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Benton County · Diver & Tender

Diver & Tender prevailing wage in Benton County, Washington

$137.01an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · Diver

$119.23 base wage + $17.78 fringe benefits

Benton County uses the same commercial diver rates as 13 other counties. See all of them on one page.

On Washington public works in Benton County, a commercial diver working as diver must be paid at least $137.01 an hour in total: $119.23 in wages plus $17.78 in fringe benefits for health, pension, vacation, training and other plans. L&I's rate took effect September 2, 2026.

L&I published this rate on August 3, 2026 and it took effect September 2, 2026. Checked against L&I's wage lookup on October 24, 2026.

L&I lists 11 commercial commercial diver rates for Benton County, from $72.61 to $138.55 an hour. See all of them.

Base wage and fringe benefits: $119.23 + $17.78

The wage is the taxable hourly rate. The other lines are what Washington law calls "usual benefits": contributions to health, pension, vacation and holiday, apprenticeship and similar plans. A contractor that doesn't provide a benefit pays its value as wages instead (RCW 39.12.010).

Base wage (taxable)	$119.23
Health and welfare	$9.25
Pension	$7.76
Training	$0.77
Total straight-time hourly rate	$137.01

Set from: collective bargaining agreement, Eastern Washington Northern Idaho Area Master Agreement between The Inland Northwest AGC (A Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America, Inc.) and The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Carpenters-Millwrights-Piledrivers. Where a county has a collective bargaining agreement, L&I adopts its wage and benefits; with more than one, the higher rate prevails. Otherwise L&I uses wage surveys (RCW 39.12.015).

Overtime

L&I overtime code 4X:

Overtime Calculations are based on the hourly rate actually paid to the worker. On public works projects, the hourly rate must be not less than the prevailing rate of wage minus the hourly rate of the cost of fringe benefits actually provided for the worker.

ALL HOURS WORKED IN EXCESS OF EIGHT (8) HOURS PER DAY OR FORTY (40) HOURS PER WEEK SHALL BE PAID AT ONE AND ONE-HALF TIMES THE HOURLY RATE OF WAGE.

All hours worked on Saturdays shall be paid at one and one-half times the hourly rate of wage. All hours worked on Sundays and holidays shall be paid at double the hourly rate of wage. Work performed outside the normal shift of 6 am to 6pm shall be paid at one and one-half the straight time rate, (except for special shifts or three shift operations). All work performed on Sundays and holidays shall be paid at double the hourly rate of wage. Shifts may be established when considered necessary by the Employer.

The Employer may establish shifts consisting of eight (8) or ten (10) hours of work (subject to WAC 296-127-022), that shall constitute a normal forty (40) hour work week. The Employer can change from a 5-eight to a 4-ten hour schedule or back to the other. All hours of work on these shifts shall be paid for at the straight time hourly rate. Work performed in excess of eight hours (or ten hours per day (subject to WAC 296-127-022) shall be paid at one and one-half the straight time rate.

When due to conditions beyond the control of the Employer, or when contract specifications require that work can only be performed outside the regular day shift, then by mutual agreement a special shift may be worked at the straight time rate, eight (8) hours work for eight (8) hours pay. The starting time shall be arranged to fit such conditions of work.

When an employee returns to work without at a break of eight (8) hours since their previous shift, all such time shall be a continuation of shift and paid at the applicable overtime rate until such time as the employee has had a break of eight (8) hours.

Washington has no single overtime rule for prevailing wage. Each rate carries its own L&I code, copied here as published.

Labor cost calculator: a crew's straight-time wage and fringe cost over the job dates.

When does this rate change?

Rates lock at the bid date. A project uses “the rates that are in effect on the date when bids by prime contractors are due”, and they stay for the life of the contract. If the contract isn't awarded within six months of the bid date, the award-date rates apply. Contracts without bids use the date they're signed (WAC 296-127-011).
L&I publishes on the first business day of February and August, and rates take effect 30 days later. Corrections can be published at any time and also take effect 30 days later (WAC 296-127-011(1); L&I publications and corrections). L&I's next set is due February 1, 2027, effective March 3, 2027.
L&I doesn't republish every rate each period. A rate stays until L&I changes it, so each one has its own date. This one was published August 3, 2026 and took effect September 2, 2026.

Every commercial diver rate in Benton County

As L&I lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.

Dive Supervisors$138.55
Diver$137.01
Diving Master$90.85
Manifold Operator Mixed Gas$80.47
Bell/Vehicle or Submersible Operator Not Under Pressure$77.39
Diver on Standby$77.39
Diver Tender$76.37
Manifold Operator$76.37
Remote Operated Vehicle Operator$76.37
Assistant Tender$72.61
Remote Operated Vehicle Tender/Technician$72.61

Total hourly rate of each commercial diver classification in Benton County, highest first, split into base wage and fringe benefits.

Classification	Base wage	Fringe benefits	Total rate	Effective
Assistant Tender	$54.83	$17.78	$72.61	Sep 2, 2026
Bell/Vehicle or Submersible Operator Not Under Pressure	$59.61	$17.78	$77.39	Sep 2, 2026
Dive Supervisors	$120.77	$17.78	$138.55	Sep 2, 2026
Diver	$119.23	$17.78	$137.01	Sep 2, 2026
Diver on Standby	$59.61	$17.78	$77.39	Sep 2, 2026
Diver Tender	$58.59	$17.78	$76.37	Sep 2, 2026
Diving Master	$73.07	$17.78	$90.85	Sep 2, 2026
Manifold Operator	$58.59	$17.78	$76.37	Sep 2, 2026
Manifold Operator Mixed Gas	$62.69	$17.78	$80.47	Sep 2, 2026
Remote Operated Vehicle Operator	$58.59	$17.78	$76.37	Sep 2, 2026
Remote Operated Vehicle Tender/Technician	$54.83	$17.78	$72.61	Sep 2, 2026

Davis-Bacon commercial diver rate in Benton County

Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. When a contract requires both the state rate and the Davis-Bacon rate, paying the higher of the two meets both. The contract documents say which apply.

The federal determinations for Benton County list no commercial diver classification.

Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Washington Davis-Bacon changes

Holidays

L&I holiday code 7E:

Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (7). Any holiday which falls on a Sunday shall be observed as a holiday on the following Monday. Any holiday which falls on a Saturday shall be observed as a holiday on the preceding Friday.

How Benton County compares

The main commercial diver rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and in the nearest counties. All bars use the same scale.

Every county in Washington

Benton $137.01520

$87.92Clark$149.22Chelan

BentonNearby: Franklin $137.01, Walla Walla $137.01, Yakima $149.22Each column is a group of counties with about the same main rate; its height is how many. 20 counties pay more than Benton, 13 the same, 5 less.

Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby

Benton Countybase $119.23$137.01
Franklin Countybase $119.23$137.01
Walla Walla Countybase $119.23$137.01
Yakima Countybase $128.44$149.22

Diver & Tender rates in nearby counties

Current L&I rates. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done. The statute defines “locality” as “the largest city in the county wherein the physical work is being performed”, and L&I publishes rates county by county (RCW 39.12.010).

L&I's commercial diver rates for Benton County are the same as in 13 other counties: Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Lincoln and 5 more.

County	Classification	Base wage	Total rate	vs Benton County
Yakima County	Diver	$128.44	$149.22	+$12.21
Benton County	Diver	$119.23	$137.01
Franklin County	Diver	$119.23	$137.01	same
Walla Walla County	Diver	$119.23	$137.01	same
Grant County	Diver	$119.23	$137.01	same
Adams County	Diver	$119.23	$137.01	same
Klickitat County	Diver Tender	$66.32	$87.92	−$49.09

Washington commercial diver prevailing wage by county, with a map

Notes on this rate

L&I's notes, in L&I's words. Some add premiums for hazardous work, special shifts or certifications.

8I In addition to the hourly wage and fringe benefits, the following depth and enclosure premiums shall be paid. The premiums are to be calculated for the maximum depth and distance into an enclosure that a diver reaches in a day. The premiums are to be paid one time for the day and are not used in calculating overtime pay. Depth premiums apply to depths of fifty feet or more. Over 50' to 100' - $2.00 per foot for each foot over 50 feet. Over 101' to 150' - $3.00 per foot for each foot over 101 feet. Over 151' to 220' - $4.00 per foot for each foot over 220 feet. Over 221' - $5.00 per foot for each foot over 221 feet. Enclosure premiums apply when divers enter enclosures (such as pipes or tunnels) where there is no vertical ascent and is measured by the distance travelled from the entrance. 25’ to 300’ - $1.00 per foot from entrance. 300’ to 600’ - $1.50 per foot beginning at 300’. Over 600’ - $2.00 per foot beginning at 600’. Employees may be required to perform any combination of work within the Diving team/crew, (with the exception of Dive Supervisor) provided they are paid at the highest rate at which he/she has worked for the shift.

Are you being paid this rate?

Add your wage to what your employer pays into health, pension and other plans for you, and compare it with $137.01. Each contractor files an L&I-approved Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages before it's paid, and an Affidavit of Wages Paid when the job is accepted (RCW 39.12.040). On contracts over $10,000 the approved intent and L&I's contact details are posted on the job site (RCW 39.12.020).

Source

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, prevailing wage lookup, Benton County, Divers & Tenders (DIVE), L&I wage record 149860, published August 3, 2026, effective September 2, 2026: secure.lni.wa.gov/wagelookup/

Each figure comes from L&I's lookup and is checked against L&I's CSV export and a second, separate query. How we check · Download Benton County as CSV · Report an error