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Prevailing wage rates in Whatcom County, Washington
L&I lists 549 rates across 60 trades for public works in Whatcom County, 20 of them residential. Of each trade's main rate, commercial diver is the highest at $149.22 an hour in total, and window film installer the lowest at $17.13.
L&I period 2026-2, rates in force on October 24, 2026. A project uses the rates in effect on the date bids are due, for the life of the contract (WAC 296-127-011). Checked against L&I's wage lookup on October 24, 2026.
Whatcom County rates by trade, highest first
Each trade's main rate, highest first, split into the taxable wage and the fringe benefits L&I lists. All bars share one scale. The table below lists the same rates A to Z with classifications.
- Diver & Tender$149.22
- Elevator Constructor$119.17
- Refrigeration Mechanic$107.19
- Heating Mechanic$103.56
- Sheet Metal Worker$103.56
- Heat & Frost Insulator$100.83
- Plumber / Pipefitter$99.87
- Striping & Traffic Control$98.49
- Utility Lineman$98.45
- Electrician$98.34
- Dredger$97.45
- Field Surveyor$96.51
- Ironworker$94.82
- Operating Engineer$93.71
- Pile Driver$89.43
- Glazier$88.41
- Carpenter$87.71
- Insulation Applicator$87.71
- Cement Mason$86.18
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$85.36
- Drywall Finisher$84.77
- Drywall Installer / Lather$84.77
- Boilermaker$83.89
- Bricklayer$82.00
- Marble Mason$82.00
- Plasterer$81.34
- Millwright$80.28
- Brick Tender$75.00
- Terrazzo Worker$73.71
- Tile Setter$71.71
- Inland Boatman$71.28
- Abatement Laborer$71.10
- Laborer$71.10
- Roofer$70.70
- Soft Floor Layer$70.17
- Telecom Technician$65.58
- Ship Repair Worker$63.26
- Tile Finisher$62.54
- Line Clearance Trimmer$62.19
- Fence Builder$60.82
- Flagger$60.82
- Painter$58.84
- Landscape Laborer$55.62
- Sewer Inspection$49.90
- Telephone Line Worker$40.28
- Metal Fabricator$33.09
- Cabinet Maker$24.89
- Water Well Driller$18.02
- Building Service$17.13
- Industrial Vacuum$17.13
- Landscape Maintenance$17.13
- Light Fixture Maintenance$17.13
- Modular Building Worker$17.13
- Motor Shop Electrician$17.13
- Playground Installer$17.13
- Precast Concrete$17.13
- Sign Installer$17.13
- Stage Rigger$17.13
- Street Sweeper$17.13
- Window Film Installer$17.13
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, overtime, notes and residential rates. Click a column heading to sort.
| Trade | Main classification | Total | Base | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer · King County group | Journey Level | $71.10 | $52.92 | 1 |
| Boilermaker · Snohomish County group | Journey Level | $83.89 | $49.51 | 1 |
| Brick Tender · King County group | Journey Level | $75.00 | $56.73 | 1 |
| Bricklayer · King County group | Journey Level | $82.00 | $57.29 | 5 |
| Building Service Employee · Whatcom County group | Janitor | $17.13 | $8.55 | 4 |
| Cabinet Maker (In Shop) | Journey Level | $24.89 | $24.89 | 1 |
| Carpenter | General Carpenter | $87.71 | $66.98 | 6 |
| Carpet & Soft Floor Layer · Whatcom County group | Journey Level | $70.17 | $56.75 | 2 |
| Cement Mason | Journey Level | $86.18 | $60.16 | 30 |
| Diver & Tender · King County group | Diver | $149.22 | $128.44 | 19 |
| Dredger · King County group | Leverman, Hydraulic | $97.45 | $67.20 | 7 |
| Drywall Finisher | Journey Level | $84.77 | $65.37 | 2 |
| Drywall Installer / Lather | Journey Level | $84.77 | $65.37 | 3 |
| Electrical Utility Lineman · King County group | Journey Level Lineperson | $98.45 | $70.75 | 9 |
| Electrician · Whatcom County group | Journey Level | $98.34 | $65.30 | 4 |
| Elevator Constructor · King County group | Mechanic | $119.17 | $70.47 | 2 |
| Fence Builder · King County group | Fence Erector | $60.82 | $42.89 | 2 |
| Field Surveyor · King County group | Construction Site Surveyor | $96.51 | $67.94 | 5 |
| Flagger · King County group | Journey Level | $60.82 | $42.89 | 1 |
| Glazier | Journey Level | $88.41 | $63.76 | 2 |
| Heating Equipment Mechanic · Whatcom County group | Mechanic | $103.56 | $68.05 | 1 |
| Industrial Power Vacuum Cleaner · King County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $9.24 | 1 |
| Inland Boatman · King County group | Boat Operator | $71.28 | $54.39 | 6 |
| Insulation Applicator | Journey Level | $87.71 | $66.98 | 2 |
| Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker) · King County group | Journey Level | $100.83 | $81.42 | 1 |
| Ironworker · King County group | Journeyman | $94.82 | $59.93 | 1 |
| Laborer | General Laborer | $71.10 | $52.92 | 117 |
| Landscape & Irrigation Laborer · Kitsap County group | Landscape Construction/Landscaping Or Planting Laborers | $55.62 | $37.82 | 2 |
| Landscape Maintenance Laborer · Spokane County group | Groundskeeper | $17.13 | $12.00 | 1 |
| Light Fixture Maintenance Worker · Whatcom County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $13.82 | 1 |
| Line Clearance Tree Trimmer · King County group | Tree Trimmer | $62.19 | $44.54 | 5 |
| Marble Mason · Whatcom County group | Journey Level | $82.00 | $57.29 | 2 |
| Metal Fabricator (In Shop) | Journey Level | $33.09 | $23.50 | 1 |
| Millwright · Pierce County group | Journey Level | $80.28 | $57.81 | 1 |
| Modular Building Worker · Pierce County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $8.55 | 1 |
| Motor Shop Electrician · Pierce County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $14.69 | 2 |
| Operating Engineer · Whatcom County group | Shovel, Excavator, Backhoes, Tractors: 15 To 30 Metric Tons | $93.71 | $63.55 | 206 |
| Painter · Whatcom County group | Journey Level | $58.84 | $43.14 | 2 |
| Pile Driver · King County group | Journey Level | $89.43 | $68.65 | 2 |
| Plasterer · King County group | Journey Level | $81.34 | $56.88 | 2 |
| Playground & Park Equipment Installer · King County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $8.55 | 1 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter | Journey Level | $99.87 | $70.22 | 4 |
| Precast Concrete Products Worker | Journey Level | $17.13 | $13.67 | 2 |
| Refrigeration & A/C Mechanic | Journey Level | $107.19 | $73.77 | 2 |
| Roofer · King County group | Journey Level | $70.70 | $53.00 | 2 |
| Sewer & Water System Inspection/Cleaning · King County group | Technician | $49.90 | $34.30 | 6 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | Journey Level (Field or Shop) | $103.56 | $68.05 | 2 |
| Shipbuilding & Ship Repair Worker · King County group | Ship Repair - Electrician: Ship Repair Electrician | $63.26 | $45.40 | 29 |
| Sign Installer | Journey Level | $17.13 | $16.03 | 2 |
| Stage Rigging Mechanic · King County group | Stage Rigging Mechanics (non Structural): Journey Level | $17.13 | $13.23 | 1 |
| Street & Parking Lot Sweeper · Snohomish County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $15.00 | 1 |
| Striping & Traffic Control Worker · King County group | All cleanup required in connection with traffic control stripers work (Group 1) | $98.49 | $77.54 | 11 |
| Teamster (Truck Driver) · Thurston County group | Dump Truck | $85.36 | $56.84 | 6 |
| Telecommunications Technician · Snohomish County group | Electronic Technicians Journey Level | $65.58 | $41.90 | 2 |
| Telephone Line Worker (Outside) · King County group | Telephone Lineperson | $40.28 | $31.83 | 4 |
| Terrazzo Worker · Pierce County group | Journey Level | $73.71 | $53.12 | 2 |
| Tile Finisher | Finisher | $62.54 | $42.40 | 2 |
| Tile Setter | Journey Level | $71.71 | $51.12 | 2 |
| Water Well Driller | Well Driller | $18.02 | $18.02 | 3 |
| Window Film & Tinting Installer · Snohomish County group | Journey Level | $17.13 | $8.55 | 1 |
When Whatcom County's rates took effect
L&I doesn't republish every rate each period; a rate stays until L&I changes it. In Whatcom County, 473 of 549 rates took effect on September 2, 2026. The oldest still in force dates from September 1, 2010.
| Effective | Rates |
|---|---|
| September 2, 2026 | 473 |
| September 1, 2010 | 20 |
| March 5, 2025 | 12 |
| August 31, 2025 | 12 |
| October 9, 2026 | 7 |
| March 4, 2026 | 7 |
| September 24, 2023 | 4 |
| June 3, 2019 | 3 |
And 11 rates on 8 other dates.
Davis-Bacon wage determinations for Whatcom County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's rates. 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. Each trade's page shows its federal rate next to L&I's.
| Construction | Wage determination | Modification | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | WA20260118 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Residential | WA20260101 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Highway | WA20260001 Excludes D.O.E. Hanford Site in Benton and Franklin Counties | 4 | June 16, 2026 |
| Heavy | WA20260134 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
Specialty WDs also cover Whatcom County for narrow kinds of work, and don't stand in for the rates above: WA20260080 (Dredging Construction Projects (Excludes D.O.E. Hanford Site in Benton and Franklin Counti).
Questions about Whatcom County rates
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Whatcom County?
$98.34 an hour: a $65.30 base wage plus $33.04 in fringe benefits, for the main classification (Journey Level), under L&I period 2026-2. Overtime and every electrician rate in Whatcom County.
What is the prevailing wage for a laborer in Whatcom County?
$71.10 an hour: a $52.92 base wage plus $18.18 in fringe benefits, for the main classification (General Laborer), under L&I period 2026-2. Overtime and every laborer rate in Whatcom 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 commercial diver, the highest-paid trade in Whatcom County, the $149.22 total is a $128.44 base wage plus $20.78 in fringe benefits.
Do Davis-Bacon rates apply in Whatcom County?
On federally funded or assisted construction, yes: WA20260118 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for building construction, WA20260101 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for residential construction, WA20260001 (modification 4, June 16, 2026) for highway construction and WA20260134 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for heavy construction. 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.
Does Whatcom County share its rates with other counties?
For 43 of its 60 trades, yes: L&I sets the same rates, row for row, in other counties too. Electrician rates, for example, are the same in 3 counties (the Whatcom County group). The other 17 are Whatcom County's own.