USA · USD
California charge-out rates
Also called CA, Bay Area, LA, and Central Valley. Rates by SubTrack.
California rates sit well above most of the book. Prevailing wage, traffic control, and coastal access all land on the ticket. These USD ranges are public T&M charge-outs. Confirm against the project labor agreement before you bill.
Prices in USD. Fully loaded T&M charge-out, not wages.
California labor
| Trade | Unit | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boilermaker Pressure vessel and boiler work. | /hr | $115 | $135 | $155 |
| Carpenter (Journeyman) Formwork, framing, finishing. | /hr | $85 | $100 | $115 |
| Concrete Finisher Placing and finishing structural and flatwork concrete. | /hr | $85 | $100 | $110 |
| Crane Operator (Journeyman) Mobile and tower crane operation. | /hr | $115 | $135 | $155 |
| Electrician (Journeyman) Industrial and commercial electrical installation. | /hr | $105 | $120 | $140 |
| General Laborer Site labor, flagging, general cleanup and support work. | /hr | $65 | $75 | $85 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator Operator billed separately from bare equipment rate. | /hr | $95 | $110 | $130 |
| HVAC / Refrigeration Mechanic HVAC installation and service. | /hr | $105 | $120 | $140 |
| Instrumentation Technician Instrumentation and controls, industrial plants. | /hr | $120 | $140 | $155 |
| Insulator (Mechanical) Mechanical insulation, industrial settings. | /hr | $95 | $110 | $130 |
| Ironworker Structural steel erection, rebar placing. | /hr | $100 | $120 | $135 |
| Millwright Mechanical equipment installation and alignment. | /hr | $110 | $130 | $145 |
| Painter / Coatings (Industrial) Industrial coatings and blasting. | /hr | $90 | $105 | $120 |
| Pipefitter / Steamfitter Process and utility piping, industrial settings. | /hr | $110 | $130 | $145 |
| Plumber (Journeyman) Commercial and industrial plumbing. | /hr | $100 | $120 | $135 |
| Project Manager Typically billed on T&M for owner-directed extras. | /hr | $150 | $170 | $195 |
| Safety Officer (NCSO/CHST) Dedicated site safety supervision. | /hr | $95 | $110 | $130 |
| Scaffolder Scaffold erection and dismantle. | /hr | $90 | $105 | $120 |
| Skilled Laborer / Pipelayer Grade checking, pipe laying, trench work. | /hr | $75 | $85 | $95 |
| Superintendent Site supervision above foreman level. | /hr | $145 | $160 | $180 |
| Survey Crew (2-person, equipped) Two-person survey crew including instruments. | /hr | $170 | $200 | $225 |
| Truck Driver (Class 1 / CDL-A) Driver billed separately from bare truck rate. | /hr | $75 | $90 | $100 |
| Welder (B-Pressure) Pressure welding; rate typically excludes rig. | /hr | $125 | $150 | $170 |
| Welder with Rig Truck B-pressure welder including welding rig truck. | /hr | $170 | $195 | $220 |
| Working Foreman Trade foreman, typically working with tools. | /hr | $115 | $130 | $150 |
California equipment
| Equipment | Unit | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Compressor - 185 CFM Daily bare rental, fuel extra. | /day | $95 | $120 | $145 |
| Articulated Rock Truck - 40 Ton Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $170 | $200 | $225 |
| Backhoe - Loader/Backhoe Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $90 | $110 | $125 |
| Boom Lift - 60 ft Bare rate. | /hr | $75 | $90 | $105 |
| Dozer - D6 Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $170 | $200 | $225 |
| Dozer - D8 Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $240 | $275 | $310 |
| Excavator - 20 Ton Class (e.g. 320/200) Bare rate; add operator. Tracked hydraulic excavator. | /hr | $160 | $185 | $210 |
| Excavator - 30 Ton Class (e.g. 330/300) Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $195 | $230 | $260 |
| Excavator - 45 Ton Class Bare rate; add operator. Mass excavation class. | /hr | $255 | $295 | $335 |
| Generator - 100 kW Daily bare rental, fuel extra. | /day | $245 | $295 | $345 |
| Hydrovac Truck (2-person crew) Operated rate - includes crew. | /hr | $330 | $375 | $420 |
| Light Tower Daily bare rental, fuel extra. | /day | $120 | $150 | $185 |
| Mini Excavator - 3-5 Ton Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $75 | $90 | $105 |
| Mobile Crane - 100 Ton (operated) Operated and maintained rate. | /hr | $335 | $385 | $435 |
| Mobile Crane - 60 Ton (operated) Operated and maintained rate. | /hr | $260 | $300 | $340 |
| Motor Grader - 140/14 Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $165 | $190 | $215 |
| Motor Scraper - 621/623 Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $235 | $270 | $305 |
| Packer - Padfoot/Smooth 84" Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $110 | $130 | $150 |
| Picker / Boom Truck - 45 Ton (operated) Operated rate. | /hr | $215 | $250 | $290 |
| Scissor Lift - 26 ft Daily bare rental. | /day | $185 | $230 | $270 |
| Site Office Trailer Daily rate, delivery extra. | /day | $45 | $60 | $80 |
| Skid Steer Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $65 | $80 | $90 |
| Tandem Gravel Truck (with driver) Operated rate - driver included. | /hr | $125 | $145 | $165 |
| Telehandler - 10k Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $85 | $100 | $120 |
| Tractor & End Dump (with driver) Operated rate - driver included. | /hr | $150 | $170 | $195 |
| Tractor & Lowboy (with driver) Operated rate - driver included. Equipment moves. | /hr | $175 | $210 | $240 |
| Trencher - Ride-on Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $95 | $115 | $135 |
| Water Truck (with driver) Operated rate - driver included. | /hr | $115 | $135 | $155 |
| Wheel Loader - 3-4 yd Class Bare rate; add operator. | /hr | $140 | $160 | $185 |
California rates FAQ
What are construction charge-out rates in California?
California charge-out rates in this index are fully loaded T&M ranges for labor and equipment, in USD, as of 2026-08. They are not wages. California rates sit well above most of the book. Prevailing wage, traffic control, and coastal access all land on the ticket. These USD ranges are public T&M charge-outs. Confirm against the project labor agreement before you bill.
Are California rates wages or billable T&M?
Billable T&M. Low, median, and high already include a public view of burden, overhead, and margin. They are not take-home pay and they are not a quote.
Can I put these California numbers on an invoice?
No. This is a public benchmark. SubTrack rate sheets lock your crew numbers to the project so every LEM bills the rate the client signed.
Is this index union or open shop for California?
It is a blended public range, not a union package and not a PLA. Confirm against the agreement on the job, then store that number on the project rate sheet.
The index is a benchmark. Rate sheets are how you bill.
Rates shows public charge-out ranges. SubTrack rate sheets lock your crew numbers into a template the field actually bills from, on every LEM.
One template, every job
Labor, equipment, materials, and subs live in one sheet. Assign it to a project and tickets read the same numbers.
OT and markup apply themselves
Standby, overtime, and markup rules ride with the sheet. The field does not retype them.
The client sees what they signed
Line items match the agreed rates. Fewer disputes, faster approvals.
Project rate sheet
Labor · assigned to the job
| Position | Reg. rate | OT rate |
|---|---|---|
| Foreman | $72/hr | $108/hr |
| Operator | $68/hr | $102/hr |
| Laborer | $35/hr | $52.50/hr |