Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in Harris County, Texas
4 Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover Harris County for building, residential, highway and heavy construction, with 358 rates across 38 trades. Of each trade's main rate, elevator constructor is the highest at $92.03 an hour and landscape and irrigation laborer the lowest at $9.52, base plus fringe.
The Department of Labor modifies these determinations on SAM.gov in weekly batches through the year; the latest Texas modification we hold is dated May 18, 2026. 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)). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.
Texas public bodies set their own rates, often the Davis-Bacon ones; check the bid documents. Under Gov't Code 2258.022 each body either surveys local wages or adopts the Davis-Bacon rates, and no state agency publishes a schedule.
City of Houston contracts use Houston's 2026 wage scales, which copy these Davis-Bacon rates; they are listed with each trade, marked City of Houston. Harris County posts the same SAM.gov determinations with its own contractor minimum wage of $21.65 an hour.
Harris County rates by trade, highest first
Each trade's main rate, highest first, split into the base wage and the fringe benefits DOL lists. All bars share one scale. The table below lists the same rates A to Z with classifications.
- Elevator Constructor$92.03
- Boilermaker$58.09
- Plumber / Pipefitter$51.59
- Operating Engineer$49.86
- Electrician$49.21
- Sheet Metal Worker$43.55
- Carpenter$43.00
- Heat & Frost Insulator$42.58
- Plasterer$41.64
- Ironworker$36.39
- Glazier$30.39
- Controls Technician (HVAC / Fire Protection)$22.65
- Painter$21.65
- Pile Driver$21.48
- Drywall Installer / Lather$21.37
- Welder$20.97
- Soft Floor Layer$20.00
- Siding & Gutter Installer$20.00
- Drywall Finisher$19.93
- Telecom Technician$19.68
- Bricklayer$18.87
- Striping & Traffic Control$17.12
- Flagger$16.63
- Abatement Laborer$16.20
- Terrazzo Worker$16.20
- Tile Setter$16.17
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$16.11
- Insulation Applicator$15.60
- Roofer$15.40
- Caulker$15.36
- Waterproofer$14.39
- Cement Mason$13.93
- Brick Tender$13.47
- Refrigeration Mechanic$12.82
- Tile Finisher$12.00
- Laborer$11.76
- Plaster Tender$11.10
- Landscape Laborer$9.52
All trades and classifications, A to Z
One main rate per trade, with its classification and base wage. Open a trade for its other classifications, dated steps and DOL's notes. Click a column heading to sort.
| Trade | Main classification | Base + fringe | Base | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer · Harris County group | Asbestos Abatement Worker | $16.20 | incl. | 1 |
| Boilermaker | BOILERMAKER | $58.09 | $33.17 | 2 |
| Brick Tender | LABORER: MASON TENDER - BRICK | $13.47 | $13.47 | 3 |
| Bricklayer | BRICKLAYER | $18.87 | $18.87 | 5 |
| Carpenter | CARPENTER (EXCLUDES ACOUSTICAL CEILING INSTALLATION,DRYWALL HANGING, FORM WORK AND METAL STUD INSTALLATION) | $43.00 | $33.27 | 17 |
| Carpet & Soft Floor Layer | FLOOR LAYER: CARPET | $20.00 | $20.00 | 3 |
| Caulker | CAULKER | $15.36 | $15.36 | 2 |
| Cement Mason | CEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHER | $13.93 | $13.93 | 9 |
| Controls Technician (HVAC / Fire Protection) | Fire Protection - Controls | $22.65 | incl. | 2 |
| Drywall Finisher | DRYWALL FINISHER/TAPER | $19.93 | $16.27 | 3 |
| Drywall Installer / Lather | DRYWALL HANGER AND METAL STUD INSTALLER | $21.37 | $17.44 | 10 |
| Electrician | ELECTRICIAN (EXCLUDES LOW VOLTAGE WIRING AND INSTALLATION OF ALARMS) | $49.21 | $38.50 | 10 |
| Elevator Constructor | ELEVATOR MECHANIC | $92.03 | $53.59 | 5 |
| Flagger | FLAGGER | $16.63 | $16.63 | 3 |
| Glazier | GLAZIER | $30.39 | $23.27 | 4 |
| Insulation Applicator | INSULATOR - BATT | $15.60 | $14.87 | 2 |
| Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker) | ASBESTOS WORKER/HEAT & FROST INSULATOR (DUCT, PIPE AND MECHANICAL SYSTEM INSULATION) | $42.58 | $30.20 | 3 |
| Ironworker | IRONWORKER, STRUCTURAL | $36.39 | $28.26 | 20 |
| Laborer | LABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL | $11.76 | $11.76 | 34 |
| Landscape & Irrigation Laborer | LABORER: LANDSCAPE AND IRRIGATION | $9.52 | $9.52 | 5 |
| Operating Engineer | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (CRANES) | $49.86 | $39.47 | 116 |
| Painter | PAINTER (BRUSH, ROLLER AND SPRAY), EXCLUDES DRYWALL FINISHING/TAPING | $21.65 | $17.24 | 8 |
| Pile Driver | PILEDRIVER | $21.48 | $21.48 | 3 |
| Plaster Tender | LABORERS: PLASTER TENDER | $11.10 | $11.10 | 1 |
| Plasterer | PLASTERER | $41.64 | $31.34 | 4 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter | PLUMBER | $51.59 | $39.98 | 17 |
| Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic | HVAC MECHANIC (PIPE & SYSTEM INSTALLATION ONLY) | $12.82 | $12.82 | 3 |
| Roofer | ROOFER | $15.40 | $15.40 | 4 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | SHEET METAL WORKER (HVAC DUCT INSTALLATION ONLY) | $43.55 | $29.70 | 8 |
| Siding & Gutter Installer | GUTTER AND SIDING INSTALLER | $20.00 | $18.59 | 1 |
| Striping & Traffic Control Worker | PAVEMENT MARKING MACHINE OPERATOR | $17.12 | $17.12 | 3 |
| Teamster (Truck Driver) | TRUCK DRIVER: WATER TRUCK | $16.11 | $12.00 | 30 |
| Telecommunications Technician | ELECTRICIAN (LOW VOLTAGE WIRING ONLY) | $19.68 | $18.00 | 4 |
| Terrazzo Worker · Harris County group | Terrazzo Installer | $16.20 | incl. | 1 |
| Tile Finisher | TILE FINISHER | $12.00 | $12.00 | 2 |
| Tile Setter | TILE SETTER | $16.17 | $16.17 | 4 |
| Waterproofer | WATERPROOFER | $14.39 | $14.39 | 3 |
| Welder | WELDER | $20.97 | $20.97 | 3 |
Wage determinations for Harris County
The WD that applies depends on the kind of construction. Every rate on this page names its WD and modification.
| Construction | Wage determination | Modification | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | TX20260253 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Residential | TX20260067 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Highway | TX20260299 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Heavy | TX20260031 Excludes Flood Control | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
Specialty WDs also cover Harris County for narrow kinds of work, and don't stand in for the rates above: TX20260033 (Dredging projects along the Texas Gulf Coast Area including all public channels, harbors, ); TX20260034 (Flood Control Projects Only).
Questions about Harris County rates
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Harris County?
$49.21 an hour: a $38.50 base wage plus $10.71 in fringe benefits, for the main classification, under wage determination TX20260253, modification 1. Overtime and every electrician rate in Harris County.
What is the prevailing wage for a laborer in Harris County?
$11.76 an hour: a $11.76 base wage plus $0.00 in fringe benefits, for the main classification (LABORER: COMMON OR GENERAL), under wage determination TX20260253, modification 1. Overtime and every laborer rate in Harris County.
Does the prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. The rate is a base wage plus fringe benefits, and the employer owes both for every hour. For elevator constructor, the highest-paid trade in Harris County, the $92.03 total is a $53.59 base wage plus $38.44 in fringe benefits.
Which Davis-Bacon wage determination covers Harris County?
It depends on the kind of construction: TX20260253 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for building construction, TX20260067 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for residential construction, TX20260299 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for highway construction and TX20260031 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for heavy construction. Your contract names the one that applies.
Does Harris County share its rates with other counties?
For 2 of its 38 trades, yes: DOL sets the same rates, row for row, in other counties too. Asbestos and lead abatement laborer rates, for example, are the same in 17 counties (the Harris County group). The other 36 are Harris County's own.