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Thurston County · Carpenter
Carpenter prevailing wage in Thurston County, Washington
$87.71an hour, base wage + fringe benefits · General Carpenter
$66.98 base wage + $20.73 fringe benefits
On Washington public works in Thurston County, a carpenter working as general carpenter must be paid at least $87.71 an hour in total: $66.98 in wages plus $20.73 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 5 commercial carpenter rates for Thurston County, from $87.71 to $89.38 an hour. See all of them.
L&I also sets a residential carpenter rate in Thurston County: $32.32 an hour. It applies only to the residential projects L&I defines. Residential rates and when they apply.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $66.98 + $20.73
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) | $66.98 |
| Health and welfare | $9.75 |
| Pension | $10.11 |
| Training | $0.77 |
| Other benefits | $0.10 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $87.71 |
Set from: collective bargaining agreement, (Western/Central WA) - Washington, Oregon and Alaska Cascadia Regional Master Agreement Between the Western States Association Of Union Contractors And the Western States Regional Council Of Carpenters Covering The States Of Alaska, Washington & Oregon. 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).
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 carpenter rate in Thurston County
As L&I lists them, commercial rates only (residential rates are below). The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Bridge Dock and Wharf Carpenter$89.38
- Acoustical Worker$87.71
- Floor Layer & Floor Finisher$87.71
- General Carpenter$87.71
- Scaffold Erector$87.71
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustical Worker | $66.98 | $20.73 | $87.71 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Bridge Dock and Wharf Carpenter | $68.65 | $20.73 | $89.38 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Floor Layer & Floor Finisher | $66.98 | $20.73 | $87.71 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| General Carpenter | $66.98 | $20.73 | $87.71 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| Scaffold Erector | $66.98 | $20.73 | $87.71 | Sep 2, 2026 |
Residential carpenter rates in Thurston County
Residential rates apply only to construction, alteration, repair, improvement or maintenance of single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, condominiums and other residential buildings no more than four stories tall (basement included), and only for affordable housing (including permanent supportive and transitional housing), weatherization or rehabilitation of low-income homes, and homeless and domestic-violence shelters. Utilities, streets and structures unrelated to the housing use commercial rates. (WAC 296-127-010(9))
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Carpenters: Journey Level | $32.32 | $0.00 | $32.32 | Aug 31, 2025 |
Davis-Bacon carpenter rate in Thurston 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.
We don't put a federal figure next to L&I's here, because the federal determination for this county has no matching classification. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | CARPENTER (INCLUDES DRYWALL HANGER)CARP0360-001 | $63.98 | $83.11 | WA20260116 Mod 1 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER TENDER, MANIFOLD OPERATOR, ROV OPERATOR (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, …CARP0059-021 | $54.24 | $71.52 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: MANIFOLD OPERATOR-MIXED GAS (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, LINCOLN, OKANOGAN, PEND …CARP0059-021 | $58.24 | $75.52 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: CARPENTER (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, LINCOLN, OKANOGAN, PEND OREILLE, SPOKANE, …CARP0059-021 | $44.21 | $61.49 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: ASSISTANT DIVER TENDER, ROV TENDER/TECHNICIAN (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, …CARP0059-021 | $50.76 | $68.04 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER :BRIDGE, DOCK, AND WHARF CARPENTER (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, LINCOLN, OKANOGAN, …CARP0059-021 | $48.21 | $65.49 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER STANDBY (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, LINCOLN, OKANOGAN, PEND OREILLE, …CARP0059-021 | $55.24 | $72.52 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER WET (ADAMS, ASOTIN, BENTON, CHELAN, COLUMBIA, DOUGLAS, FERRY, FRANKLIN, GARFIELD, GRANT, KITTITAS, LINCOLN, OKANOGAN, PEND OREILLE, SPOKANE, …CARP0059-021 | $110.48 | $127.76 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: BRIDGE CARPENTER (PACIFIC COUNTY. PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY NORTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY …CARP0360-006 | $65.58 | $84.71 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: CARPENTER/DRYWALL HANGER (PACIFIC COUNTY. PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY NORTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM …CARP0360-006 | $63.98 | $83.11 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER (PACIFIC COUNTY. PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY NORTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY WEST TO THE …CARP0360-006 | $125.44 | $144.57 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER TENDER (PACIFIC COUNTY. PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY NORTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY WEST …CARP0360-006 | $71.77 | $90.90 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: CARPENTERS (PACIFIC COUNTY. PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY SOUTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY WEST …CARP0360-007 | $54.69 | $71.50 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DIVERS (PACIFIC COUNTY PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY SOUTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY WEST TO …CARP0360-007 | $108.33 | $125.14 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DIVERS TENDERS (PACIFIC COUNTY PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY SOUTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY …CARP0360-007 | $64.32 | $81.13 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DRYWALL (PACIFIC COUNTY PORTION OF PACIFIC COUNTY SOUTH OF A STRAIGHT LINE MADE BY EXTENDING THE NORTH BOUNDARY LINE OF WAHKIAKUM COUNTY WEST TO …CARP0360-007 | $54.59 | $71.40 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: BRIDGE CARPENTER (CLALLAM, ISLAND, JEFFERSON, SAN JUAN, SKAGIT, SNOHOMISH, AND WHATCOM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY …CARP0425-006 | $65.58 | $84.71 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: CARPENTER (CLALLAM, ISLAND, JEFFERSON, SAN JUAN, SKAGIT, SNOHOMISH, AND WHATCOM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF …CARP0425-006 | $63.98 | $83.11 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER (CLALLAM, ISLAND, JEFFERSON, SAN JUAN, SKAGIT, SNOHOMISH, AND WHATCOM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF WORK …CARP0425-006 | $125.44 | $144.57 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTER: DIVER TENDER (CLALLAM, ISLAND, JEFFERSON, SAN JUAN, SKAGIT, SNOHOMISH, AND WHATCOM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF …CARP0425-006 | $71.77 | $90.90 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: CARPENTERS (CLARK, COWLITZ, SKAMANIA, AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF WORK WITHIN THE DIVING …CARP0503-021 | $54.69 | $71.50 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DIVERS (CLARK, COWLITZ, SKAMANIA, AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF WORK WITHIN THE DIVING TEAM/CREW …CARP0503-021 | $108.33 | $125.14 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DIVERS TENDERS (CLARK, COWLITZ, SKAMANIA, AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF WORK WITHIN THE DIVING …CARP0503-021 | $64.32 | $81.13 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Highway | CARPENTERS: DRYWALL (CLARK, COWLITZ, SKAMANIA, AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES) EMPLOYEES MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM ANY COMBINATION OF WORK WITHIN THE DIVING TEAM/CREW …CARP0503-021 | $54.59 | $71.40 | WA20260001 Mod 4 |
| Heavy | CARPENTER, EXCLUDES FORM WORKCARP0360-003 | $63.98 | $83.11 | WA20260132 Mod 1 |
| Heavy | FORM WORKERSUWA2018-032 | $48.26 | $62.85 | WA20260132 Mod 1 |
| Residential | CARPENTERSUWA2011-016 | $24.80 | $29.52 | WA20260096 Mod 1 |
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 15J:
Holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (9). Any holiday which falls on a Sunday shall be observed as a holiday on the following Monday. If any of the listed holidays falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be a regular work day.
How Thurston County compares
The main carpenter 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
Base wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Thurston Countybase $66.98$87.71
- Lewis Countybase $66.98$87.71
- Mason Countybase $66.98$87.71
- Cowlitz Countybase $56.69$74.70
Carpenter 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).
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Thurston County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | |
| Lewis County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
| Mason County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
| Pierce County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
| Grays Harbor County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
| Kitsap County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
| Pacific County | General Carpenter | $66.98 | $87.71 | same |
More from L&I on this rate
- Scope of work, WAC 296-127-01310: which tasks this trade covers. L&I says the right classification “depends upon determinations published by L&I” (L&I).
- L&I's prevailing wage lookup, for any county, trade and bid date
- Apprentices: registered apprentices are paid L&I's apprentice rate for the trade. Anyone without a registered agreement counts as a journey-level worker (RCW 39.12.021).
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 $87.71. 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, Thurston County, Carpenters (CARP), L&I wage record 149582, 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 Thurston County as CSV · Report an error