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Annual mean wage of construction and extraction occupations was $48,900 in 2016
April 06, 2017
Construction and extraction occupations had employment of nearly 5.6 million in May 2016, representing 4 percent of total national employment. Over 4.2 million of these jobs were in construction trades occupations, including construction laborers (912,100), carpenters (676,980), and electricians (607,120).
Employment and annual mean wages for construction and extraction occupations, May 2016
Occupation
Employment
Annual mean wages
Construction laborers
912,100
$37,890
Carpenters
676,980
48,340
Electricians
607,120
56,650
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
538,220
68,040
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
451,500
54,870
Construction equipment operators
412,190
49,810
Helpers, construction trades
228,590
30,900
Painters and paperhangers
220,470
41,430
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers
177,340
43,770
Highway maintenance workers
143,320
39,540
Sheet metal workers
134,450
51,080
Roofers
116,410
42,080
Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers
111,650
48,460
Construction and building inspectors
94,960
61,250
Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons
77,560
51,770
Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers
77,410
43,950
Derrick, rotary drill, and service unit operators, oil, gas, and mining
71,860
54,010
Structural iron and steel workers
69,440
56,040
Insulation workers
56,770
45,070
Roustabouts, oil and gas
51,290
40,480
Glaziers
47,140
47,260
Hazardous materials removal workers
44,280
45,500
Miscellaneous construction and related workers
37,070
40,190
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
26,320
38,870
Plasterers and stucco masons
22,810
44,070
Elevator installers and repairers
22,240
76,860
Fence erectors
21,500
36,380
Mining machine operators
20,120
51,800
Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
20,020
53,600
Earth drillers, except oil and gas
18,500
51,240
Helpers--extraction workers
17,660
37,160
Boilermakers
16,660
62,200
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
14,250
52,810
Solar photovoltaic installers
8,870
42,500
Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters
6,310
54,580
Miscellaneous extraction workers
4,320
51,170
Roof bolters, mining
3,930
58,110
Rock splitters, quarry
3,770
34,860
The highest paying construction and extraction occupations were elevator installers and repairers ($76,860) and first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers ($68,040). The lowest paying construction and extraction occupation was construction trades helpers ($30,900). The annual mean wage across all construction and extraction occupations was $48,900, slightly below the U.S. average wage of $49,630 for all occupations combined.
United States Department of Labor
