Careers / Construction Laborers
Construction Laborers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$47,120
United States, 2025
Employment
1,096,780
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$35,090
25th percentile
$38,620
75th percentile
$59,740
90th percentile
$78,090
Most important skills
- Speaking3.3
- Active Listening3.1
- Operation and Control3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Equipment Selection2.6
- Monitoring2.6
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Equipment Maintenance2.5
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 5 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
5
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Speaking | 3.3 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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National median $43,380
Compare with Construction LaborersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $83,680 | 440 | 2025 |
| Kahului, HI | $79,760 | 630 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,960 | 3,040 | 2025 |
| HI | $77,110 | 4,580 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $72,610 | 11,620 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | $71,920 | 960 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $68,470 | 4,420 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $64,500 | 8,670 | 2025 |
| NJ | $64,060 | 23,590 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $63,420 | 11,580 | 2025 |
| MA | $63,390 | 16,210 | 2025 |
| Peoria, IL | $62,960 | 1,020 | 2025 |
| Springfield, MA | $62,660 | 880 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $62,500 | 1,080 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $61,970 | 17,330 | 2025 |
| Salinas, CA | $61,680 | 950 | 2025 |
| Worcester, MA | $61,410 | 1,650 | 2025 |
| Springfield, IL | $61,400 | 510 | 2025 |
| Duluth, MN | $61,340 | 1,390 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $61,270 | 50,870 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Construction Laborers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.