Construction Laborer Salary in USA

$23/hr

Compare general site-labor offers by duties, location and dependable paid hours, then review benefits and expenses alongside the hourly rate.

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What Construction Laborers Earn in the United States

Construction laborers prepare sites, move materials, clean work areas and carry out varied building or civil-work tasks. Current national employee wages span $16.87–$37.54/hr, or $35,090–$78,090/year. These BLS figures cover construction laborers, not every trade helper or equipment operator. Employer, location and assignment affect offers. The experience bands are editorial comparisons, not guaranteed raises, legal trade grades or registered-apprenticeship wage schedules.

Hourly rates by level in USA

What construction laborers earn at each stage of the trade in USA, before overtime or per-diem.

Entry · 0–2 yrs
$16.87–$18.57/hr
▲ 0.85% from last year
Skilled · 3–7 yrs
$18.57–$28.72/hr
▲ 0.85% from last year
Lead · 7+ yrs
$28.72–$37.54/hr
▲ 0.85% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$32.00 is above roughly 52% of this market. The top quarter starts at $37.00, and the median sits at $31.50.

10th
$18
25th
$25
Median
$32
75th
$37
90th
$50
YOU · $32.00
Your percentile
52th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$66,560
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
+$1,040
Above the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0
American RecruitsEstimate
Skilled Construction Laborer
USA · Day Shift
Base rate$23.65
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.38
+ First Aid/CPR (OSHA-aligned)$0.25
Effective hourly$24.28
Straight · 40 hrs$971
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$291
Weekly gross$1,262
Annualised · 50 weeks
$63,115
8 OT hrs/week · USA

Who pays the most in USA

Infrastructure crews, commercial building sites and specialty contractors are ranked by national construction-laborer medians. Team coordination, trade congestion and changing sites distinguish these selected employers; other industries may offer different pay.

01 / 03$24.08/hr

Highway, Street and Bridge Construction

Road and infrastructure construction crews.

+ Infrastructure exposure
+ Larger crews
– Traffic exposure
– Weather interruptions
02 / 03$24.01/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial and institutional building sites.

+ Varied projects
+ Team coordination
– Trade congestion
– Schedule pressure
03 / 03$22.79/hr

Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Specialist site preparation and construction services.

+ Diverse assignments
+ Practical experience
– Changing sites
– Variable workloads

Which states pay construction laborers the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$28.98/hr
  2. 02Virginia$20.94/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
Forklift Operator Certification+$0.75$1,560$1154 weeks
Traffic Flagger Certification+$0.38$790$604 weeks
Fall Protection Competent Person+$0.75$1,560$1625 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.38$790$906 weeks
First Aid/CPR (OSHA-aligned)+$0.25$520$758 weeks

What overtime actually adds

At $22.66/hr.

40 hr week
$906
No OT
50 hr week
$1,246
+$16,995/yr
60 hr week
$1,586
+$33,990/yr
70 hr week
$1,926
+$50,985/yr

Questions workers ask

Should jobsite-to-jobsite travel during the day be paid?▾
Generally, yes. Federal guidance treats transfers during the workday as working time, unlike ordinary commuting. Record required loading and departure times as well as arrival. Ask which duties start the paid day and distinguish paid hours from mileage reimbursement.
Is a rain delay on site automatically unpaid?▾
No. Required waiting while you remain available for work can count as working time. Being fully released from duty is different. Ask who decides whether the crew stays or leaves and how those instructions are recorded.
Do construction apprentices get scheduled raises?▾
Registered Apprenticeships include progressive wage increases as skills and productivity develop. Ask your laborer sponsor for the actual wage steps and advancement conditions; the national experience bands here do not replace that schedule.

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Source: Current BLS national construction laborer employee wages, SOC 47-2061; offers vary by location, employer and assigned duties.

Last updated October 20, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.