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Lehigh County, PA · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
$77.81an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Operators
$46.05 base wage + $31.76 fringe benefits · Building
Lehigh County uses the same operating engineer rates as 8 other counties. See all of them on one page.
On Pennsylvania public works in Lehigh County, an operating engineer working as operators must be paid at least $77.81 an hour: a $46.05 base wage plus $31.76 in fringe benefits.
PPWS county schedules from each county's newest determination (Oct 25, 2026); this rate, effective May 1, 2026. Rates are set per project: the public body gets a determination before bidding, and once the contract is signed its rates "shall not be altered" while it is in force (Act § 4). A determination must be re-requested if the contract isn't awarded within 120 days (34 Pa. Code 9.104(a)). Checked against dliweb.pa.gov on October 25, 2026.
L&I lists 30 operating engineer rates for Lehigh County, from $68.62 to $92.17 an hour. See all of them.
Pennsylvania publishes no county rate schedule. These are the rates printed in each county's newest project determination; the binding rates for a job are the ones in that job's own determination.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $46.05 + $31.76
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. L&I 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) | $46.05 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $31.76 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $77.81 |
When does this rate change?
- A signed contract keeps the rates in its own determination, including the dated steps printed there. A later L&I rate change doesn't reach it (Act § 4).
- County pages here follow each county's newest determination, so they move whenever L&I issues the next one there. The determination is named in the Source line.
Dated rates for this classification
L&I prints more than one dated line for Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes). The one in force on October 25, 2026 leads this page; scheduled lines take effect on their date.
| Effective | Rate | Status |
|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2025 | $75.81 ($44.89 + $30.92) | Earlier |
| May 1, 2026 | $77.81 ($46.05 + $31.76) | In force |
Every operating engineer rate in Lehigh County
As L&I lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes)Building | $46.05 | $31.76 | $77.81 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 01A - See Notes)Building | $48.30 | $32.42 | $80.72 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 02 - See Notes)Building | $45.77 | $31.67 | $77.44 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 02A - See Notes)Building | $48.02 | $32.34 | $80.36 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 03 - See Notes)Building | $43.04 | $30.87 | $73.91 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 04 - See Notes)Building | $41.90 | $30.54 | $72.44 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 05 - See Notes)Building | $41.45 | $30.41 | $71.86 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 06 - See Notes)Building | $40.58 | $30.14 | $70.72 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 07A- See Notes)Building | $56.03 | $36.14 | $92.17 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Building, Class 07B- See Notes)Building | $55.69 | $36.03 | $91.72 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 01 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $44.61 | $31.35 | $75.96 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 01A - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $46.86 | $32.01 | $78.87 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 02 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $44.34 | $31.25 | $75.59 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 02A - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $46.59 | $31.92 | $78.51 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 03 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.43 | $30.38 | $71.81 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 04 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $40.28 | $30.06 | $70.34 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 05 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $39.83 | $29.93 | $69.76 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 06 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $38.96 | $29.66 | $68.62 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 07A - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $54.32 | $35.64 | $89.96 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Heavy, Class 07B - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $53.97 | $35.54 | $89.51 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 01 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $43.72 | $31.08 | $74.80 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 01a - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $45.97 | $31.76 | $77.73 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 02 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.55 | $30.73 | $73.28 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 03 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.87 | $30.51 | $72.38 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 04 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.41 | $30.39 | $71.80 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 05 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $40.89 | $30.25 | $71.14 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 06 - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $43.95 | $31.15 | $75.10 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 06/A - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $46.21 | $31.80 | $78.01 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 07/A - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $53.25 | $35.32 | $88.57 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operators (Highway, Class 07/B - See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $51.84 | $34.90 | $86.74 | May 1, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon operating engineer rate in Lehigh County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Pennsylvania's Act doesn't cover projects where Davis-Bacon applies, so a job uses one schedule or the other (L&I FAQ).
We don't put a federal figure next to L&I's here, because the federal determinations split this trade into groups that don't line up with L&I's. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (PUMP)ENGI0066-046 | $28.36 | $46.46 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: ROLLERENGI0542-035 | $31.09 | $53.44 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANEENGI0542-035 | $37.49 | $61.72 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (OILER)ENGI0542-035 | $29.77 | $51.72 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (HOIST (SINGLE DRUM), FORKLIFT (UNDER 20 FT, EXCLUDES MASONRY WORK))ENGI0542-035 | $32.23 | $54.91 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (COMPRESSOR)ENGI0542-035 | $31.09 | $53.44 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE, BOBCAT/SKID/STEER/SKID LOADER,BOOM, BULLDOZER, CONCRETE PUMP, HOIST (WITH TWO TOWERS), MECHANIC, ROLLER …ENGI0542-035 | $34.96 | $58.44 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)SUPA2011-052 | $33.01 | $51.38 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADESUPA2011-052 | $32.51 | $50.49 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | OPERATOR: GRADALLSUPA2011-052 | $32.70 | $51.13 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Building | OPERATOR: DRILLSUPA2011-052 | $28.55 | $44.33 | PA20260094 Mod 3 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WATER LINES CONSTRUCTION (OFF PLANT SITE): GROUP 1A CRAWLER BACKHOES AND CRAWLER GRADALLS OVER ONE CUBIC …ENGI0542-004 | $44.81 | $75.73 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WATER LINES CONSTRUCTION (OFF PLANT SITE): GROUP 2 SPREADERS, ASPHALT PLANT ENGINEERS, ROLLERS (HIGH GRADE …ENGI0542-004 | $41.39 | $71.28 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WATER LINES CONSTRUCTION (OFF PLANT SITE): GROUP 3 WELDING MACHINE, WELL POINTS, COMPRESSORS, PUMP HEATERS, …ENGI0542-004 | $40.70 | $70.38 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WATER LINES CONSTRUCTION (OFF PLANT SITE): GROUP 6 ALL MACHINES WITH BOOMS (INCLUDING JIBS, MASTS, LEADS, …ENGI0542-004 | $42.80 | $73.10 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WATER LINES CONSTRUCTION (OFF PLANT SITE): GROUP 6A ALL MACHINES WITH BOOMS (INCLUDING JIBS, MASTS, LEADS, …ENGI0542-004 | $45.05 | $76.01 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 1 MACHINES DOING HOOK WORK, ANY MACHINE HANDLING MACHINERY, CABLE SPINNING MACHINES, HELICOPTERS, MACHINES …ENGI0542-022 | $43.46 | $73.96 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 1A MACHINES DOING HOOK WORK; MACHINES HANDLING MACHINERY; ALL TYPES OF CRANES 15 TON AND OVER FACTORY …ENGI0542-022 | $45.71 | $76.87 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 2 BACKHOES, KEYSTONES, SHOVELS, DERRICKS, TRENCH SHOVELS, TRENCHING MACHINES, HOIST WITH TWO TOWERS, PAVERS …ENGI0542-022 | $43.18 | $73.59 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 2A CRAWLER BACKHOES AND CRAWLER GRADALLS OVER ONE CUBIC YARD FACTORY RATING; HYDRAULIC BACKHOES OVER ONE …ENGI0542-022 | $45.43 | $76.51 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 4 WELDING MACHINES, WELL POINTS, COMPRESSORS, PUMPS, HEATERS, FARM TRACTORS, FORM LINE GRADERS, ROAD …ENGI0542-022 | $39.12 | $68.34 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: HEAVY CONSTRUCTION: GROUP 5 FIREMAN.ENGI0542-022 | $38.67 | $67.76 | PA20260006 Mod 2 |
| Residential | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEENGI0542-010 | $50.80 | $79.69 | PA20260119 Mod 2 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Pennsylvania Davis-Bacon changes
How Lehigh 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 Pennsylvania
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Lehigh Countybase $46.05$77.81
- Northampton Countybase $46.05$77.81
- Carbon Countybase $46.05$77.81
- Montgomery Countybase $55.67$91.01
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current L&I rates. L&I sets rates by county, and counties in the same collective bargaining area often share them.
L&I's operating engineer rates for Lehigh County are the same as in 8 other counties: Berks, Bradford, Columbia, Dauphin, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Schuylkill.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Lehigh County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $55.67 | $91.01 | +$13.20 |
| Bucks County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $55.67 | $91.01 | +$13.20 |
| Lehigh County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $46.05 | $77.81 | |
| Northampton County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $46.05 | $77.81 | same |
| Carbon County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $46.05 | $77.81 | same |
| Berks County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $46.05 | $77.81 | same |
| Schuylkill County | Operators (Building, Class 01 - See Notes) | $46.05 | $77.81 | same |
Pennsylvania operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from L&I on this rate
- L&I PPWS determination
- L&I's PPWS determination search
- Apprentice rates apply only to apprentices in a program registered with the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council, within its ratios. Determinations list journeyperson rates only (§ 9.103(9)).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base wage to the fringe your employer pays for you, and compare it with the total. A worker can protest to L&I within three months: Bureau of Labor Law Compliance, 1-800-932-0665 (L&I).
Source
Department of Labor & Industry (L&I), PPWS determination 26-09343, issued October 23, 2026, effective May 1, 2026: www.dliweb.pa.gov/PrevWage/Pages/Project.aspx
We read each county's newest PPWS determination from L&I's site and check every number with a second read. The totals are the ones L&I prints. How we check · Download Lehigh County as CSV · Report an error