Construction Laborer Prevailing Wage Rates in Iowa (2026)
Construction Laborers on prevailing wage projects in Iowa are paid $36.05 to $44.30 per hour, with a median total of $39.87 across the 50 determination records listed below. That total is base rate plus fringe benefits; the median base rate is $25.42, and among the 50 records listing a fringe separately the median fringe is $14.45. Rates differ by county, construction type and funding source, so use the row that matches your project.
Figures above are computed over the 50 hourly records in the table below, which is the first page of a larger set. They are not a statewide average of all construction laborers in Iowa. Most recent determination in this set: June 25, 2026.
How much do construction laborers earn on prevailing wage jobs in Iowa?
Every row below is one wage determination line: a construction laborer 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.
WageFinder holds more construction laborer records for Iowa than fit on this page. Open a county below, or search all Iowa construction laborers.
What does the construction laborer classification cover?
The laborer classification covers general construction work not reserved to a specific trade, and it is almost always the most heavily subdivided entry on a wage determination — common/general, mason tender, pipelayer, flagger, asphalt raker and landscape laborer can all carry different rates on the same document. The "Common or General" rate is the floor, not a universal rate.
Work typically covered
- Site clearing and cleanup
- Mason tending
- Pipelaying
- Flagging and traffic control
- Asphalt and concrete support work
Also listed as
- Laborer: Common or General
- Mason Tender
- Pipelayer
- Flagger
In this Iowa result set the work appears under 4 distinct classification names.
Construction Laborer rates by county in Iowa
Prevailing wage is set county by county. These are the Iowa counties with construction laborer records in the set above — open one to see every classification on that county's determination, not just this trade.
Other trades in Iowa
Construction Laborer prevailing wage questions
What is the prevailing wage for a construction laborer in Iowa?
Across the 50 federal-funded determination records WageFinder lists for construction laborers in Iowa, total prevailing wage runs from $36.05 to $44.30 per hour, median $39.87. 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 construction laborer rate include benefits?
The total prevailing wage shown is the base hourly rate plus the fringe benefit rate. Of the 50 Iowa records on this page, 50 list a fringe amount separately, with a median of $14.45 per hour — roughly 36% 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 Iowa counties have construction laborer rates?
This page lists construction laborer records for 7 counties in Iowa: Black-Hawk, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Davis, Des-Moines, Dubuque. Determinations that apply statewide appear under a statewide entry rather than a named county.
How current are these Iowa construction laborer rates?
The most recent determination in this set is dated June 25, 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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