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Philadelphia County, PA · Laborer
Laborer prevailing wage in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
$65.02an hour, base wage + fringe benefits
$37.85 base wage + $27.17 fringe benefits · Building
On Pennsylvania public works in Philadelphia County, a laborer must be paid at least $65.02 an hour: a $37.85 base wage plus $27.17 in fringe benefits.
PPWS county schedules from each county's newest determination (Oct 25, 2026); this rate, effective July 7, 2025. 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 21 laborer rates for Philadelphia County, from $59.33 to $73.68 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: $37.85 + $27.17
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) | $37.85 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $27.17 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $65.02 |
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.
Every laborer rate in Philadelphia County
As L&I lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Laborers (Class 13 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway$73.68
- Laborers (Class 12 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway$70.75
- Laborers (Class 06 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$70.45
- Laborers (Class 05 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$70.40
- Laborers (Class 07 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$70.30
- Laborers (Class 08 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$70.05
- Laborers (Class 10- See notes)Heavy/Highway$70.05
- Laborers (Class 11 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway$69.95
- Laborers (Class 09 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$69.90
- Laborers (Class 14 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway$69.80
- Laborers (Class 02 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$69.75
- Laborers (Class 03 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$69.75
- Laborers (Class 01 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$69.55
- Laborers (Class 02 - See notes)Building$68.70
- Laborers (Class 03 - See notes)Building$67.17
- Laborers (Class 04 - See notes)Building$67.17
- Laborers (Class 05 - See notes)Building$66.52
- Mason Tender, CementBuilding$65.62
- Laborers (Class 01 - See notes)Building$65.02
- Laborers (Class 04 - See notes)Heavy/Highway$64.35
- Laborers Utility (PGW ONLY)Heavy/Highway$59.33
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers (Class 01 - See notes)Building | $37.85 | $27.17 | $65.02 | Jul 7, 2025 |
| Laborers (Class 02 - See notes)Building | $41.00 | $27.70 | $68.70 | May 1, 2025 |
| Laborers (Class 03 - See notes)Building | $39.52 | $27.65 | $67.17 | May 1, 2025 |
| Laborers (Class 04 - See notes)Building | $39.52 | $27.65 | $67.17 | May 1, 2025 |
| Laborers (Class 05 - See notes)Building | $39.10 | $27.42 | $66.52 | May 1, 2025 |
| Mason Tender, CementBuilding | $38.12 | $27.50 | $65.62 | May 1, 2024 |
| Laborers (Class 01 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.65 | $27.90 | $69.55 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 02 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.85 | $27.90 | $69.75 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 03 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.85 | $27.90 | $69.75 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 04 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $36.45 | $27.90 | $64.35 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 05 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.50 | $27.90 | $70.40 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 06 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.55 | $27.90 | $70.45 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 07 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.40 | $27.90 | $70.30 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 08 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.15 | $27.90 | $70.05 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 09 - See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.00 | $27.90 | $69.90 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 10- See notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.15 | $27.90 | $70.05 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 11 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.05 | $27.90 | $69.95 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 12 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $42.85 | $27.90 | $70.75 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 13 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $45.78 | $27.90 | $73.68 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers (Class 14 -See Notes)Heavy/Highway | $41.90 | $27.90 | $69.80 | May 1, 2026 |
| Laborers Utility (PGW ONLY)Heavy/Highway | $39.70 | $19.63 | $59.33 | May 1, 2024 |
Davis-Bacon laborer rate in Philadelphia 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 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 | LABORER: GROUP 2 POWER BUGGIES; BURNERS ON DEMOLITIONLABO0332-001 | $39.20 | $65.89 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 3 WAGON DRILL OPERATOR (SINGLE)LABO0332-001 | $39.25 | $65.94 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 4 POWDERMEN; WAGON DRILL OPERATOR (MULTIPLE); CIRCULAR CAISSON EXCAVATION; UNDERPINNING EXCAVATIONLABO0332-001 | $39.40 | $66.09 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 5 CAISSON BOTTOM MANLABO0332-001 | $39.45 | $66.14 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 6 YARD WORKERSLABO0332-001 | $39.24 | $65.93 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 8 FORM SETTERSLABO0332-001 | $40.53 | $67.22 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 9 MINERS BORE DRIVER; BLASTERS; DRILLERS; PNEUMATIC SHIELD OPERATORSLABO0332-001 | $40.68 | $67.37 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 1 BUILDING SITE WORK; STRIPPING AND DISMANTLING CONCRETE FORM WORK; LOADING, UNLOADING, CARRYING AND HANDLING OF ALL REINFORCED STEEL AND STEEL …LABO0332-001 | $39.10 | $65.79 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 10 WELDERS AND BURNERSLABO0332-001 | $40.93 | $67.62 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Building | LABORER: GROUP 11 MASON TENDERLABO0332-001 | $39.50 | $66.19 | PA20260003 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 4 FLAGPERSONLABO0057-001 | $34.60 | $61.74 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 1 YARDWORK LABORERS; SCALE MIXERMEN; BURNERMEN, FEEDERS; DUSTMENLABO0057-001 | $39.80 | $66.93 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 10 CIRCULAR CAISSONS (WHERE AN EXCAVATION FOR CIRCULAR CAISSONS ARE DUG EIGHT FEET OR MORE BELOW THE NATURAL GRADE LEVEL ADJACENT TO THE …LABO0057-001 | $40.40 | $67.54 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 11 POWDERMAN; MULTIPLE WAGON DRILL OPERATORLABO0057-001 | $40.20 | $67.34 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 12 TOXIC/HAZARDOUS WASTE HANDLERLABO0057-001 | $43.90 | $71.04 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 13 WAGON DRILL/HYDRAULIC TRACK DRILL OPERATORLABO0057-001 | $40.50 | $67.64 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 2 GENERAL LABORER; ASPHALT SHOVELERS; SHEETING, SHORING & LAGGING LABORERS; STONE, GRANITE & ARTIFICIAL STONE SETTING LABORER; HOD CARRIERS; …LABO0057-001 | $40.00 | $67.14 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 3 VIBRATOR LABORER; FINISH SURFACE ASPHALT RACKERS; JACKHAMMER OPERATORS; PAVING BREAKER OPERATOR; PIPELAYER & CAULKER (ALL JOINTS UP TO WITHIN …LABO0057-001 | $40.00 | $67.14 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 5 MINERSLABO0057-001 | $40.65 | $67.79 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 6 WELDERS AND BURNERSLABO0057-001 | $40.70 | $67.84 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 7 MINER BORE DRIVER; BLASTERS; DRILLERS; PNEUMATIC SHIELD OPERATORLABO0057-001 | $40.75 | $67.89 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Highway, Heavy | LABORER: GROUP 8 FORM SETTERSLABO0057-001 | $40.30 | $67.44 | PA20260004 Mod 8 |
| Residential | LABORER: COMMON OR GENERALLABO0413-011 | $39.10 | $65.79 | PA20260114 Mod 5 |
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 Philadelphia County compares
The main laborer 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
- Philadelphia Countybase $37.85$65.02
- Delaware Countybase $37.25$63.35
- Montgomery Countybase $37.25$63.35
- Bucks Countybase $37.25$63.35
Laborer 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.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Philadelphia County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $37.85 | $65.02 | |
| Delaware County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $37.25 | $63.35 | −$1.67 |
| Montgomery County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $37.25 | $63.35 | −$1.67 |
| Bucks County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $37.25 | $63.35 | −$1.67 |
| Chester County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $37.25 | $63.35 | −$1.67 |
| Lehigh County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $33.09 | $53.88 | −$11.14 |
| Berks County | Laborers (Class 01 - See notes) | $30.12 | $48.61 | −$16.41 |
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 26-09340, issued October 23, 2026, effective July 7, 2025: 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 Philadelphia County as CSV · Report an error