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Rhode Island electrician prevailing wage, county by county
An electrician's prevailing wage on Rhode Island public works is $80.85 an hour in every county that has one (5), for the main classification.
Main electrician classification in each county (Electrician (work of a hazardous nature, or where the work height is 30 ft. or more from the floor, except when working osha-approved lifts: 20% per hour additional. work in tunnels below ground level in combined sewer outfall: 20% per hour additional.)), Davis-Bacon RI20260001 Mod 5 (Oct 1, 2026) and related decisions. Rates are set at award, then adjusted every July 1 for the life of the contract (RIGL 37-13-8). Checked October 25, 2026.
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Rhode Island?
1 group of counties with identical rates and 1 with rates of their own, highest main rate first. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- Providence County group4 counties · ELECTRICIAN (WORK OF A HAZARDOUS NATURE, OR $80.85
- Newport County1 county · ELECTRICIAN (WORK OF A HAZARDOUS NATURE, OR $80.85
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County group, 4 localities: Bristol, Kent, Providence, Washington | ELECTRICIAN (WORK OF A HAZARDOUS NATURE, OR WHERE THE WORK HEIGHT IS 30 FT. OR MORE FROM THE FLOOR, EXCEPT WHEN WORKING OSHA-APPROVED LIFTS: 20% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL. WORK IN TUNNELS BELOW GROUND LEVEL IN COMBINED SEWER OUTFALL: 20% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL.) | $80.85 | $56.11 |
| Newport County | ELECTRICIAN (WORK OF A HAZARDOUS NATURE, OR WHERE THE WORK HEIGHT IS 30 FT. OR MORE FROM THE FLOOR, EXCEPT WHEN WORKING OSHA-APPROVED LIFTS: 20% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL. WORK IN TUNNELS BELOW GROUND LEVEL IN COMBINED SEWER OUTFALL: 20% PER HOUR ADDITIONAL.) | $80.85 | $56.11 |
1 group of counties with identical DLT rates, and 1 county with rates of its own.
Davis-Bacon schedules list journeyworker rates only. Registered apprentices (RIGL 28-45) may be paid a percentage of the base rate per their apprenticeship agreement, but the fringe may not be reduced (DLT FAQ); unregistered or out-of-ratio apprentices get the full journeyworker rate (260-RICR-30-15-3.4(E)).
Questions about Rhode Island electrician pay
What is the electrician prevailing wage in Providence County?
$80.85 an hour: a $56.11 base wage plus $24.74 in fringe benefits, under Davis-Bacon RI20260001 Mod 5 (Oct 1, 2026) and related decisions. Overtime and every electrician classification in Providence County.
Does electrician prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In Providence County the $80.85 total is a $56.11 base wage plus $24.74 in fringe benefits, about 31% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Does electrician prevailing wage pay overtime in Rhode Island?
Over 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week is overtime, "calculated on the base rate only and then the fringe benefit rate is added" (DLT FAQ; RIGL 37-13-10). Rhode Island sets no Saturday, Sunday or holiday premium.
Do apprentice electricians get this rate?
Davis-Bacon schedules list journeyworker rates only. Registered apprentices (RIGL 28-45) may be paid a percentage of the base rate per their apprenticeship agreement, but the fringe may not be reduced (DLT FAQ); unregistered or out-of-ratio apprentices get the full journeyworker rate (260-RICR-30-15-3.4(E)).
Why do some counties have the same electrician rate?
DLT often publishes the same electrician rates for several counties. Across Rhode Island, the 5 counties with an electrician rate fall into 2 distinct sets of rates, and 1 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 4 counties (the Providence County group).