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Columbia County, OR · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Columbia County, Oregon
$79.54an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum) · POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1
$61.99 base wage + $17.55 fringe benefits
Columbia County uses the same operating engineer rates as 35 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On Oregon public works in Columbia County, an operating engineer working as power equipment operator - group 1 must be paid at least $79.54 an hour: a $61.99 base wage plus $17.55 in fringe. BOLI prints no total, so $79.54 is our sum of the two.
BOLI book of September 3, 2026 with the October 5, 2026 amendment; this rate, effective September 3, 2026. A project generally uses the rates in effect when its bid specifications were first advertised, for the whole project (OAR 839-025-0020). Checked against oregon.gov on October 25, 2026.
BOLI lists 8 operating engineer rates for Columbia County, from $68.69 to $83.86 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $61.99 + $17.55
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. BOLI prints the fringe 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) | $61.99 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $17.55 |
| Base + fringe (our sum; BOLI prints no total) | $79.54 |
Zone 1 base rate. Add the zone differential for distance (crafts.json sections key power-equipment-operator--statewide -> zones)
When does this rate change?
- A project uses the rates in effect when its bid specifications were first advertised, and a later book or amendment doesn't change it (OAR 839-025-0020(6)).
- BOLI updates rates about quarterly, by book or amendment. This page uses the September 3, 2026 book with the October 5, 2026 amendment, for projects first advertised from October 5, 2026 (BOLI rates).
Every operating engineer rate in Columbia County
As BOLI lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1B$83.86
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1A$81.70
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1$79.54
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 2$77.63
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 3$76.48
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 4$73.15
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 5$71.91
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 6$68.69
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $17.55 | $79.54 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1A | $64.15 | $17.55 | $81.70 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1B | $66.31 | $17.55 | $83.86 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 2 | $60.08 | $17.55 | $77.63 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 3 | $58.93 | $17.55 | $76.48 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 4 | $55.60 | $17.55 | $73.15 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 5 | $54.36 | $17.55 | $71.91 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 6 | $51.14 | $17.55 | $68.69 | Sep 3, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon operating engineer rate in Columbia County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. On projects that are also federal, Oregon requires the higher of the state and the federal rate, and the specifications must contain both (ORS 279C.830, 279C.838).
We don't put a federal figure next to BOLI's here, because the federal determinations split this trade into groups that don't line up with BOLI's. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | OPERATOR: LOADERENGI0701-001 | $54.75 | $71.65 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADEENGI0701-001 | $54.75 | $71.65 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: BULLDOZERENGI0701-001 | $54.75 | $71.65 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEENGI0701-006 | $54.75 | $71.65 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: OILERENGI0701-041 | $45.81 | $62.71 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: FORKLIFTENGI0701-041 | $45.81 | $62.71 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: ROLLERENGI0701-042 | $50.27 | $67.17 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: PUMPENGI0701-043 | $49.03 | $65.93 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: CRANE (90-199 TON)ENGI0701-044 | $54.75 | $71.65 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: CRANE (300-399 TON)ENGI0701-044 | $58.82 | $75.72 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)SUOR2018-016 | $35.76 | $39.36 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: DRILLSUOR2018-016 | $29.27 | $29.27 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Building | OPERATOR: BOBCAT/SKID STEER/SKID LOADERSUOR2018-016 | $20.43 | $22.74 | OR20260096 Mod 1 |
| Highway | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR GROUP 4 (SEE GROUP INFORMATION IN FOOTER)ENGI0701-005 | $50.27 | $67.17 | OR20260001 Mod 3 |
| Highway | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR GROUP 5 (SEE GROUP INFORMATION IN FOOTER)ENGI0701-005 | $49.03 | $65.93 | OR20260001 Mod 3 |
| Highway | TIMBER SALES ROADS: (OPERATING ENGINEERS)SUOR1991-003 | $10.37 | $14.52 | OR20260001 Mod 3 |
| Heavy | OPERATOR: TRACTORSUOR2009-052 | $20.00 | $20.73 | OR20260054 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | OPERATOR: ROTOMILLSUOR2009-052 | $28.25 | $37.95 | OR20260054 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | OPERATOR: EXCAVATORSUOR2009-052 | $22.14 | $28.28 | OR20260054 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Oregon Davis-Bacon changes
How Columbia 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 Oregon
Wage and fringe, nearby
- Columbia Countybase $61.99$79.54
- Washington Countybase $61.99$79.54
- Clatsop Countybase $61.99$79.54
- Multnomah Countybase $61.99$79.54
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current BOLI rates. The rate is the union rate for the trade in the locality, or the highest where several apply (ORS 279C.815).
BOLI's operating engineer rates for Columbia County are the same as in 35 other counties: Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes and 27 more.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Columbia County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | |
| Washington County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
| Clatsop County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
| Multnomah County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
| Tillamook County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
| Yamhill County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
| Clackamas County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR - Group 1 | $61.99 | $79.54 | same |
Oregon operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from BOLI on this rate
- BOLI BOLI rate book, page 25
- BOLI's prevailing wage rates
- These are journey-level rates. BOLI publishes apprentice rates separately with each book.
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base wage to what your employer pays into fringe plans for you, and compare it with the total. Contractors post the rates on site, and an underpaid worker can recover the unpaid wages plus an equal amount (ORS 279C.840, 279C.855). BOLI: (971) 245-3844.
Source
Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), BOLI rate book BOLI-2026-09-03, issued September 3, 2026, effective September 3, 2026, page 25: www.oregon.gov/boli/workers/Prevailing%20Wage%20Rate%20Books/BOLI%20September%203%2C%202026%20Prevailing%20Wage%20Rate%20Book.pdf
We read every row of BOLI's September 3, 2026 book and October 5, 2026 amendment and check every number with a second, separate reader. BOLI prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download Columbia County as CSV · Report an error