Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010

47-2061 Construction Laborers

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).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
777,700 1.0 % $16.15 $33,590 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $8.93 $10.93 $14.08 $19.16 $27.66
Annual Wage (2) $18,570 $22,730 $29,280 $39,850 $57,520

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 116,110 21.63 $15.75 $32,770
Nonresidential Building Construction 102,350 15.41 $17.02 $35,410
Residential Building Construction 82,850 14.01 $15.52 $32,280
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 78,480 11.00 $15.40 $32,030
Employment Services 75,480 2.83 $13.34 $27,750

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 75,290 24.74 $18.19 $37,830
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 22,710 23.13 $17.99 $37,430
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 116,110 21.63 $15.75 $32,770
Utility System Construction 74,980 19.44 $16.52 $34,350
Nonresidential Building Construction 102,350 15.41 $17.02 $35,410

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 1,950 1.80 $23.65 $49,190
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 1,010 0.26 $22.41 $46,610
Coal Mining 1,020 1.28 $20.72 $43,090
Other Support Services 1,480 0.54 $20.70 $43,060
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (8) (8) $20.68 $43,020

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 98,680 9.78 1.60 $11.83 $24,600
California 88,440 6.32 1.03 $19.34 $40,220
New York 46,430 5.56 0.91 $22.98 $47,800
Illinois 44,180 7.99 1.31 $19.86 $41,320
Florida 37,970 5.35 0.87 $12.47 $25,940




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Mexico 8,820 11.34 1.85 $12.49 $25,970
Texas 98,680 9.78 1.60 $11.83 $24,600
Wyoming 2,550 9.43 1.54 $14.98 $31,160
Utah 10,820 9.42 1.54 $13.55 $28,180
Louisiana 16,020 8.74 1.43 $12.79 $26,600




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 3,740 6.55 1.07 $24.63 $51,240
New Jersey 17,340 4.60 0.75 $23.42 $48,710
Alaska 2,600 8.43 1.38 $23.33 $48,520
New York 46,430 5.56 0.91 $22.98 $47,800
Massachusetts 14,780 4.74 0.78 $22.20 $46,170

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 29,790 8.41 1.37 $19.96 $41,520
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 29,440 11.79 1.93 $12.04 $25,050
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 25,070 5.03 0.82 $26.62 $55,370
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 20,730 5.43 0.89 $19.27 $40,090
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 15,920 7.95 1.30 $12.06 $25,080
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 14,350 8.53 1.39 $14.16 $29,450
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 13,260 5.79 0.95 $15.02 $31,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 12,730 5.79 0.95 $13.56 $28,200
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 9,630 8.44 1.38 $19.30 $40,140
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 9,010 6.56 1.07 $17.71 $36,830




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Farmington, NM 1,110 23.21 3.79 $12.66 $26,320
Odessa, TX 1,190 20.97 3.43 $12.48 $25,960
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 3,130 20.17 3.30 $13.63 $28,350
Victoria, TX 880 18.89 3.09 $11.25 $23,390
Longview, TX 1,320 14.33 2.34 $11.90 $24,750
Alexandria, LA 830 13.44 2.20 $12.31 $25,600
Pittsfield, MA 450 13.42 2.19 $17.35 $36,100
Baton Rouge, LA 4,720 13.27 2.17 $12.95 $26,930
Greeley, CO 980 12.99 2.12 $15.49 $32,220
Corpus Christi, TX 2,130 12.27 2.01 $11.88 $24,700