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Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
4 Davis-Bacon wage determinations cover Milwaukee County for building, residential, highway and heavy construction, with 141 rates across 31 trades. Of each trade's main rate, elevator constructor is the highest at $100.40 an hour and water well driller the lowest at $16.52, base plus fringe.
The Department of Labor modifies these determinations on SAM.gov in weekly batches through the year; the latest Wisconsin modification we hold is dated May 18, 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.
Davis-Bacon is the only prevailing wage here (federally funded or assisted work). Wisconsin repealed its local law from January 1, 2017 and its state law for projects bid after September 23, 2017 (2017 Act 59; WisDOT).
Milwaukee 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$100.40
- Sheet Metal Worker$88.01
- Plumber / Pipefitter$87.95
- Abatement Laborer$84.03
- Operating Engineer$83.76
- Ironworker$81.19
- Boilermaker$81.15
- Pile Driver$79.18
- Electrician$79.12
- Carpenter$76.98
- Millwright$76.97
- Glazier$74.94
- Bricklayer$73.14
- Marble Mason$73.14
- Terrazzo Worker$69.02
- Cement Mason$68.96
- Teamster (Truck Driver)$68.42
- Tile Setter$68.05
- Plasterer$67.93
- Painter$67.31
- Plaster Tender$64.40
- Striping & Traffic Control$60.83
- Telecom Technician$58.71
- Utility Lineman$40.74
- Brick Tender$40.38
- Heat & Frost Insulator$33.73
- Tile Finisher$21.32
- Roofer$21.29
- Laborer$19.93
- Landscape Laborer$17.13
- Water Well Driller$16.52
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos & Lead Abatement Laborer · Milwaukee County group | ASBESTOS REMOVAL WORKER/HAZARDOUS MATERIAL HANDLER (INCLUDES PREPARATION, WETTING, STRIPPING, REMOVAL, SCRAPPING, VACUUMING, BAGGING AND DISPOSING OF ALL INSULATION MATERIALS FROM MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, WHETHER THEY CONTAIN ASBESTOS OR NOT) | $84.03 | $45.88 | 1 |
| Boilermaker · Milwaukee County group | BOILERMAKER (BOILERMAKER) | $81.15 | $46.52 | 2 |
| Brick Tender | LABORER: MASON TENDER - BRICK | $40.38 | $21.65 | 1 |
| Bricklayer · Milwaukee County group | BRICKLAYER | $73.14 | $45.72 | 3 |
| Carpenter | CARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION) | $76.98 | $45.46 | 4 |
| Cement Mason | CEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHER | $68.96 | $43.27 | 4 |
| Electrical Utility Lineman · Milwaukee County group | LINE CONSTRUCTION: (6) GROUNDSMAN | $40.74 | $26.14 | 12 |
| Electrician | ELECTRICIAN | $79.12 | $50.86 | 14 |
| Elevator Constructor · Milwaukee County group | ELEVATOR MECHANIC. | $100.40 | $61.96 | 1 |
| Glazier · Milwaukee County group | GLAZIER | $74.94 | $49.79 | 1 |
| Insulator (Heat & Frost / Asbestos Worker) · Milwaukee County group | ASBESTOS WORKER/HEAT AND FROST INSULATOR | $33.73 | $25.36 | 2 |
| Ironworker · Milwaukee County group | IRONWORKER. PAID HOLIDAYS: NEW YEAR'S DAY, MEMORIAL DAY, JULY 4TH, LABOR DAY, THANKSGIVING DAY & CHRISTMAS DAY | $81.19 | $47.52 | 5 |
| Laborer | LABORERS: CONCRETE WORKER | $19.93 | $16.34 | 17 |
| Landscape & Irrigation Laborer · Milwaukee County group | LABORERS: LANDSCAPE | $17.13 | $8.73 | 3 |
| Marble Mason · Milwaukee County group | MARBLE MASON | $73.14 | $45.72 | 1 |
| Millwright · Milwaukee County group | MILLWRIGHT | $76.97 | $44.03 | 2 |
| Operating Engineer | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: GROUP 1 CRANES, TOWER CRANES, PEDESTAL TOWER CRANES AND DERRICKS WITH OR W/O ATTACHMENTS WITH A LIFTING CAPACITY OF OVER 100 TONS; OR CRANES, TOWER CRANES, PEDESTAL TOWER CRANES AND DERRICKS WITH BOOM, LEADS, AND/OR JIB LENGTHS MEASURING 176 FEET OR LONGER; SELF-ERECTING TOWER CRANES OVER 4000 LBS LIFTING CAPACITY; ALL CRANES WITH BOOM DOLLIES; BORING MACHINES (DIRECTIONAL); MASTER MECHANIC. $0.50 ADDITIONAL PER HOUR PER 100 TONS OR 100 FT OF BOOM OVER 200 FT OR LIFTING CAPACITY OF CRANE OVER 200 TONS TO A MAXIMUM OF 300 TONS OR 300 FT. THEREAFTER AN INCREASE OF $0.01 PER FT OR TON, WHICHEVER IS GREATER. (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES) HAZARDOUS WASTE PREMIUMS: EPA LEVEL "A" PROTECTION: $3.00 PER HOUR EPA LEVEL "B" PROTECTION: $2.00 PER HOUR EPA LEVEL "C" PROTECTION: $1.00 PER HOUR | $83.76 | $55.21 | 25 |
| Painter · Milwaukee County group | PAINTERS: (1) BRUSH, ROLLER | $67.31 | $42.44 | 9 |
| Pile Driver · Milwaukee County group | PILEDRIVERMAN | $79.18 | $44.39 | 3 |
| Plaster Tender · Milwaukee County group | LABORER: (1) GENERAL LABORER (INCLUDING PLASTER TENDER) | $64.40 | $40.48 | 1 |
| Plasterer · Milwaukee County group | PLASTERER | $67.93 | $39.89 | 1 |
| Plumber / Pipefitter | PLUMBER (INCLUDING HVAC WORK) | $87.95 | $60.05 | 7 |
| Roofer | ROOFER | $21.29 | $18.01 | 2 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | SHEET METAL WORKER (INCLUDING HVAC DUCT WORK AND TECHNICIANS) | $88.01 | $58.03 | 4 |
| Striping & Traffic Control Worker · Milwaukee County group | LABORER: GROUP 6 FLAGPERSON; TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSON (MILWAUKEE AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES) | $60.83 | $35.30 | 2 |
| Teamster (Truck Driver) · Milwaukee County group | TRUCK DRIVER (3 OR MORE AXLES) | $68.42 | $39.72 | 8 |
| Telecommunications Technician · Milwaukee County group | SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS (TECHNICIAN) | $58.71 | $37.13 | 2 |
| Terrazzo Worker · Milwaukee County group | TERRAZZO WORKER | $69.02 | $42.24 | 1 |
| Tile Finisher · Milwaukee County group | TILE & MARBLE FINISHER | $21.32 | $13.89 | 1 |
| Tile Setter · Milwaukee County group | TILE LAYER | $68.05 | $41.27 | 1 |
| Water Well Driller · Milwaukee County group | WELL DRILLER | $16.52 | $16.52 | 1 |
Wage determinations for Milwaukee 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 | WI20260001 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Residential | WI20260027 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Highway | WI20260010 | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
| Heavy | WI20260015 Excluding Tunnel, Sewer, and Water Lines | 1 | May 18, 2026 |
Specialty WDs also cover Milwaukee County for narrow kinds of work, and don't stand in for the rates above: WI20260008 (Tunnel, Sewer & Water Line Construction Projects).
Questions about Milwaukee County rates
How much does an electrician make on prevailing wage in Milwaukee County?
$79.12 an hour: a $50.86 base wage plus $28.26 in fringe benefits, for the main classification, under wage determination WI20260001, modification 1. Overtime and every electrician rate in Milwaukee County.
What is the prevailing wage for a laborer in Milwaukee County?
$19.93 an hour: a $16.34 base wage plus $3.59 in fringe benefits, for the main classification (LABORERS: CONCRETE WORKER), under wage determination WI20260001, modification 1. Overtime and every laborer rate in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County, the $100.40 total is a $61.96 base wage plus $38.44 in fringe benefits.
Which Davis-Bacon wage determination covers Milwaukee County?
It depends on the kind of construction: WI20260001 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for building construction, WI20260027 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for residential construction, WI20260010 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for highway construction and WI20260015 (modification 1, May 18, 2026) for heavy construction. Your contract names the one that applies.
Does Milwaukee County share its rates with other counties?
For 22 of its 31 trades, yes: DOL sets the same rates, row for row, in other counties too. Painter rates, for example, are the same in 4 counties (the Milwaukee County group). The other 9 are Milwaukee County's own.