Home / Washington / Operating Engineer
Washington · Operating Engineer
Washington operating engineer prevailing wage, county by county
An operating engineer's prevailing wage on Washington public works runs from $68.01 an hour in Whitman County to $96.99 in King County, wages and fringe benefits together. The median county is $92.69.
Main operating engineer classification in each county, L&I period 2026-2, commercial rates. Checked October 24, 2026.
How much does an operating engineer make on prevailing wage in Washington?
8 groups of counties with identical rates and 3 counties with rates of their own, highest main rate first, each split into wage and fringe benefits on one scale. The table below lists which counties are in each group.
- King County group2 counties$96.99
- Whatcom County group2 counties$93.71
- Kitsap County1 county$93.71
- Pierce County1 county$93.71
- Thurston County1 county$93.71
- Yakima County group9 counties$93.00
- Island County group2 counties$93.00
- Lewis County group2 counties$92.69
- Clark County group5 counties$73.15
- Grant County group6 counties$71.08
- Spokane County group8 counties$68.01
Which counties pay which rate
| Counties | Main classification | Total | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| King County group, 2 counties: King, Snohomish | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $96.99 | $66.75 |
| Whatcom County group, 2 counties: Skagit, Whatcom | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.71 | $63.55 |
| Kitsap County | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.71 | $63.55 |
| Pierce County | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.71 | $63.55 |
| Thurston County | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.71 | $63.55 |
| Yakima County group, 9 counties: Chelan, Clallam, Douglas, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Mason, Okanogan, Yakima | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.00 | $62.85 |
| Island County group, 2 counties: Island, San Juan | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.00 | $62.85 |
| Lewis County group, 2 counties: Lewis, Pacific | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $92.69 | $62.56 |
| Clark County group, 5 counties: Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, Wahkiakum | Excavator Operator, Over 20,000 Lbs Through 80,000 Lbs(group 4) | $73.15 | $55.60 |
| Grant County group, 6 counties: Adams, Columbia, Ferry, Grant, Pend Oreille, Stevens | Shovel, excavator, backhoe, tractor: 15 to 30 metric tons | $71.08 | $45.59 |
| Spokane County group, 8 counties: Asotin, Benton, Franklin, Garfield, Lincoln, Spokane, Walla Walla, Whitman | Shovel, excavator, backhoe, tractor: 15 to 30 metric tons | $68.01 | $42.59 |
8 groups of counties with identical L&I rates, and 3 counties with rates of their own.
These are journey-level rates. Registered apprentices are paid L&I's apprentice rate for the trade (RCW 39.12.021), which L&I publishes in its wage lookup.
Questions about Washington operating engineer pay
What is the operating engineer prevailing wage in King County?
$96.99 an hour: a $66.75 base wage plus $30.24 in fringe benefits, under L&I period 2026-2. Overtime and every operating engineer classification in King County.
Does operating engineer prevailing wage include fringe benefits?
Yes. In King County the $96.99 total is a $66.75 base wage plus $30.24 in fringe benefits, about 31% of the total. The employer owes the full amount for every hour worked.
Do apprentice operating engineers get this rate?
Registered apprentices get L&I's apprentice rate for the trade (RCW 39.12.021), which L&I publishes in its wage lookup. Anyone else on the job is paid as a journey-level worker.
Why do some counties have the same operating engineer rate?
L&I often publishes the same operating engineer rates for several counties. Across Washington, the 39 counties with an operating engineer rate fall into 11 distinct sets of rates, and 8 of those sets are shared by more than one county; the largest covers 9 counties (the Yakima County group).
Which county pays operating engineers the most in Washington?
King County, at $96.99 an hour for the main classification. The lowest is Whitman County at $68.01, and the median county is $92.69.