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Highland County, VA · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Highland County, Virginia
$11.50an hour, base + fringe
$11.00 wage + $0.50 fringe benefits · Building · SUVA2013-017
On federally funded or assisted building construction in Highland County, an operating engineer must be paid at least $11.50 an hour: a $11.00 base wage plus $0.50 in fringe benefits, under wage determination VA20260008 (modification 2). DOL prints no total, so $11.50 is our sum of the two.
Wage determination VA20260008, modification 2, published October 15, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier SUVA2013-017 (January 11, 2016). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.
Virginia's prevailing wage for state-funded public works over $250,000, and for localities that adopt it by ordinance, uses these same rates: DOLI's wage determinations "are based on" the Davis-Bacon ones, with no project-specific determinations (Va. Code 2.2-4321.3; DOLI). Only DOLI's official copy sent to the contracting agency counts for official purposes.
DOL lists 20 operating engineer rates for Highland County, from $11.50 to $56.84 an hour. See all of them.
- This base is below $13.65, the Executive Order 13658 minimum. Contracts that order covers must pay at least that (see the WD's note).
Base wage and fringe benefits: $11.00 + $0.50
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) | $11.00 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $0.50 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total) | $11.50 |
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 Virginia change log lists what each one changed.
Every operating engineer rate in Highland County
As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BULLDOZERBuilding · ENGI0147-015$56.84
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANEHeavy · SUVA2010-025$39.34
- OPERATOR: CRANEHighway · SUVA2016-011$26.68
- OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADE, INCLUDES FINISHINGHighway · SUVA2016-011$26.13
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : BACKHOEHeavy · SUVA2010-025$25.37
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : BULLDOZERHeavy · SUVA2010-025$25.37
- OPERATOR: MILLING MACHINEHighway · SUVA2016-011$21.13
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : LOADERHeavy · SUVA2010-025$19.73
- OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEHighway · SUVA2016-011$19.59
- OPERATOR: LOADERHighway · SUVA2016-011$19.36
- OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighway · SUVA2016-011$19.36
- OPERATOR: MECHANICHighway · SUVA2016-011$19.13
- OPERATOR: ROLLER (FINISHING)Highway · SUVA2016-011$18.96
- OPERATOR: LOADERResidential · SUVA2012-003$18.75
- OPERATOR: ROLLERHighway · SUVA2016-011$18.11
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : EXCAVATORHeavy · SUVA2010-025$17.55
- OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)Highway · SUVA2016-011$17.12
- OPERATOR: ASPHALT SPREADER AND DISTRIBUTORHighway · SUVA2016-011$17.11
- OPERATOR: BROOM/SWEEPERHighway · SUVA2016-011$12.48
- POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuilding · SUVA2013-017$11.50
| Classification | Base + fringe | Base | Fringe benefits | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BULLDOZERBuildingENGI0147-015 | $56.84 | $38.79 | $18.05 | VA20260008 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEBuildingSUVA2013-017 | $11.50 | $11.00 | $0.50 | VA20260008 Mod 2 |
| OPERATOR: ASPHALT SPREADER AND DISTRIBUTORHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $17.11 | $17.11 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: ROLLER (FINISHING)HighwaySUVA2016-011 | $18.96 | $18.96 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: ROLLERHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $18.11 | $18.11 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: PAVER (ASPHALT, AGGREGATE, AND CONCRETE)HighwaySUVA2016-011 | $17.12 | $17.12 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: MILLING MACHINEHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $21.13 | $21.13 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: MECHANICHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $19.13 | $19.13 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: LOADERHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $19.36 | $19.36 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADE, INCLUDES FINISHINGHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $26.13 | $26.13 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: CRANEHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $26.68 | $26.68 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BULLDOZERHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $19.36 | $19.36 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BROOM/SWEEPERHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $12.48 | $12.25 | $0.23 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOEHighwaySUVA2016-011 | $19.59 | $19.59 | $0.00 | VA20260075 Mod 1 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : BACKHOEHeavySUVA2010-025 | $25.37 | $25.37 | $0.00 | VA20260024 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : BULLDOZERHeavySUVA2010-025 | $25.37 | $25.37 | $0.00 | VA20260024 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : EXCAVATORHeavySUVA2010-025 | $17.55 | $16.01 | $1.54 | VA20260024 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR : LOADERHeavySUVA2010-025 | $19.73 | $18.14 | $1.59 | VA20260024 Mod 2 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CRANEHeavySUVA2010-025 | $39.34 | $29.08 | $10.26 | VA20260024 Mod 2 |
| OPERATOR: LOADERResidentialSUVA2012-003 | $18.75 | $18.75 | $0.00 | VA20260130 Mod 1 |
How Highland County compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county or city that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county or city in Virginia
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Highland Countybase $11.00$11.50
- Bath Countybase $11.00$11.50
- Augusta Countybase $16.24$17.11
- Staunton (independent city)base $16.24$17.11
Operating Engineer rates in nearby localities
Current DOL rates. Davis-Bacon rates are set for groups of counties and cities, so neighbours often share them; the county or city where the work is done decides.
| County or city | Classification | Base + fringe | Base | vs Highland County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.11 | $16.24 | +$5.61 |
| Staunton (independent city) | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.11 | $16.24 | +$5.61 |
| Harrisonburg (independent city) | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.11 | $16.24 | +$5.61 |
| Rockingham County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $17.11 | $16.24 | +$5.61 |
| Highland County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $11.50 | $11.00 | |
| Bath County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $11.50 | $11.00 | same |
| Rockbridge County | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $11.50 | $11.00 | same |
Virginia operating engineer prevailing wage by county or city, 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 VA20260008 Mod 2, published October 15, 2026: sam.gov/wage-determination/VA20260008/2
We read every active Virginia 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 Highland County as CSV · Report an error