Profession · Full profile

Construction Laborer

Does the physical work on construction sites: digging, hauling, site prep, cleanup and helping the trades.

Average salary

$47,120

Salary range

$35,090 – $78,090

Training time

Short on-the-job training

Job market

Much faster than average

9/10

Work-life balance

Demanding

4/10

A construction laborer does the physical work that keeps a construction site moving. Typical tasks include preparing and cleaning sites, loading and unloading materials, digging and backfilling trenches, building scaffolding and bracing, running jackhammers, saws and earth tampers, signaling equipment operators and helping tradesworkers such as carpenters, masons and plumbers. Road crew laborers may also set up traffic control and break up pavement. No formal education is required; most laborers learn on the job, and some complete union or trade association apprenticeships. The median wage for construction laborers is $47,120 a year, or $22.66 an hour. Employment is projected to grow 7% over the next decade, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 120,000 openings a year.

A workday

A day in the life

What does a workday really look like?

A laborer on a general contractor's crew prepares the ground and supports the concrete crew on a new commercial building.

6:30 AM - 6:45 AM
Toolbox safety talk
The foreman reviews the day's tasks and hazards; hard hat, safety glasses, gloves and steel-toed boots go on.
6:45 AM - 7:30 AM
Unload and stage materials
Unloads the morning delivery of rebar, forms and pipe and moves each load to where the crews need it.
7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Dig and backfill a utility trench
Shovels and rakes around a trench for water lines, then backfills and compacts the soil to grade with a tamper.
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Break
Water and a short rest, which matters on hot days in full protective gear.
9:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Set forms with the concrete crew
Carries, aligns and braces the forms that shape a poured wall, measuring and marking positions from the plans.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
Lunch
Eaten on site, often in a truck or job trailer.
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Move scaffolding and assist the trades
Helps take down and re-erect a scaffold section and carries materials for the masons working above.
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Clean and service tools
Cleans the mixer and hand tools, checks the generator and compressor, and reports any damaged equipment.
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Clear debris and secure the site
Removes scrap and trip hazards, sorts waste for reuse or disposal and locks up tools before leaving.

Task breakdown

A laborer on a road crew works overnight to repair a highway section while traffic is light.

7:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Crew briefing and traffic plan
Reviews the lane closure plan, each person's position and the hazards of working next to live traffic.
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Set up the lane closure
Places cones, signs and lights in the right sequence and controls traffic until the work zone is protected.
9:00 PM - 11:30 PM
Break out damaged pavement
Runs a pavement breaker or jackhammer to cut out failed concrete and asphalt, rotating with crew members.
11:30 PM - 12:00 AM
Meal break
A half-hour break in the crew truck, away from the active lane.
12:00 AM - 2:30 AM
Load debris and compact the base
Signals the loader operator, clears broken pavement and compacts the new base material with a plate tamper.
2:30 AM - 2:45 AM
Short break
Water and a rest; cold or wet nights make breaks more important.
2:45 AM - 4:30 AM
Help the paving crew
Tends the asphalt equipment, rakes hot asphalt into place and checks the surface level behind the paver.
4:30 AM - 5:30 AM
Pick up the work zone
Removes cones and signs in reverse order so lanes reopen before the morning rush hour.
5:30 AM - 6:00 AM
Service equipment and sign out
Cleans and fuels the breakers and tampers, notes any repairs needed and records hours on the crew timesheet.

Salary data

What do you really earn?

Salary by experience, sector and region.

Minimum

$35,090

Average

$47,120

Maximum

$78,090

Salary by region

Region	Min	Avg.	Max
National	$35,090	$47,120	$78,090
Texas	$32,560	$40,620	$56,930
California	$40,950	$60,270	$93,620
Florida	$33,280	$44,030	$58,900
New York	$34,320	$55,930	$96,590
Arizona	$36,770	$46,590	$60,930

Typical benefits

Paid work without a diploma

No formal education or prior experience is required. You learn on the job by shadowing experienced workers, so you earn while you train.

Growing demand

Employment of construction laborers is projected to grow 7% over the next decade, with about 120,000 openings a year, helped by repairs to roads, water lines and the power grid.

A way into the skilled trades

Working beside carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians shows you the trades up close, and some laborers and helpers move on into trade apprenticeships and higher-paid trade work.

Uneven benefits by employer

Union and larger contractors commonly offer health coverage and retirement plans. Temporary help, day labor and the 26.9% who are self-employed often get few or none, so ask before you accept.

Visible, physical work

The work is outdoors and active, and at the end of a project you can point to the road, foundation or building you helped build.

Room to lead or go independent

Experienced laborers can supervise crews, oversee jobsites or start their own business.

Pathways

Education pathways

Which paths lead to this profession?

On-the-job training

A few days to a few weeks (short-term on-the-job training, 1 month or less)

On-the-job training with a contractor

The typical route. New laborers shadow experienced workers, watch what they do and then take on tasks under their guidance, from site cleanup to running tools and setting forms.

Costs: Paid by the employer; the trainee earns a wage.
Entry requirements: No formal education required; some employers prefer a high school diploma or equivalent and may require a valid driver's license and OSHA safety training.
High school subjects: Training topics: Jobsite safety, hand and power tools, digging and backfilling, material handling, scaffolding and bracing, signaling equipment operators

Other

4 years

High school diploma or equivalent, with career and technical classes

Not required for laborers, but some employers prefer it, and helpers of electricians and plumbers are often expected to have finished high school. A diploma or equivalency also opens the door to most trade apprenticeships later.

Costs: Free at public high schools. High school equivalency test fees (such as the GED) are set by each state.
Entry requirements: None.
High school subjects: Mathematics (algebra and geometry), construction technology, welding

Apprenticeship

About 2 years (around 4,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus classroom instruction)

Construction craft laborer apprenticeship

Some laborers complete a formal apprenticeship that combines paid on-the-job training with technical instruction. Programs are usually sponsored by local unions, such as locals of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), or by trade associations. Apprenticeship.gov lists openings. Federal rules for registered apprenticeships recommend at least 144 hours of related technical instruction for each year of the program.

Costs: Apprentices are paid from day one, starting at a share of the journey-level wage that rises as they progress. Union (LIUNA) training is usually funded by the training fund, so there is typically no tuition.
Entry requirements: Set by each local program; contact the local union, state apprenticeship agency or search Apprenticeship.gov.
High school subjects: Mathematics, construction technology, welding

Certificate

10 hours (spread over at least 2 days) or 30 hours (at least 4 days)

OSHA Outreach construction safety card, plus optional rigging or scaffolding certification

Employers often require safety training that meets OSHA guidelines, before or after hiring; OSHA's Outreach Training Program issues 10-hour and 30-hour construction cards. Federal OSHA cards do not expire, but some states require a card on public projects or retraining after a set period. Optional certifications in rigging or scaffolding show you can handle more complex tasks, for example NCCCO's Rigger Level I and Signalperson certifications, which must be renewed every 5 years.

Costs: Set by each OSHA-authorized trainer, not by OSHA; employers often pay. Rigging and signalperson certifications from NCCCO charge separate exam fees.
Entry requirements: None for the OSHA Outreach course; certification bodies set their own requirements for rigging and scaffolding.
High school subjects: Training topics: Construction hazard recognition, fall protection, personal protective equipment, safe use of tools and equipment

Profile

Skills & personality

Is this a good fit for you?

Hard skills

Hand and power tool operationUsing shovels, saws and drills, plus jackhammers, air hammers, pavement breakers and earth tampers safely and effectively.
Excavation and gradingDigging ditches and trenches, backfilling, and compacting and leveling earth to grade specifications.
Reading plans and layoutReading plans and instructions, and measuring and marking where work such as forms or openings will go.
Scaffolding and bracingErecting and dismantling scaffolding, temporary structures and braces that support the sides of excavations.
Equipment careTending pumps, compressors and generators, and cleaning, lubricating and making minor repairs to tools and machines.
Signaling and traffic controlUsing hand signals to guide equipment operators and setting up work zones to control traffic on road jobs.

Soft skills

TeamworkCooperating with the crew and the trades, and stepping in wherever the job needs an extra pair of hands.
Active listeningFollowing instructions from the foreman and tradesworkers exactly, especially when safety depends on it.
SpeakingCalling out hazards, confirming instructions and communicating clearly on loud, busy sites.

Is this a good fit for you?

✓
DependabilityCrews are planned around every person; showing up on time, every day and in any weather is what gets you kept on and promoted.
✓
Physical staminaStrenuous tasks continue all day, often while standing and working outdoors in heat or cold.
✓
Physical strengthLifting and moving heavy materials, tools and equipment is a daily part of the job.
✓
Safety-mindednessFollowing procedures and wearing protective equipment every time protects you and your crew on a high-risk site.
✓
Mechanical aptitudeComfort with machines helps you run, maintain and troubleshoot equipment such as jackhammers, compressors and tampers.

Market

Job market & outlook

What does the market look like?

Openings per year

120,000

Trend

Growth

+7.3%

AI impact

2/10

AI has little direct effect on this job, because nearly all of it is physical work on changing, outdoor sites. Technology changes the edges instead: prefabricated components reduce some site work, and laborers may learn laser-guided pipe placement or computer-controlled cutting.

Regional demand

Texas

About 123,250 jobs; median pay $40,620 a year.

6/10

California

About 88,240 jobs; median pay $60,270 a year.

3/10

Florida

About 87,040 jobs; median pay $44,030 a year.

6/10

New York

About 52,090 jobs; median pay $55,930 a year.

4/10

Arizona

About 37,630 jobs; median pay $46,590 a year.

8/10

Growth

Career paths

Where can this profession take you?

Vertical growth

Construction laborer
0-2 years
Cleans and prepares sites, moves materials, digs and backfills, and learns tools and safety procedures from experienced workers.
Skilled or specialized laborer
2-5 years
Specializes in work such as pipe laying, concrete forms, road work or rigging, often with added certifications.
Lead laborer or crew leader
4-8 years
Directs a small crew, assigns tasks, trains new laborers and makes sure safety procedures are followed.
Foreman, site supervisor or contractor
8+ years
Oversees jobsites and staff for a contractor, or starts an independent business taking on site work.

Horizontal move

Carpenter
Laborers who have worked alongside carpenters can enter a carpentry apprenticeship and learn to build frameworks and structures.
View Carpenter
Heavy equipment operator
Laborers who signal and work around loaders and excavators can train to operate the machines themselves.
Concrete finisher
Experience setting forms and helping on pours leads naturally to placing and finishing concrete as a cement mason.

Good to know

Practical info

Working hours: Most work full time, and schedules vary. Highway and bridge crews may work overnight to avoid traffic disruption, and in northern climates cold weather can limit work in winter, so some laborers work only part of the year.
Remote work: No. All of the work happens on construction sites, and travel to different jobsites may be required.
Physical requirements: Very high. Laborers stand most of the day (68% continually or almost continually), lift heavy materials, work outdoors in all weather (81% every day) and sometimes at heights or in confined spaces. Protective equipment is worn daily by 97%, and the occupation has one of the highest injury and illness rates.
Typical employers: Specialty trade contractors (32% of construction laborers and helpers), construction of buildings (17%), heavy and civil engineering construction such as roads and utilities (15%) and temporary help services (2%); 24% of laborers and helpers are self-employed (26.9% of construction laborers alone).
Professional associations: Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), whose locals sponsor construction craft laborer apprenticeships. State apprenticeship agencies and the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship.gov are other places to find programs.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does a construction laborer make in the US?

Construction laborers earn a median wage of $22.66 an hour, or $47,120 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $35,090 and the top 10% more than $78,090. Location matters a lot: the median was $77,110 in Hawaii but $40,620 in Texas, the state with the most construction laborer jobs.

How do you become a construction laborer?

Most people get hired directly by a contractor and learn on the job. No formal education or experience is required, though some employers prefer a high school diploma or equivalent. New laborers shadow experienced workers before taking on tasks themselves. Employers often require OSHA safety training and sometimes a driver's license. Some laborers instead join a union or trade association apprenticeship that combines paid work with technical classes.

Do construction laborers need a license or certification?

No state license is typically required, but employers often require safety training that meets OSHA guidelines, either before or after hiring. Many workers take OSHA's 10-hour or 30-hour Outreach construction course. A valid driver's license may also be required. Optional certifications in rigging or scaffolding help laborers show they can handle more complex tasks.

Is construction laborer a good career?

It is a solid entry point with growing demand, but it is physically hard. Employment is projected to grow 7% over the next decade, much faster than average, with about 120,000 openings a year. The median wage is $47,120. On the other side, construction laborers have one of the highest injury rates of any occupation, and work can be seasonal in cold regions.

What does a construction laborer do?

A construction laborer does the physical work on building and road sites. Typical tasks include cleaning and preparing sites, loading and unloading materials, digging and backfilling trenches, building scaffolding and bracing, operating jackhammers, saws and tampers, signaling equipment operators and helping tradesworkers such as carpenters and plumbers. On road crews, laborers also control traffic and break up pavement.

Which states pay construction laborers the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage for construction laborers at $77,110, followed by New Jersey at $64,060 and Massachusetts at $63,390. Texas has the most jobs, 123,250, but a median of only $40,620. California has 88,240 jobs and a median of $60,270. Arizona stands out for concentration, with a location quotient of 1.65.

What is the difference between a construction laborer and a construction helper?

A construction laborer works across all phases of a project, while a helper assists one specific trade, such as an electrician or plumber. There are 1,489,300 construction laborer jobs and far fewer helper jobs, for example 65,000 electrician helpers. Laborer employment is projected to grow 7%, while some helper jobs are expected to shrink as prefabricated components spread.

Do construction laborers work all year?

Not always. Most construction laborers work full time, but in some parts of the country they work only during certain seasons, because cold weather in northern climates often limits construction in winter. Schedules also vary with the project: laborers on highway and bridge jobs may work overnight to avoid disrupting traffic.

Explore further

Related professions

Carpenter
Builds, installs and repairs building frameworks, concrete forms, cabinets, floors and trim.

In depth

All about construction laborer

The background, context and details.

Laborer, helper or apprentice: what the title covers

Construction laborers are often grouped with construction trade helpers in official statistics, but the two are separate occupations. Construction laborers (SOC 47-2061), the subject of this page, hold 1,489,300 jobs. They work in all phases of construction, from clearing a lot to cleaning up after the last trade leaves. Helpers assist one specific trade, such as electricians (65,000 helper jobs) or plumbers and pipefitters (45,300). The figures on this page cover construction laborers only, unless stated otherwise. For the combined group of laborers and helpers, the median wage is $46,680 and about 137,000 openings a year.

Sample job titles show how varied the job is: construction worker, site work laborer, form setter, post framer, scaffolding operator, drop crew laborer, toolman and bituminous asphalt technician.

How the work differs by type of construction

Among laborers and helpers, 32% work for specialty trade contractors, 17% in construction of buildings and 15% in heavy and civil engineering construction, which covers roads, bridges, pipelines and utilities. The setting decides your day. On a building site you dig footings, set and strip concrete forms, move scaffolding and carry materials for masons and carpenters. On a road crew you control traffic, run pavement breakers and earth tampers, and often work at night, because highway and bridge projects may schedule work overnight to avoid traffic. With special training, some laborers handle explosives, run hydraulic boring machines for tunnels, place pipe with lasers or operate computer-controlled pipe cutters.

Self-employment is common: 26.9% of construction laborers are self-employed, which means finding your own work and arranging your own insurance. About 2% of laborers and helpers are placed through temporary help agencies.

What moves the pay

The national median is $22.66 an hour, or $47,120 a year. The middle half earn between $38,620 and $59,740, and the top 10% more than $78,090. Geography is the biggest single factor. Hawaii had the highest median at $77,110, followed by New Jersey ($64,060) and Massachusetts ($63,390). Texas has the most jobs, 123,250, but a median of $40,620. California (88,240 jobs, median $60,270), Florida (87,040, $44,030), New York (52,090, $55,930) and Arizona (37,630, $46,590) complete the top five. Arizona's location quotient of 1.65 means construction laborers make up a much larger share of jobs there than nationally.

Official wage statistics are not broken down by experience. Within a region, pay tends to rise with specialized skills, certifications and the move into a trade. The trades that laborers work beside pay more: the median is $60,580 for carpenters, $63,190 for electricians and $63,800 for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters.

Getting hired and moving up

You can be hired with no diploma and no experience, though some employers prefer a high school diploma or equivalent. Expect employers to ask for OSHA safety training; OSHA's Outreach Training Program offers a 10-hour and a longer 30-hour construction course. A valid driver's license helps, since travel between jobsites is common.

The structured route is a construction craft laborer apprenticeship, usually sponsored by local unions or trade associations, which pays you while combining work with technical instruction. Contact your state apprenticeship agency, a local union or contractor, or search Apprenticeship.gov. Optional certifications in rigging or scaffolding mark you as someone who can take on more complex tasks.

After gaining experience, laborers can supervise crews, oversee jobsites or start their own business. Helpers sometimes move into a full trade, for example an electrician's helper who earns a high school equivalency to enter an electrician apprenticeship.

The honest downsides

The injury risk is high. Construction laborers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, mostly from slips, falls and contact with objects or equipment. Among workers surveyed, 81% work outdoors in all weather every day and 97% wear protective equipment every day. The work is strenuous from start to finish, and in northern states winter can cut hours or stop work entirely. Demand tracks construction activity, so a slowdown hits laborers early. The upside is that infrastructure repair on roads, water lines and the power grid is expected to keep demand steady, and the job is one of the few that pays while it teaches you a trade.