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Natrona County, WY · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in Natrona County, Wyoming
$32.02an hour, base wage + fringe benefits (our sum)
$27.69 base wage + $4.33 fringe benefits · Building construction · Public building projects (statewide)
On Wyoming public works in Natrona County, an operating engineer must be paid at least $32.02 an hour: a $27.69 base wage plus $4.33 in fringe benefits. DWS prints no total, so $32.02 is our sum of the two.
DWS 2026 rates (effective May 1, 2026); this rate, effective May 1, 2026. The public body gets the rates from DWS before awarding and puts them in the call for bids and the contract, and DWS's finding is final for that contract (W.S. 27-4-405(a)). A May 1 change doesn't reprice a contract already bid. Checked against dws.wyo.gov on October 25, 2026.
DWS lists 13 operating engineer rates for Natrona County, from $32.02 to $66.00 an hour. See all of them.
- DWS method: wage by weighted average, fringe by weighted average.
Base wage and fringe benefits: $27.69 + $4.33
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. DWS 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) | $27.69 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $4.33 |
| Base + fringe benefits (our sum; DWS prints no total) | $32.02 |
DWS's data note: DWS prints wage and fringe only; total = wage + fringe
When does this rate change?
- DWS's finding is final for the contract it was issued for, so a later May 1 change doesn't reach a contract already bid (W.S. 27-4-405(a)).
- The 2026 rates took effect May 1, 2026. DWS publishes notice of new rates each year; objections are due within 15 days (W.S. 27-4-406).
Every operating engineer rate in Natrona County
As DWS lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Operating Engineers - Group VIBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$66.00
- Operating Engineers - Group VIIBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$66.00
- Operating Engineers - Group VBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$55.88
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 3Heavy and highway · Federal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA$47.44
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 3Heavy and highway · State-only heavy & highway projects (statewide)$45.05
- Operating Engineers - Group IVBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$39.81
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 2Heavy and highway · Federal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA$38.77
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 1Heavy and highway · Federal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA$35.97
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 2Heavy and highway · State-only heavy & highway projects (statewide)$35.86
- Operating Engineers - Group IIBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$34.28
- Operating Engineers - Group IIIBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$34.28
- Power Equipment Operators: Group 1Heavy and highway · State-only heavy & highway projects (statewide)$32.97
- Operating Engineers - Group IBuilding construction · Public building projects (statewide)$32.02
| Classification | Base wage | Fringe benefits | Total rate | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Engineers - Group IBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $27.69 | $4.33 | $32.02 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group IIBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group IIIBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group IVBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $33.93 | $5.88 | $39.81 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group VBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $50.00 | $5.88 | $55.88 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group VIBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $50.00 | $16.00 | $66.00 | May 1, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers - Group VIIBuilding constructionPublic building projects (statewide) | $50.00 | $16.00 | $66.00 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 1Heavy and highwayState-only heavy & highway projects (statewide) | $26.20 | $6.77 | $32.97 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 1Heavy and highwayFederal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA | $24.76 | $11.21 | $35.97 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 2Heavy and highwayState-only heavy & highway projects (statewide) | $28.55 | $7.31 | $35.86 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 2Heavy and highwayFederal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA | $27.56 | $11.21 | $38.77 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 3Heavy and highwayState-only heavy & highway projects (statewide) | $37.74 | $7.31 | $45.05 | May 1, 2026 |
| Power Equipment Operators: Group 3Heavy and highwayFederal highway & construction projects in the Casper MSA | $36.23 | $11.21 | $47.44 | May 1, 2026 |
Davis-Bacon operating engineer rate in Natrona County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. Wyoming's Act doesn't apply where it conflicts with federal prevailing wage rules (W.S. 27-4-413); federal jobs use DWS's federal-project columns and the Davis-Bacon rate.
We don't put a federal figure next to DWS's here, because the federal determinations split this trade into groups that don't line up with DWS's. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base wage | Total rate | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building | OPERATING ENGINEERS: GROUP 2 ASPHALT PLANT OPERATOR; BACKHOE OPERATOR; CABLEWAY OPERATOR; CMI MACHINE & SIMILAR OPERATOR; COMPACTOR OPERATOR; CONCRETE BATCH …SAWY2026-001 | $29.95 | $34.28 | WY20260041 Mod 2 |
| Building | OPERATING ENGINEERS: GROUP 5 CARRY LIFT OPERATOR; CRANES (UNDER 25 TONS); GRADE-ALL; INSTRUMENT MAN; LOADER OPERATOR (4 TO 8 YARDS); MOLE OPERATOR; MOTOR …SAWY2026-001 | $50.00 | $55.88 | WY20260041 Mod 2 |
| Building | OPERATING ENGINEERS: GROUP 6 CRANES (25 TO 50 TONS); FOUR DRUM HOIST; HEAVY DUTY REPAIRMAN, WELDER; HYDROCRANE (30 TO 50 TONS); LOADER OPERATOR (OVER 8 YARDS); …SAWY2026-001 | $50.00 | $66.00 | WY20260041 Mod 2 |
| Building | OPERATING ENGINEERS: GROUP 7 CRANES (OVER 50 TONS); SHOVELS, DRAGLINES, & CLAMSHELLS (OVER 2 YARDS); WHEEL EXCAVATORSAWY2026-001 | $50.00 | $66.00 | WY20260041 Mod 2 |
| Highway, Heavy | POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: GROUP 1 SKID STEER (ALL ATTACHMENTS); AIR COMPRESSOR (ALL TYPES); BACKHOES & EXCAVATORS (TO 5 CY.); BATCH BIN WEIGHMAN, SCISSORMAN …SAWY2026-001 | $24.76 | $35.97 | WY20260043 Mod 3 |
| Highway, Heavy | EQUIPMENT OPERATOR (ELECTRICAL WORK)SAWY2026-001 | $50.38 | $71.70 | WY20260043 Mod 3 |
| Residential | OPERATOR: GRADER/BLADESUWY2004-001 | $16.32 | $20.00 | WY20260002 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. Wyoming Davis-Bacon changes
How Natrona County compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Wyoming
Wage and fringe benefits, nearby
- Natrona Countybase $27.69$32.02
- Converse Countybase $27.69$32.02
- Johnson Countybase $27.69$32.02
- Washakie Countybase $27.69$32.02
Operating Engineer rates in nearby counties
Current DWS rates. Building rates are statewide. Heavy and highway rates differ only for federal projects, between Laramie County, Natrona County and the rest of the state.
| County | Classification | Base wage | Total rate | vs Natrona County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natrona County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | |
| Converse County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
| Johnson County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
| Washakie County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
| Carbon County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
| Fremont County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
| Hot Springs County | Operating Engineers - Group I | $27.69 | $32.02 | same |
Wyoming operating engineer prevailing wage by county, with a map
More from DWS on this rate
- DWS rate sheet, page 1
- DWS Labor Standards forms and resources
- Apprentices and trainees in a registered program get at least 60%, 75% or 90% of the journeyman wage by progress, unless the program sets its own rates (W.S. 27-4-403(c)).
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your base wage to the fringe your employer pays for you and compare the sum with the total. DWS Labor Standards takes complaints (DWS Labor Standards).
Source
Department of Workforce Services (DWS), rate sheet WY-DWS-2026, effective May 1, 2026, page 1: drive.google.com/file/d/16dbgAl-_Z2l7X-MYWI_cI6eLnaGQEDdp/view
We read DWS's 2026 rate sheet and check every number with a second read, and the heavy and highway figures against WYDOT's separately hosted copy; the last run found no mismatches. DWS prints no total; ours is wage plus fringe. How we check · Download Natrona County as CSV · Report an error