SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers. Construction laborers who primarily assist a particular craft worker are classified under “Helpers, Construction Trades” (47-3010). Excludes “Hazardous Materials Removal Workers” (47-4041).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-2061.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,090 | $2,924 | $675 | $16.87 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,620 | $3,218 | $743 | $18.57 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,120 | $3,927 | $906 | $22.66 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $59,740 | $4,978 | $1,149 | $28.72 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $78,090 | $6,508 | $1,502 | $37.54 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Construction Laborers is $47,120, which is 8% lower. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 53 by median pay. With 1,096,780 jobs, it makes up about 71 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($52,030) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Construction Laborers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($77,110), New Jersey ($64,060) and Massachusetts ($63,390). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,270), Guam ($29,410) and Alabama ($36,900). The most jobs were in Texas (123,250), California (88,240) and Florida (87,040). The occupation is most concentrated in New Mexico, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 4,580 | $77,110 | $71,520 | $37.07 |
| New Jersey | 23,590 | $64,060 | $70,400 | $30.80 |
| Massachusetts | 16,210 | $63,390 | $70,830 | $30.48 |
| Illinois | 35,940 | $60,690 | $67,620 | $29.18 |
| California | 88,240 | $60,270 | $64,870 | $28.98 |
| Minnesota | 28,530 | $60,260 | $64,740 | $28.97 |
| Connecticut | 7,360 | $58,290 | $59,250 | $28.03 |
| Alaska | 3,690 | $58,060 | $59,270 | $27.91 |
| Washington | 25,060 | $57,720 | $61,320 | $27.75 |
| Rhode Island | 2,110 | $57,240 | $61,780 | $27.52 |
| Missouri | 17,050 | $56,730 | $60,850 | $27.28 |
| Wisconsin | 20,330 | $56,100 | $57,960 | $26.97 |
| Ohio | 31,910 | $56,080 | $58,300 | $26.96 |
| New York | 52,090 | $55,930 | $62,180 | $26.89 |
| Oregon | 12,620 | $50,860 | $55,710 | $24.45 |
| Indiana | 28,600 | $50,070 | $54,060 | $24.07 |
| District of Columbia | 2,090 | $50,020 | $52,220 | $24.05 |
| New Hampshire | 4,330 | $49,980 | $51,730 | $24.03 |
| Montana | 4,590 | $49,830 | $51,580 | $23.96 |
| Michigan | 28,490 | $49,590 | $53,130 | $23.84 |
| Pennsylvania | 35,920 | $49,400 | $54,330 | $23.75 |
| North Dakota | 5,050 | $49,070 | $53,150 | $23.59 |
| Nevada | 11,890 | $48,990 | $54,030 | $23.55 |
| Vermont | 1,430 | $48,580 | $51,000 | $23.36 |
| Iowa | 13,780 | $48,490 | $51,580 | $23.31 |
| Colorado | 18,680 | $47,900 | $49,830 | $23.03 |
| Nebraska | 8,530 | $47,260 | $48,350 | $22.72 |
| Maryland | 20,920 | $46,960 | $48,330 | $22.58 |
| Idaho | 10,850 | $46,940 | $48,630 | $22.57 |
| Arizona | 37,630 | $46,590 | $47,910 | $22.40 |
| Utah | 20,950 | $46,550 | $48,410 | $22.38 |
| Maine | 3,960 | $46,430 | $47,800 | $22.32 |
| Wyoming | 3,350 | $46,030 | $45,420 | $22.13 |
| Kentucky | 13,280 | $45,710 | $45,840 | $21.98 |
| South Dakota | 1,780 | $45,710 | $44,310 | $21.98 |
| Delaware | 3,240 | $45,550 | $48,020 | $21.90 |
| Tennessee | 26,250 | $45,000 | $45,970 | $21.64 |
| Kansas | 9,990 | $44,840 | $45,580 | $21.56 |
| North Carolina | 35,620 | $44,720 | $45,250 | $21.50 |
| Florida | 87,040 | $44,030 | $44,550 | $21.17 |
| Virginia | 25,830 | $43,560 | $43,670 | $20.94 |
| South Carolina | 19,620 | $42,940 | $45,470 | $20.65 |
| West Virginia | 6,620 | $42,670 | $45,550 | $20.51 |
| Virgin Islands | 370 | $42,200 | $43,780 | $20.29 |
| Texas | 123,250 | $40,620 | $42,910 | $19.53 |
| Oklahoma | 13,710 | $39,360 | $43,310 | $18.92 |
| Georgia | 27,800 | $38,990 | $41,530 | $18.74 |
| New Mexico | 12,470 | $38,400 | $41,450 | $18.46 |
| Louisiana | 22,100 | $38,230 | $42,250 | $18.38 |
| Mississippi | 8,800 | $37,710 | $40,310 | $18.13 |
| Arkansas | 10,650 | $37,630 | $39,250 | $18.09 |
| Alabama | 18,400 | $36,900 | $37,910 | $17.74 |
| Guam | 800 | $29,410 | $30,400 | $14.14 |
| Puerto Rico | 9,820 | $24,270 | $26,260 | $11.67 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Fence Erectors$47,980 a year
- Helpers--Extraction Workers$47,730 a year
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters$47,550 a year
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$46,960 a year
- Helpers--Roofers$44,160 a year
- Helpers--Carpenters$43,780 a year
Common questions
How much do Construction Laborers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,120 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,090 and the highest-paid 10% more than $78,090.
How many people work as Construction Laborers?
About 1,096,780 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.