Construction Laborers Career, Salary and Skills
Construction Laborers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $47,120 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 1,096,780. Wage data is published for 446 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
47-2061.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$47,120
Hourly median
$22.66
Employment
1,096,780
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.25 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Monitoring | 2.62 | 2.50 |
Typical tasks
- Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
- Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
- Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
- Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
- Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
- Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
- Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
- Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
Technology
- Microsoft Windows
- Autodesk Revit
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
Construction Laborers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Construction Laborers Salary in TXMedian $40,620 · Employment 123,250
- Construction Laborers Salary in CAMedian $60,270 · Employment 88,240
- Construction Laborers Salary in FLMedian $44,030 · Employment 87,040
- Construction Laborers Salary in NYMedian $55,930 · Employment 52,090
- Construction Laborers Salary in New York, NYMedian $61,270 · Employment 50,870
- Construction Laborers Salary in AZMedian $46,590 · Employment 37,630
- Construction Laborers Salary in ILMedian $60,690 · Employment 35,940
- Construction Laborers Salary in PAMedian $49,400 · Employment 35,920
- Construction Laborers Salary in NCMedian $44,720 · Employment 35,620
- Construction Laborers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $41,350 · Employment 34,080
- Construction Laborers Salary in OHMedian $56,080 · Employment 31,910
- Construction Laborers Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $43,960 · Employment 29,670
Related careers
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and PlasticNational median $46,170
- Segmental PaversNational median not published
- Machine Feeders and OffbearersNational median $41,220
- Sheet Metal WorkersNational median $61,800
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNational median $42,660
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and WallNational median $49,120
- Hoist and Winch OperatorsNational median $56,450
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNational median $58,930
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.