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Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in James City County, Virginia
4 Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover James City County for building, residential, highway and heavy construction, with 107 rates across 26 trades. Of each trade's main rate, elevator constructor is the highest at $90.50 an hour and landscape and irrigation laborer the lowest at $11.72, base plus fringe.
The Department of Labor modifies these determinations on SAM.gov in weekly batches through the year; the latest Virginia modification we hold is dated October 15, 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.
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.
James City 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$90.50
- Boilermaker$66.36
- Heat & Frost Insulator$60.94
- Plumber / Pipefitter$55.17
- Electrician$51.06
- Ironworker$49.28
- Tile Setter$38.05
- Bricklayer$32.67
- Pile Driver$25.91
- Glazier$24.04
- Tile Finisher$23.40
- Painter$22.93
- Operating Engineer$22.04
- Sheet Metal Worker$22.04
- Roofer$20.71
- Caulker$19.82
- Carpenter$18.56
- Soft Floor Layer$17.50
- Cement Mason$17.48
- Brick Tender$16.75
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$16.25
- Laborer$14.36
- Drywall Finisher$14.00
- Drywall Installer / Lather$13.79
- Striping & Traffic Control$12.89
- Landscape Laborer$11.72
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boilermaker · James City County group | BOILERMAKER | $66.36 | $38.97 | 2 |
| Brick Tender · James City County group | LABORER: MASON TENDER - BRICK | $16.75 | $13.48 | 2 |
| Bricklayer · Suffolk (independent city) group | BRICKLAYER | $32.67 | $22.44 | 1 |
| Carpenter · James City County group | CARPENTER (INCLUDES ACOUSTICAL CEILING INSTALLATION, DRYWALL HANGING, AND FORM WORK) | $18.56 | $18.56 | 4 |
| Carpet & Soft Floor Layer · Suffolk (independent city) group | FLOOR LAYER: CARPET | $17.50 | $17.50 | 1 |
| Caulker · James City County group | CAULKER | $19.82 | $18.49 | 1 |
| Cement Mason · James City County group | CEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHER | $17.48 | $17.48 | 4 |
| Drywall Finisher · Suffolk (independent city) group | DRYWALL FINISHER/TAPER | $14.00 | $14.00 | 1 |
| Drywall Installer / Lather · Suffolk (independent city) group | DRYWALL HANGER AND METAL STUD INSTALLER | $13.79 | $13.79 | 1 |
| Electrician · James City County group | ELECTRICIAN (INCLUDES LOW VOLTAGE WIRING AND ALARM INSTALLATION) | $51.06 | $34.03 | 4 |
| Elevator Constructor · James City County group | ELEVATOR MECHANIC (ADDITIONAL FRINGE BENEFITS INCLUE THE FOLLOWING A) PAID HOLIDAYS: NEW YEAR'S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, LABOR DAY, VETERANS' DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING DAY AND CHRISTMAS DAY AND B) VACATIONS: 6% MEN UNDER 5 YEARS BASED ON REGULAR HOURLY RATE AND 8% MEN OVER 5 YEARS BASED ON REGULAR HOURLY RATE FOR ALL HOURS WORKED.) | $90.50 | $52.06 | 2 |
| Glazier · James City County group | GLAZIER | $24.04 | $19.36 | 1 |
| Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker) · James City County group | ASBESTOS WORKER/HEAT & FROST INSULATOR - MECHANICAL (DUCT, PIPE & MECHANICAL SYSTEM INSULATION) (ADDITIONAL FRINGE BENEFITS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PAID HOLIDAYS: NEW YEAR'S DAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, LABOR DAY, VETERANS' DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY, THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS DAY PROVIDED THE EMPLOYEE WORKS THE REGULAR WORK DAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE PAID HOLIDAY.) | $60.94 | $40.77 | 1 |
| Ironworker · James City County group | IRONWORKER: STRUCTURAL AND ORNAMENTAL | $49.28 | $31.00 | 8 |
| Laborer · James City County group | LABORER: PIPELAYER | $14.36 | $12.40 | 13 |
| Landscape & Irrigation Laborer · Suffolk (independent city) group | LABORER: LANDSCAPE | $11.72 | $11.72 | 1 |
| Operating Engineer · James City County group | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: BACKHOE/EXCAVATOR/TRACKHOE | $22.04 | $20.69 | 36 |
| Painter · James City County group | PAINTER: BRUSH AND ROLLER | $22.93 | $17.34 | 3 |
| Pile Driver · Virginia Beach (independent city) group | OPERATOR: PILEDRIVER | $25.91 | $21.83 | 1 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter · James City County group | PLUMBER | $55.17 | $36.92 | 5 |
| Roofer · James City County group | ROOFER | $20.71 | $18.40 | 2 |
| Sheet Metal Worker · James City County group | SHEET METAL WORKER (INCLUDES HVAC DUCT INSTALLATION) | $22.04 | $19.24 | 2 |
| Striping & Traffic Control Worker · Virginia Beach (independent city) group | TRAFFIC CONTROL: FLAGGER | $12.89 | $12.89 | 1 |
| Teamster (Truck Driver) · James City County group | TRUCK DRIVER: DUMP TRUCK | $16.25 | $15.50 | 8 |
| Tile Finisher · James City County group | TILE FINISHER | $23.40 | $23.40 | 1 |
| Tile Setter · James City County group | TILE SETTER | $38.05 | $27.80 | 1 |
Wage determinations for James City 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 | VA20260157 | 3 | October 15, 2026 |
| Residential | VA20260153 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Highway | VA20260195 * Designates Independent City | 3 | August 13, 2026 |
| Heavy | VA20260213 * Designates Independent City | 2 | October 15, 2026 |
Specialty WDs also cover James City County for narrow kinds of work, and don't stand in for the rates above: VA20260001 (Dredging / * Designates Independent City).
Questions about James City County rates
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in James City County?
$51.06 an hour: a $34.03 base wage plus $17.03 in fringe benefits, for the main classification, under wage determination VA20260157, modification 3. Overtime and every electrician rate in James City County.
What is the prevailing wage for a laborer in James City County?
$14.36 an hour: a $12.40 base wage plus $1.96 in fringe benefits, for the main classification (LABORER: PIPELAYER), under wage determination VA20260157, modification 3. Overtime and every laborer rate in James City 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 James City County, the $90.50 total is a $52.06 base wage plus $38.44 in fringe benefits.
Which Davis-Bacon wage determination covers James City County?
It depends on the kind of construction: VA20260157 (modification 3, October 15, 2026) for building construction, VA20260153 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for residential construction, VA20260195 (modification 3, August 13, 2026) for highway construction and VA20260213 (modification 2, October 15, 2026) for heavy construction. Your contract names the one that applies.
Does James City County share its rates with other counties?
For 26 of its 26 trades, yes: DOL sets the same rates, row for row, in other counties too. Electrician rates, for example, are the same in 2 counties (the James City County group).