina?
16 groups of counties with identical rates and 37 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The top 40 are drawn. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Johnston County group2 counties$25.00
- Wake County1 county$25.00
- Wayne County1 county$25.00
- Craven County group3 counties$23.89
- Brunswick County group2 counties$23.89
- Cumberland County1 county$23.89
- Currituck County1 county$23.89
- Gates County1 county$23.89
- Hoke County1 county$23.89
- New Hanover County1 county$23.89
- Onslow County1 county$23.89
- Greene County1 county$20.39
- Surry County group13 counties$20.01
- Alleghany County1 county$20.01
- Avery County1 county$20.01
- Cherokee County1 county$20.01
- Jackson County1 county$20.01
- Watauga County1 county$20.01
- Pitt County group3 counties$19.45
- Chatham County group2 counties$19.45
- Alamance County1 county$19.45
- Durham County1 county$19.45
- Orange County1 county$19.45
- Stokes County group3 counties$19.22
- Randolph County group2 counties$19.22
- Davidson County1 county$19.22
- Forsyth County1 county$19.22
- Guilford County1 county$19.22
- Harnett County group6 counties$18.89
- Moore County group3 counties$18.89
- Lenoir County group2 counties$18.89
- Cleveland County1 county$18.89
- Richmond County1 county$18.89
- Sampson County1 county$18.89
- Stanly County1 county$18.89
- Anson County1 county$18.48
- Carteret County group7 counties$17.04
- Dare County group4 counties$17.04
- Pasquotank County1 county$17.04
- Perquimans County1 county$17.04
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston County group, 2 localities: Franklin, Johnston | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Wake County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Wayne County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Craven County group, 3 localities: Craven, Jones, Pamlico | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Brunswick County group, 2 localities: Brunswick, Pender | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Cumberland County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Currituck County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Gates County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Hoke County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| New Hanover County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Onslow County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.89 | $21.00 |
| Greene County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.39 | $18.23 |
| Surry County group, 13 localities: Ashe, Clay, Graham, Macon, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Wilkes, Yancey | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Alleghany County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Avery County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Cherokee County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Jackson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Watauga County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $20.01 | $18.60 |
| Pitt County group, 3 localities: Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Chatham County group, 2 localities: Chatham, Person | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Alamance County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Durham County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Orange County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.45 | $19.45 |
| Stokes County group, 3 localities: Davie, Stokes, Yadkin | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.22 | $19.22 |
| Randolph County group, 2 localities: Randolph, Rockingham | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.22 | $19.22 |
| Davidson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.22 | $19.22 |
| Forsyth County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.22 | $19.22 |
| Guilford County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $19.22 | $19.22 |
| Harnett County group, 6 localities: Bladen, Columbus, Harnett, Robeson, Scotland, Wilson | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Moore County group, 3 localities: Lee, Montgomery, Moore | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Lenoir County group, 2 localities: Duplin, Lenoir | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Cleveland County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Richmond County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Sampson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Stanly County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.89 | $17.98 |
| Anson County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.48 | $16.00 |
| Carteret County group, 7 localities: Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Hertford, Hyde, Tyrrell | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.04 | $14.71 |
| Dare County group, 4 localities: Chowan, Dare, Martin, Washington | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.04 | $14.71 |
| Pasquotank County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.04 | $14.71 |
| Perquimans County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.04 | $14.71 |
| Buncombe County group, 4 localities: Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Burke County group, 3 localities: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Cabarrus County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Catawba County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Gaston County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Iredell County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Lincoln County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Mecklenburg County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Rowan County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Union County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $16.58 | $16.50 |
| Granville County group, 4 localities: Granville, Halifax, Vance, Warren | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $15.96 | $15.96 |
| Caswell County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $15.96 | $15.96 |
| Northampton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $15.96 | $15.96 |
16 groups of counties with identical DOL rates, and 37 counties with rates of their own.
Questions about North Carolina operating engineer pay
What is the operating engineer prevailing wage in Wake County?
$25.00 an hour: a $25.00 base wage plus $0.00 in fringe benefits, under wage determination NC20260011, modification 1. Overtime and every operating engineer classification in Wake County.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Wake County the $25.00 total is a $25.00 base wage plus $0.00 in fringe benefits, about 0% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does operating engineer 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 operating engineers 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 operating engineer rate?
DOL often publishes the same operating engineer rates for several counties. Across North Carolina, the 100 counties with an operating engineer rate fall into 53 distinct sets of rates, and 16 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 13 counties (the Surry County group).