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Milwaukee County, WI · Carpenter

Carpenter prevailing wage in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Which kind of construction is the job?

The kind of construction decides the rate: each wage determination covers one. Residential covers homes and apartments up to four stories.

$76.98an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)

$45.46 base wage + $31.52 fringe benefits

CARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION) · CARP0231-001

$76.98an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)

$45.46 base wage + $31.52 fringe benefits

CARPENTER · CARP0231-003

$76.98an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)

$45.46 base wage + $31.52 fringe benefits

CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES) · CARP0231-002

$76.98an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)

$45.46 base wage + $31.52 fringe benefits

CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES) · CARP0231-002

On federally funded or assisted building construction in Milwaukee County, a carpenter must be paid at least $76.98 an hour: a $45.46 base wage plus $31.52 in fringe benefits, under wage determination WI20260001 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $76.98 is our sum of the two.

Wage determination WI20260001, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for building construction; rate identifier CARP0231-001 (June 1, 2025). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.

On federally funded or assisted residential construction in Milwaukee County, a carpenter must be paid at least $76.98 an hour: a $45.46 base wage plus $31.52 in fringe benefits, under wage determination WI20260027 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $76.98 is our sum of the two.

Wage determination WI20260027, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for residential construction; rate identifier CARP0231-003 (June 1, 2025). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.

On federally funded or assisted highway construction in Milwaukee County, a carpenter must be paid at least $76.98 an hour: a $45.46 base wage plus $31.52 in fringe benefits, under wage determination WI20260010 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $76.98 is our sum of the two.

Wage determination WI20260010, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for highway construction; rate identifier CARP0231-002 (June 1, 2025). Checked against sam.gov on October 25, 2026.

On federally funded or assisted heavy construction in Milwaukee County, a carpenter must be paid at least $76.98 an hour: a $45.46 base wage plus $31.52 in fringe benefits, under wage determination WI20260015 (modification 1). DOL prints no total, so $76.98 is our sum of the two.

Wage determination WI20260015, modification 1, published May 18, 2026, for heavy construction; rate identifier CARP0231-002 (June 1, 2025). 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).

DOL lists 4 carpenter rates for Milwaukee County, from $76.98 to $76.98 an hour. See all of them.

Base wage and fringe benefits: $45.46 + $31.52

The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.

Base wage (taxable)$45.46
Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized)$31.52
Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total)$76.98

Base wage and fringe benefits: $45.46 + $31.52

The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.

Base wage (taxable)$45.46
Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized)$31.52
Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total)$76.98

Base wage and fringe benefits: $45.46 + $31.52

The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.

Base wage (taxable)$45.46
Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized)$31.52
Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total)$76.98

Base wage and fringe benefits: $45.46 + $31.52

The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DOL prints the fringe benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.

Base wage (taxable)$45.46
Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized)$31.52
Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DOL prints no total)$76.98

When does this rate change?

Every carpenter rate in Milwaukee County

As DOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.

  1. CARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)Building · CARP0231-001$76.98
  2. CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES)Highway · CARP0231-002$76.98
  3. CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES)Heavy · CARP0231-002$76.98
  4. CARPENTERResidential · CARP0231-003$76.98
Hourly rate of each carpenter classification in Milwaukee County, highest first, split into wage and fringe benefits.
ClassificationBase wageFringe benefitsTotal rateWD
CARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)BuildingCARP0231-001$45.46 $31.52 $76.98 WI20260001 Mod 1
CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES)HighwayCARP0231-002$45.46 $31.52 $76.98 WI20260010 Mod 1
CARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES)HeavyCARP0231-002$45.46 $31.52 $76.98 WI20260015 Mod 1
CARPENTERResidentialCARP0231-003$45.46 $31.52 $76.98 WI20260027 Mod 1

How Milwaukee County compares

The main carpenter rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.

Every county in Wisconsin

$68.69Douglas$77.38St. Croix
MilwaukeeNearby: Waukesha $76.98, Racine $76.98, Walworth $71.42Each column is a group of counties with about the same main rate; its height is how many. 1 county pays more than Milwaukee, 5 the same, 65 less.

Wage and fringe benefits, nearby

  1. Milwaukee Countybase $45.46$76.98
  2. Waukesha Countybase $45.46$76.98
  3. Racine Countybase $45.46$76.98
  4. Walworth Countybase $41.43$71.42

Carpenter rates in nearby counties

Current DOL rates. Davis-Bacon rates are set for groups of counties, so neighbours often share them; the county where the work is done decides.

CountyClassificationBase wageTotal ratevs Milwaukee County
Milwaukee CountyCARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)$45.46 $76.98 
Waukesha CountyCARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)$45.46 $76.98 same
Racine CountyCARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)$45.46 $76.98 same
Ozaukee CountyCARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)$45.46 $76.98 same
Washington CountyCARPENTER & SOFT FLOOR LAYER (INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK AND DRYWALL HANGING; EXCLUDING BATT INSULATION)$45.46 $76.98 same
Kenosha CountyCARPENTER (KENOSHA, MILWAUKEE, OZAUKEE, RACINE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES)$45.46 $76.98 same
Walworth CountyCARPENTER: INCLUDING ACOUSTICAL WORK & DRYWALL HANGING (DOOR, FLORENCE (EXCEPT AREA BORDERING MICHIGAN), KEWAUNEE, MARINETTE (EXCEPT N.E. CORNER), MENOMINEE, OCONTO, AND SHAWANO (WESTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY) COUNTIES)$41.43 $71.42 −$5.56

Wisconsin carpenter prevailing wage by county, with a map

More from DOL on this rate

All Milwaukee County prevailing wage rates

Are you being paid this rate?

Add your base pay to the fringe your employer pays for you, in cash or into plans, and compare the sum with the total. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division takes complaints: 1-866-487-9243, or dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints.

Source

U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (DOL), wage determination WI20260001 Mod 1, published May 18, 2026: sam.gov/wage-determination/WI20260001/1

We read every active Wisconsin Davis-Bacon wage determination from SAM.gov's own data and check every number with a second, independent read of the same file. DOL prints no total; ours is base plus fringe. How we check · Download Milwaukee County as CSV · Report an error