Power Line Worker Prevailing Wage Rates in Illinois (2026)
Power Line Workers on prevailing wage projects in Illinois are paid $77.53 to $99.39 per hour, with a median total of $88.46 across the 8 determination records listed below. That total is base rate plus fringe benefits; the median base rate is $55.27, and among the 8 records listing a fringe separately the median fringe is $33.19. Rates differ by county, construction type and funding source, so use the row that matches your project.
Figures above are computed over the 8 hourly records in the table below. They are not a statewide average of all power line workers in Illinois. Most recent determination in this set: May 18, 2026.
How much do power line workers earn on prevailing wage jobs in Illinois?
Every row below is one wage determination line: a power line worker classification, in one county, for one construction type, under one funding source. The rate that applies to your project is the row whose county, construction type and funding source all match it — a Highway rate does not apply to a Building project in the same county, and a state determination does not substitute for a federal one.
| Classification | County | Construction type | Funding | Base | Fringe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Line Construction: Groundman | Cook | Residential | #federal | $48.44 | $29.09 | $77.53 |
| Line Construction: Groundman | Cook | Highway | #federal | $48.44 | $29.09 | $77.53 |
| Line Construction: Groundman | Cook | Heavy | #federal | $48.44 | $29.09 | $77.53 |
| Line Construction: Groundman | Cook | Building | #federal | $48.44 | $29.09 | $77.53 |
| Line Construction (Lineman and Equipment Operator) | Cook | Building | #federal | $62.10 | $37.29 | $99.39 |
| Line Construction (Lineman and Equipment Operator) | Cook | Residential | #federal | $62.10 | $37.29 | $99.39 |
| Line Construction (Lineman and Equipment Operator) | Cook | Highway | #federal | $62.10 | $37.29 | $99.39 |
| Line Construction (Lineman and Equipment Operator) | Cook | Heavy | #federal | $62.10 | $37.29 | $99.39 |
What does the power line worker classification cover?
Line construction covers overhead and underground electrical distribution and transmission — poles, conductors, transformers and substations. It is an outside classification rated separately from inside electrical work, and the groundman, equipment operator and lineman tiers each carry their own rate.
Work typically covered
- Overhead distribution
- Underground duct and cable
- Transmission line
- Substation work
- Street and traffic signal lighting
Also listed as
- Lineman
- Line Construction: Groundman
- Electrician (Lineman)
In this Illinois result set the work appears under 2 distinct classification names.
Power Line Worker rates by county in Illinois
Prevailing wage is set county by county. These are the Illinois counties with power line worker records in the set above — open one to see every classification on that county's determination, not just this trade.
Other trades in Illinois
Power Line Worker prevailing wage questions
What is the prevailing wage for a power line worker in Illinois?
Across the 8 federal-funded determination records WageFinder lists for power line workers in Illinois, total prevailing wage runs from $77.53 to $99.39 per hour, median $88.46. There is no single statewide figure: each county's determination sets its own rate, and the same county can carry different rates for Building, Highway, Heavy and Residential work.
Does the power line worker rate include benefits?
The total prevailing wage shown is the base hourly rate plus the fringe benefit rate. Of the 8 Illinois records on this page, 8 list a fringe amount separately, with a median of $33.19 per hour — roughly 38% of the median total. The rest list no separate fringe, meaning the base rate is the whole obligation. Fringe can be paid as bona fide benefit plan contributions, as cash added to the paycheck, or as a mix of both.
Which Illinois counties have power line worker rates?
This page lists power line worker records for 1 county in Illinois: Cook. Determinations that apply statewide appear under a statewide entry rather than a named county.
How current are these Illinois power line worker rates?
The most recent determination in this set is dated May 18, 2026. WageFinder re-reads the official sources weekly, but the date that matters for compliance is the determination date on the document itself, which is shown on every wage detail page and links back to the government source.
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