Construction Laborer Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Construction Laborer as its own occupation, so this page uses Construction Laborers (SOC 47-2061, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $47,120 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $38,620 to $59,740.
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Closest proxy
Construction Laborers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,090 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $38,620 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $47,120 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $59,740 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $78,090 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $52,030 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $16.87 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $18.57 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $22.66 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $28.72 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $37.54 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $25.02 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2061 Construction Laborers, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $47,120 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 0.92 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 128,900 | 11.8% | $46,740 | $38,350 to $60,890 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 118,700 | 10.8% | $49,940 | $44,070 to $63,490 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 49,940 | 4.6% | $47,650 | $39,480 to $59,650 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 37,200 | 3.4% | $46,330 | $38,940 to $57,500 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 21,360 | 1.9% | $47,260 | $38,960 to $58,400 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 19,410 | 1.8% | $46,920 | $39,100 to $59,780 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 4,910 | 0.4% | $48,100 | $40,640 to $59,670 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 2,960 | 0.3% | $48,370 | $40,660 to $62,260 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 990 | 0.1% | $60,750 | $48,670 to $79,030 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 970 | 0.1% | $48,220 | $37,400 to $61,870 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 710 | 0.1% | $47,530 | $39,470 to $64,340 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 350 | 0.0% | $47,390 | $39,700 to $52,090 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $47,430 | $41,740 to $56,260 | 17,710 | 0.8 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $43,960 | $37,840 to $47,400 | 29,670 | 1.04 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,910 | $41,160 to $51,800 | 29,230 | 1.74 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $42,010 | $36,620 to $47,990 | 16,460 | 0.81 |
| Columbus, OH | $60,540 | $47,760 to $77,340 | 5,590 | 0.72 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $60,890 | $46,290 to $100,750 | 26,690 | 0.84 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $68,470 | $56,850 to $80,910 | 4,420 | 0.55 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $54,240 | $44,620 to $65,830 | 7,950 | 0.93 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 392 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland, NJ | $83,680 | 440 | 1 |
| 2 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $79,760 | 630 | 1.22 |
| 3 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,960 | 3,040 | 0.97 |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $72,610 | 11,620 | 0.69 |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $71,920 | 960 | 0.57 |
| 6 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $68,470 | 4,420 | 0.55 |
| 7 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,500 | 8,670 | 0.92 |
| 8 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,420 | 11,580 | 0.61 |
| 9 | Peoria, IL | $62,960 | 1,020 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Springfield, MA | $62,660 | 880 | 0.62 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 383 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $33,970 | 240 | 0.77 |
| 384 | Laredo, TX | $33,740 | 400 | 0.52 |
| 385 | Gadsden, AL | $32,900 | 280 | 1.18 |
| 386 | Dothan, AL | $32,000 | 600 | 1.4 |
| 387 | Guayama, PR | $27,470 | 90 | 1.05 |
| 388 | Arecibo, PR | $26,530 | 350 | 1.43 |
| 389 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $24,270 | 7,060 | 1.45 |
| 390 | Aguadilla, PR | $24,250 | 620 | 1.81 |
| 391 | Mayaguez, PR | $23,820 | 500 | 1.37 |
| 392 | Ponce, PR | $23,510 | 660 | 1.47 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vineland, NJ | $83,680 | $48,190 | 1.74 times | 440 | 1 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $79,760 | $57,640 | 1.38 times | 630 | 1.22 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,960 | $57,220 | 1.36 times | 3,040 | 0.97 |
| Sandusky, OH | $60,600 | $44,970 | 1.35 times | 300 | 0.84 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $58,140 | $44,470 | 1.31 times | 220 | 0.69 |
| Salinas, CA | $61,680 | $47,380 | 1.30 times | 950 | 0.72 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,500 | $49,990 | 1.29 times | 8,670 | 0.92 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $58,240 | $45,540 | 1.28 times | 430 | 1.48 |
| Peoria, IL | $62,960 | $49,590 | 1.27 times | 1,020 | 0.87 |
| Flint, MI | $57,170 | $45,880 | 1.25 times | 980 | 1.02 |
| Rockford, IL | $58,390 | $47,120 | 1.24 times | 830 | 0.85 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $59,870 | $48,470 | 1.24 times | 100 | 0.3 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $59,500 | $48,400 | 1.23 times | 12,120 | 1 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $61,340 | $50,000 | 1.23 times | 1,390 | 1.58 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $58,900 | $48,260 | 1.22 times | 610 | 1.03 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $58,220 | $48,030 | 1.21 times | 580 | 1.03 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $58,240 | $48,100 | 1.21 times | 640 | 1.06 |
| Springfield, MA | $62,660 | $51,930 | 1.21 times | 880 | 0.62 |
| Akron, OH | $58,830 | $48,840 | 1.20 times | 1,830 | 0.81 |
| Columbia, MO | $56,810 | $47,260 | 1.20 times | 470 | 0.63 |
| Mankato, MN | $59,350 | $49,530 | 1.20 times | 340 | 0.86 |
| Modesto, CA | $60,630 | $50,610 | 1.20 times | 1,070 | 0.78 |
| Kankakee, IL | $54,830 | $45,830 | 1.20 times | 200 | 0.68 |
| Decatur, IL | $61,270 | $51,290 | 1.19 times | 940 | 2.91 |
| Appleton, WI | $59,260 | $49,910 | 1.19 times | 1,030 | 1.18 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 47-2061 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $46,730 |
| May 2025 | $47,120 |
| Difference | +$390 (+0.8%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
| Title | Relationship | BLS occupation | Median | Against Construction Laborer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ironworker (structural and reinforcing) | Same job ladder | 47-2221 Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $62,780 | Higher by $15,660 |
| Carpenter / Framer | Same job ladder | 47-2031 Carpenters | $60,580 | Higher by $13,460 |
| Concrete Finisher | Same job ladder | 47-2051 Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $57,020 | Higher by $9,900 |
| Assistant Superintendent, Data Center | Higher-scope title | 11-9021 Construction Managers | $114,990 | Higher by $67,870 |
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Questions
What is the median pay for Construction Laborer?
The BLS median annual wage for Construction Laborers nationally is $47,120 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Construction Laborer earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $38,620 to $59,740, and 10% earned less than $35,090.
Is this the exact job title?
Construction Laborers is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 1,096,780 jobs nationally in Construction Laborers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Construction Laborer: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Construction Laborer?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
What the published rows say about Construction Laborer pay in the United States
Construction Laborer pay in the United States is represented here by Construction Laborers, SOC 47-2061, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the proxy crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of Construction Laborer, supplies the figures on this page. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, the published annual median is $47,120 and the middle-half endpoints are $38,620 and $59,740.
The Construction Laborer pay in the United States middle-half band spans $21,120 on the annual basis. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $8,500, compared with $12,620 from the median to the upper quarter. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, for an offer against this Construction Laborer crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
Construction Laborer pay in the United States can also be compared with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the annual median for Construction Laborers is $61,270 in May 2025. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, the Construction Laborer crosswalk comparison differs by $14,150 from the the United States median.
Construction Laborer pay in the United States can also be compared with Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, where the annual median for Construction Laborers is $41,350 in May 2025. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, the Construction Laborer crosswalk comparison differs by $5,770 from the the United States median.
Construction Laborer pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 47-2061 are Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation at $98,240 and Pipeline Transportation at $97,060. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national Construction Laborers occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The Construction Laborer pay in the United States matched median changed from $46,730 in May 2024 to $47,120 in May 2025, a difference of $390 up. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 47-2061, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, this Construction Laborer comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
Construction Laborer pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to Construction Laborers, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For Construction Laborer pay in the United States, no Construction Laborer-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about Construction Laborer pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Construction Laborer pay in the United States?
Construction Laborer is mapped to SOC 47-2061, Construction Laborers; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $47,120. The mapping is proxy, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for Construction Laborer?
Construction Laborer pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 47-2061 observation.
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- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.