Pulling the rate table…
POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR leads the highway schedule for Watauga County, NC at $24.66 base plus $0.00 fringe. The active federal wage determination covering highway construction in Watauga County, NC lists 46 classifications with published rates, base pay from $10.00 to $24.66 per hour. The determination was last modified May 18, 2026.
| Classification | Base | Fringe | WD |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLASTER | $21.83 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| CARPENTER | $12.54 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| CEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHER | $14.10 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| ELECTRICIAN(ELECTRICIAN) | $19.19 | $2.39 | NC20260086 |
Across the 46 published classifications for highway work in Watauga County, NC, base pay spans $10.00 to $24.66 per hour with a median of $14.48.
The most recent modification to the governing determination is dated May 18, 2026. DOL's weekly publication cycle means further modifications can post on any Friday.
Most rate lines here carry SU or state-adopted identifiers, meaning they come from wage surveys rather than negotiated agreements. Survey rates change less often but can jump when a new survey publishes.
A wage determination is cited as number plus modification, for example NC20260086 Mod dated May 18, 2026. Your certified payroll should reflect the determination in your contract, not necessarily the newest one.
Save the full determination text with your bid papers the day you price the job. If rates change later, the contract determination is your record of what you bid against.
DOL publishes modifications weekly, generally Fridays. A quick check before running payroll catches a mid-project modification before it shows up in an agency review instead.
The classification that applies is determined by the work performed, not the worker's title. A foreman who works with the tools is generally due the rate for the hours on the tools.
The signed Statement of Compliance may be the WH-347 back page or another document with identical wording. The signature is a federal certification by your company's officer; accuracy is on the certifier.
Certified payroll uses the employee's name and an individually identifying number, normally the last four digits of the Social Security number. Full SSNs do not belong on submitted payrolls.
Synced from SAM.gov July 18, 2026. The wage determination incorporated into your contract is the legally operative document.
| ELECTRICIAN(TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICAN) |
| $15.13 |
| $0.00 |
| NC20260086 |
| IRONWORKER | $14.53 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(ASPHALT RAKER AND SPREADER) | $12.23 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(ASPHALT SCREED/JACKMAN) | $15.22 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(CARPENTER TENDER) | $10.00 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(CEMENT MASON/CONCRETE FINISHER TENDER) | $12.26 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(COMMON OR GENERAL) | $10.68 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(GUARDRAIL/FENCE INSTALLER) | $13.43 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(PIPELAYER) | $12.22 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| LABORER(TRAFFIC SIGNAL/LIGHTING INSTALLER) | $15.85 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| PAINTER(BRIDGE) | $19.62 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(ASPHALT BROOM TRACTOR) | $11.00 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(BULLDOZER FINE) | $16.20 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(BULLDOZER ROUGH) | $13.89 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(CONCRETE GRINDER/GROOVER) | $24.66 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(CRANE BOOM TRUCKS) | $14.44 | $0.53 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(CRANE OTHER) | $19.59 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(CRANE ROUGH/ALL-TERRAIN) | $21.25 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(DRILL OPERATOR ROCK) | $15.25 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(DRILL OPERATOR STRUCTURE) | $20.92 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(EXCAVATOR FINE) | $16.11 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(EXCAVATOR ROUGH) | $13.10 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(GRADER/BLADE FINE) | $19.24 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(GRADER/BLADE ROUGH) | $13.07 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(LOADER 2 CUBIC YARDS OR LESS) | $13.38 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(LOADER GREATER THAN 2 CUBIC YARDS) | $16.01 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(MATERIAL TRANSFER VEHICLE (SHUTTLE BUGGY)) | $17.39 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORMECHANIC | $18.51 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATORMILLING MACHINE | $13.88 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(OFF-ROAD HAULER/WATER TANKER) | $13.87 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(OILER/GREASER) | $14.98 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(PAVEMENT MARKING EQUIPMENT) | $13.33 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(PAVER ASPHALT) | $15.68 | $0.05 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(ROLLER ASPHALT BREAKDOWN) | $14.05 | $0.06 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(ROLLER ASPHALT FINISH) | $14.98 | $0.04 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(ROLLER OTHER) | $11.75 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(SCRAPER FINISH) | $13.87 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(SCRAPER ROUGH) | $11.53 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(SLIP FORM MACHINE) | $20.79 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| POWER EQUIPMENT OPERATOR(TACK TRUCK/DISTRIBUTOR OPERATOR) | $14.67 | $0.06 | NC20260086 |
| TRUCK DRIVER(GVWR OF 26,000 OR LESS) | $11.72 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
| TRUCK DRIVER(GVWR OF 26,001 LBS OR GREATER) | $13.50 | $0.00 | NC20260086 |
* changed in the most recent modification. Survey-based (SU) identifiers are non-union survey rates. Amounts tagged per day or per shift are published that way in the source determination and are not hourly wages; they are excluded from the hourly figures above.