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Colleton County, SC · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Colleton County, South Carolina
$18.78an hour, base + fringe
$16.95 wage + $1.83 fringe benefits · Building · SUSC2011-007
On federally funded or assisted building construction in Colleton County, an operating engineer must be paid at least $18.78 an hour: a $16.95 base wage plus $1.83 in fringe benefits, under wage determination SC20260011 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $18.78 is our sum of the two.
Wage determination SC20260011, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier SUSC2011-007 (August 31, 2011). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.
Davis-Bacon is the only prevailing wage here (federally funded or assisted work). South Carolina has no state prevailing wage law (DOL state table).
DOL lists 23 operating engineer rates for Colleton County, from $7.25 to $29.74 an hour. See all of them.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $16.95 + $1.83
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL 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) | $16.95 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $1.83 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total) | $18.78 |
When this rate changes
- A contract keeps the wage determination in its bid documents. Modifications published before bid opening apply to it, though one published less than 10 days before can be left out if the agency finds there isn't time to tell bidders (29 CFR 1.6(c)).
- DOL changes a WD by publishing a numbered modification on SAM.gov. This page reads the modification named in the Source line; the South Carolina change log lists what each one changed.
Every operating engineer rate in Colleton County
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighway · SUSC2011-038$29.74
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MILLING MACHINEHighway · SUSC2011-038$27.84
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MECHANICHighway · SUSC2011-038$26.93
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE (COLLETON)Highway · SUSC2011-038$26.28
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANEHighway · SUSC2011-038$24.57
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADEHighway · SUSC2011-038$24.57
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER (FRONT END)Highway · SUSC2011-038$22.93
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: PAVER (COLLETON, GEORGETOWN, HAMPTON, JASPER)Highway · SUSC2011-038$20.21
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: TRACTORHighway · SUSC2011-038$19.60
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: SCREEDHighway · SUSC2011-038$19.23
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: ROLLERHighway · SUSC2011-038$18.86
- OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuilding · SUSC2011-007$18.78
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CRANEHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.98
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: MOTOR GRADERHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: MECHANICHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: FRONT END LOADERHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: DRAGLINEHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: BULLDOZERHeavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (PAN SCRAPER)Heavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BACKHOE)Heavy · SUSC1990-005$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: BACKHOEResidential · SUSC2017-006$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (FRONT END LOADER)Residential · SUSC2017-006$7.25
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BULLDOZER)Residential · SUSC2017-006$7.25
| Classification | Base + fringe | Base | Fringe benefits | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuildingSUSC2011-007 | $18.78 | $16.95 | $1.83 | SC20260011 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE (COLLETON)HighwaySUSC2011-038 | $26.28 | $26.28 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $29.74 | $29.74 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANEHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $24.57 | $24.57 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADEHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $24.57 | $24.57 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: LOADER (FRONT END)HighwaySUSC2011-038 | $22.93 | $22.93 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MECHANICHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $26.93 | $26.93 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: MILLING MACHINEHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $27.84 | $27.84 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: PAVER (COLLETON, GEORGETOWN, HAMPTON, JASPER)HighwaySUSC2011-038 | $20.21 | $20.21 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: ROLLERHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $18.86 | $18.86 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: SCREEDHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $19.23 | $19.23 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: TRACTORHighwaySUSC2011-038 | $19.60 | $19.60 | $0.00 | SC20260040 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: MOTOR GRADERHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: MECHANICHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: FRONT END LOADERHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: DRAGLINEHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: CRANEHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.98 | $7.98 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: BULLDOZERHeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (PAN SCRAPER)HeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BACKHOE)HeavySUSC1990-005 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260001 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: BACKHOEResidentialSUSC2017-006 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260057 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (FRONT END LOADER)ResidentialSUSC2017-006 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260057 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: (BULLDOZER)ResidentialSUSC2017-006 | $7.25 | $7.25 | $0.00 | SC20260057 Mod 1 |
How Colleton 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 South Carolina
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Colleton Countybase $16.95$18.78
- Dorchester Countybase $19.62$23.16
- Hampton Countybase $16.95$18.78
- Beaufort Countybase $19.14$21.76
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current DOL rates. Davis-Bacon rates are set for groups of counties, so neighbours often share them; the county where the work is done decides.
| County | Classification | Base + fringe | Base | vs Colleton County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $23.16 | $19.62 | +$4.38 |
| Beaufort County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $21.76 | $19.14 | +$2.98 |
| Colleton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.78 | $16.95 | |
| Hampton County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.78 | $16.95 | same |
| Jasper County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.78 | $16.95 | same |
| Bamberg County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.22 | $16.39 | −$0.56 |
| Orangeburg County | OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $18.22 | $16.39 | −$0.56 |
South Carolina operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DOL on this rate
- DOL wage determination
- SAM.gov wage determinations
- Davis-Bacon determinations list journeyworker rates. Apprentices in a program registered with DOL or a recognized state agency can be paid the program's percentage of the rate, within its ratio; anyone else gets the full rate (29 CFR 5.5(a)(4)).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base pay to the fringe your employer pays for you, in cash or into plans, and compare the sum with the total. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes complaints: 1-866-487-9243, or dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints.
Source
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (DOL), wage determination SC20260011 Mod 1, published May 18, 2026: sam.gov/wage-determination/SC20260011/1
We read every active South Carolina Davis-Bacon wage determination from SAM.gov's own data and check every number with a second, independent read of the same file. DOL prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download Colleton County as CSV · Report an error