Average Construction Worker Salary in United States for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Construction Worker salary for 2024 in United States and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Construction Worker Make in United States?

A Construction Worker working in United States will typically earn around 27,100 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 11,400 USD to the highest average salary of 40,300 USD.

Average Annual Salary
27,100 USD
Average Monthly Salary
2,258 USD

Lowest Annual Salary
11,400 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary
950 USD

Highest Annual Salary
40,300 USD
Highest Monthly Salary
3,358 USD

These are average salaries for a Construction Worker in United States and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Construction Worker to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Construction Worker salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Construction Worker Salaries in United States

So we've looked at the average salaries a Construction Worker will earn in United States. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Construction Worker can earn between 11,400 USD and 40,300 USD on average in United States. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Construction Worker in United States is 29,600 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 29,600 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 29,600 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Construction Worker salary in United States, 25% of the population are earning less than 19,000 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 19,000 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 34,800 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 34,800 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Construction Worker Salary by Experience Level in United States

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average construction worker salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Construction Worker in United States that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 13,100 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Construction Worker salary would increase to 20,000 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Construction Worker, the average salary would be 26,300 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 35,100 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Construction Worker with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 37,100 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Construction Worker with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 41,700 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
13,100 USD
2-5 Years +42%
20,000 USD
5-10 Years +31%
26,300 USD
10-15 Years +23%
35,100 USD
15-20 Years +6%
37,100 USD
20+ Years +10%
41,700 USD

Construction Worker Salary by Education Level in United States

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Construction Worker in United States based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Construction Worker in United States with a high school education can earn an average salary of 20,200 USD.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Construction Worker in United States with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 25,800 USD.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Construction Worker in United States with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 37,300 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
20,200 USD
Certificate or Diploma +47%
25,800 USD
Bachelor's Degree +34%
37,300 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Construction Worker Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United States, a male construction worker will earn an average of 25,800 USD, while a female construction worker will earn around 24,800 USD.

This means that a male construction worker earns approximately 4% more than a female construction worker for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United States

Male
25,800 USD
Female -4%
24,800 USD

Construction Worker Average Pay Raise in United States

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Construction Worker in United States is around 8% every 17 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 8 ÷ 17 ) × 12  = 6%

What this means is that a Construction Worker in United States can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 6% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United States for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Construction Worker Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Construction Worker is a low bonus based job, with 32% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

68% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4%.

Received Bonus
32%
No Bonus
68%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
98,800 USD
Private Sector -6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Construction Worker

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Construction Worker in United States.

Job Title Category Salary
Adjudicator Construction / Building / Installation 39,500 USD
Assembler Construction / Building / Installation 30,300 USD
Boat Builder and Shipwright Construction / Building / Installation 48,600 USD
Bricklayer Construction / Building / Installation 26,500 USD
Building Administrator Construction / Building / Installation 42,500 USD
Building Contracts Manager Construction / Building / Installation 130,500 USD
Building Inspector Construction / Building / Installation 36,200 USD
Building Monitor Construction / Building / Installation 29,600 USD
Building Sales Manager Construction / Building / Installation 127,600 USD
Cabinetmaker Construction / Building / Installation 31,700 USD
Carpenter Construction / Building / Installation 33,000 USD
Civil Engineer Construction / Building / Installation 90,600 USD
Civil Technician Construction / Building / Installation 45,600 USD
Concreter Construction / Building / Installation 29,300 USD
Construction and Building Inspector Construction / Building / Installation 37,300 USD
Construction and Maintenance Manager Construction / Building / Installation 71,700 USD
Construction Assistant Construction / Building / Installation 35,300 USD
Construction Coordinator Construction / Building / Installation 50,000 USD
Construction Estimator Construction / Building / Installation 56,600 USD
Construction Field Engineer Construction / Building / Installation 80,900 USD
Construction General Manager Construction / Building / Installation 161,300 USD
Construction Inventory Officer Construction / Building / Installation 30,100 USD
Construction Manager Construction / Building / Installation 172,300 USD
Construction Operations Manager Construction / Building / Installation 152,700 USD
Construction Project Controls Manager Construction / Building / Installation 115,600 USD
Construction Project Coordinator Construction / Building / Installation 95,000 USD
Construction Project Engineer Construction / Building / Installation 91,700 USD
Construction Project Manager Construction / Building / Installation 152,900 USD
Construction Project Manager Construction / Building / Installation 164,100 USD
Construction Project Planner Construction / Building / Installation 84,800 USD
Construction Quality Control Manager Construction / Building / Installation 123,800 USD
Construction Safety Officer Construction / Building / Installation 56,100 USD
Construction Superintendent Construction / Building / Installation 57,800 USD
Construction Supervisor Construction / Building / Installation 87,700 USD
Construction Technical Assistant Construction / Building / Installation 31,400 USD
Construction Technical Officer Construction / Building / Installation 40,300 USD
Construction Technical Writer Construction / Building / Installation 34,900 USD
Construction Technician Construction / Building / Installation 31,700 USD
Crane and Tower Operator Construction / Building / Installation 32,900 USD
Crane Operator Construction / Building / Installation 32,200 USD
Diesel Mechanic Construction / Building / Installation 29,000 USD
Draughtsman Construction / Building / Installation 25,800 USD
Drywall Installer Construction / Building / Installation 31,400 USD
Electrical Draftsman Construction / Building / Installation 32,300 USD
Electrical Engineering Supervisor Construction / Building / Installation 102,700 USD
Electrical Engineering Technician Construction / Building / Installation 36,500 USD
Electrical Supervisor Construction / Building / Installation 65,800 USD
Electrician Construction / Building / Installation 44,500 USD
Elevator Installer and Repairer Construction / Building / Installation 38,900 USD
Engineer Construction / Building / Installation 90,000 USD
Excavator Operator Construction / Building / Installation 32,200 USD
Field Inspector Construction / Building / Installation 54,100 USD
Floor Finisher Construction / Building / Installation 35,000 USD
Floor Manager Construction / Building / Installation 50,700 USD
Foreman Construction / Building / Installation 23,600 USD
Frame and Truss Detailer Construction / Building / Installation 29,600 USD
Furniture Finisher Construction / Building / Installation 28,900 USD
Gas Technician Construction / Building / Installation 27,400 USD
Handyman Construction / Building / Installation 27,800 USD
Health and Safety Coordinator Construction / Building / Installation 35,600 USD
Health and Safety Officer Construction / Building / Installation 44,300 USD
Installation Manager Construction / Building / Installation 109,000 USD
Installer Construction / Building / Installation 24,800 USD
Insulation Installer Construction / Building / Installation 32,600 USD
Labourer Construction / Building / Installation 23,100 USD
Land Surveyor Construction / Building / Installation 38,000 USD
Lift Technician Construction / Building / Installation 30,000 USD
Maintenance Foreman Construction / Building / Installation 25,800 USD
Material Tester Construction / Building / Installation 44,700 USD
Model Maker Construction / Building / Installation 48,600 USD
Order Picker Construction / Building / Installation 25,500 USD
Painter Construction / Building / Installation 27,300 USD
Pipe Layer Construction / Building / Installation 27,400 USD
Pipe Welder Construction / Building / Installation 24,200 USD
Pipefitter Construction / Building / Installation 25,800 USD
Plumber Construction / Building / Installation 30,300 USD
Property Coordinator Construction / Building / Installation 74,100 USD
Purchasing Manager Construction / Building / Installation 105,200 USD
Quantity Estimator Construction / Building / Installation 54,200 USD
Quantity Surveyor Construction / Building / Installation 57,900 USD
Roof Slater and Tiler Construction / Building / Installation 29,600 USD
Sheet Metal Mechanic Construction / Building / Installation 30,200 USD
Sheet Metal Worker Construction / Building / Installation 29,600 USD
Site Clerk Construction / Building / Installation 30,300 USD
Site engineer Construction / Building / Installation 76,900 USD
Site Leader Construction / Building / Installation 138,700 USD
Stock Controller Construction / Building / Installation 43,500 USD
Structural Steel Construction Worker Construction / Building / Installation 32,600 USD
Technical Draughtsman Construction / Building / Installation 33,500 USD
Tender Manager Construction / Building / Installation 123,800 USD
Tendering Manager Construction / Building / Installation 137,100 USD
Tower Crane Operator Construction / Building / Installation 32,900 USD
Wall and Floor Tiler Construction / Building / Installation 31,200 USD
Warehouse Manager Construction / Building / Installation 98,800 USD
Welder Construction / Building / Installation 27,600 USD
Welding Superintendent Construction / Building / Installation 35,100 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Atlanta 26,500 USD
Austin 32,200 USD
Baltimore 25,800 USD
Boston 30,800 USD
Bristol 23,700 USD
Chicago 29,400 USD
Cincinnati 21,500 USD
Cleveland 22,000 USD
Dallas 31,400 USD
Denver 27,700 USD
Detroit 30,800 USD
Honolulu 23,800 USD
Houston 32,600 USD
Indianapolis 27,200 USD
Iowa City 20,400 USD
Jacksonville 29,100 USD
Kansas City 27,800 USD
Kent 22,100 USD
Las Vegas 28,800 USD
Long Beach 24,200 USD
Los Angeles 30,700 USD
Memphis 29,600 USD
Miami 24,800 USD
Minneapolis 25,300 USD
New Orleans 23,600 USD
New York 34,000 USD
Oakland 23,700 USD
Oklahoma City 27,300 USD
Orlando 22,400 USD
Philadelphia 30,600 USD
Phoenix 29,400 USD
Sacramento 27,300 USD
San Antonio 34,100 USD
San Diego 30,000 USD
San Francisco 29,300 USD
San Jose 30,800 USD
Seattle 26,900 USD
Tampa 26,400 USD
Vancouver 24,400 USD
Washington D.C. 30,100 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

City Average Salary
Alabama 29,300 USD
Alaska 23,600 USD
Arizona 31,200 USD
Arkansas 26,100 USD
California 31,800 USD
Colorado 29,600 USD
Connecticut 27,400 USD
Delaware 24,200 USD
District of Columbia 23,700 USD
Florida 32,200 USD
Georgia 30,300 USD
Hawaii 27,300 USD
Idaho 25,800 USD
Illinois 30,200 USD
Indiana 30,800 USD
Iowa 27,400 USD
Kansas 27,400 USD
Kentucky 29,900 USD
Louisiana 29,900 USD
Maine 27,300 USD
Maryland 31,200 USD
Massachusetts 31,200 USD
Michigan 29,400 USD
Minnesota 30,100 USD
Mississippi 26,100 USD
Missouri 31,300 USD
Montana 25,800 USD
Nebraska 26,900 USD
Nevada 27,400 USD
New Hampshire 27,300 USD
New Jersey 30,300 USD
New Mexico 25,800 USD
New York 31,700 USD
North Carolina 26,900 USD
North Dakota 22,200 USD
Ohio 29,300 USD
Oklahoma 27,800 USD
Oregon 27,800 USD
Pennsylvania 27,400 USD
Rhode Island 25,300 USD
South Carolina 27,000 USD
South Dakota 23,300 USD
Tennessee 26,500 USD
Texas 29,200 USD
Utah 23,700 USD
Vermont 23,500 USD
Virginia 29,600 USD
Washington 26,400 USD
West Virginia 23,600 USD
Wisconsin 25,800 USD
Wyoming 22,200 USD