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Occupational Employment Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

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)
912,100 0.7 % $18.22 $37,890 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $10.34 $12.76 $16.07 $21.67 $30.09
Annual Wage (2) $21,510 $26,550 $33,430 $45,080 $62,600

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 153,460 23.95 $18.17 $37,790
Residential Building Construction 113,590 15.88 $16.94 $35,240
Nonresidential Building Construction 111,040 14.64 $19.44 $40,430
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 106,570 12.61 $17.74 $36,890
Utility System Construction 96,830 19.74 $18.71 $38,920

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 80,890 24.65 $20.84 $43,340
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 153,460 23.95 $18.17 $37,790
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 22,560 20.38 $19.49 $40,540
Utility System Construction 96,830 19.74 $18.71 $38,920
Residential Building Construction 113,590 15.88 $16.94 $35,240

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers 300 0.11 $28.22 $58,690
Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (8) (8) $26.19 $54,470
Boiler, Tank, and Shipping Container Manufacturing 120 0.13 $25.53 $53,100
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 230 (7) $25.51 $53,050
Motion Picture and Video Industries 310 0.07 $24.51 $50,990

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 100,600 8.57 1.32 $14.62 $30,400
California 92,250 5.78 0.89 $21.26 $44,220
New York 61,050 6.71 1.03 $23.11 $48,080
Florida 57,090 6.94 1.07 $14.00 $29,120
Pennsylvania 38,180 6.64 1.02 $18.61 $38,710




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)
North Dakota 5,380 12.64 1.95 $19.10 $39,730
New Mexico 9,480 11.78 1.81 $14.30 $29,750
Wyoming 3,070 11.12 1.71 $16.45 $34,210
West Virginia 7,400 10.61 1.63 $16.47 $34,250
Montana 4,720 10.38 1.60 $18.06 $37,570




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 31,260 5.29 0.82 $27.01 $56,180
Hawaii 5,570 8.80 1.36 $27.01 $56,180
Massachusetts 18,980 5.48 0.84 $25.84 $53,750
New Jersey 25,350 6.41 0.99 $24.05 $50,030
Alaska 2,820 8.73 1.34 $23.88 $49,680