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Rhode Island · Plumber / Pipefitter

Rhode Island plumber or pipefitter prevailing wage, county by county

A plumber or pipefitter's prevailing wage on Rhode Island public works is $88.84 an hour in every county that has one (5), for the main classification.

Main plumber or pipefitter classification in each county (Plumbers and pipefitters), 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 a plumber or pipefitter 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.

  1. Providence County group4 counties · PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS$88.84
  2. Newport County1 county · PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS$88.84

Which counties pay which rate

CountiesMain classificationBase + fringeBase
Providence County group, 4 localities: Bristol, Kent, Providence, WashingtonPLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS$88.84 $54.34 
Newport CountyPLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS$88.84 $54.34 

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 plumber or pipefitter pay

What is the plumber or pipefitter prevailing wage in Providence County?

$88.84 an hour: a $54.34 base wage plus $34.50 in fringe benefits, under Davis-Bacon RI20260001 Mod 5 (Oct 1, 2026) and related decisions. Overtime and every plumber or pipefitter classification in Providence County.

Does plumber or pipefitter prevailing wage include fringe benefits?

Yes. In Providence County the $88.84 total is a $54.34 base wage plus $34.50 in fringe benefits, about 39% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.

Does plumber or pipefitter 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 plumber or pipefitters 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 plumber or pipefitter rate?

DLT often publishes the same plumber or pipefitter rates for several counties. Across Rhode Island, the 5 counties with a plumber or pipefitter 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).