What You Need to Know About Construction Laborer
Job Description: 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.
Daily Life Of a Construction Laborer
- Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.
- Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
- Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
- Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss.
- Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.
- Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
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Construction Laborer Skills
These are the skills Construction Laborers say are the most useful in their careers:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Construction Laborer Jobs
- Rail Setter
- Pipe Cutter
- Bellman
- Air Tool Operator
- Precast Concrete Products Installer
Construction Laborer Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,216,700 jobs in the United States for Construction Laborer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 150,400 new jobs for Construction Laborer by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 145,300 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Construction Laborer are Utah, Colorado, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Vermont, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Construction Laborer Average Salary
The salary for Construction Laborers ranges between about $23,460 and $65,590 a year.

Construction Laborers who work in Hawaii, Illinois, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Construction Laborers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $32,000 |
Alaska | $51,470 |
Arizona | $36,000 |
Arkansas | $29,070 |
California | $48,250 |
Colorado | $36,520 |
Connecticut | $49,700 |
Delaware | $35,640 |
District of Columbia | $42,200 |
Florida | $31,630 |
Georgia | $33,600 |
Hawaii | $58,770 |
Idaho | $32,630 |
Illinois | $59,960 |
Indiana | $38,380 |
Iowa | $37,510 |
Kansas | $35,600 |
Kentucky | $36,150 |
Louisiana | $35,120 |
Maine | $32,950 |
Maryland | $34,420 |
Massachusetts | $52,780 |
Michigan | $39,700 |
Minnesota | $52,150 |
Mississippi | $30,410 |
Missouri | $47,270 |
Montana | $37,330 |
Nebraska | $34,660 |
Nevada | $37,100 |
New Hampshire | $38,490 |
New Jersey | $53,540 |
New Mexico | $32,070 |
New York | $51,720 |
North Carolina | $30,280 |
North Dakota | $42,000 |
Ohio | $44,030 |
Oklahoma | $31,230 |
Oregon | $41,080 |
Pennsylvania | $41,260 |
Rhode Island | $47,030 |
South Carolina | $31,090 |
South Dakota | $30,700 |
Tennessee | $31,940 |
Texas | $32,630 |
Utah | $33,680 |
Vermont | $36,120 |
Virginia | $31,950 |
Washington | $48,070 |
West Virginia | $36,450 |
Wisconsin | $43,900 |
Wyoming | $36,160 |
What Tools do Construction Laborers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Construction Laborers:
- Microsoft Windows
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
- Autodesk Revit
Becoming a Construction Laborer
What education is needed to be a Construction Laborer?

What work experience do I need to become a Construction Laborer?

Where Construction Laborers Are Employed

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Construction Laborer might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Construction Laborer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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