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Construction Laborers in Puerto Rico

Thinking about a career as a Construction Laborers in Puerto Rico? Below are the key facts. 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).

What do Construction Laborers Make in Puerto Rico?

For a construction laborers working in Puerto Rico, the typical annual salary is $23,020 per year (or roughly $11.07/hour).Earnings range from $20,000 at the 10th percentile to $32,560 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$20,000	$9.61
25th percentile	$21,300	$10.24
Median (50th)	$23,020	$11.07
75th percentile	$27,960	$13.44
90th percentile	$32,560	$15.65

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Puerto Rico nationwide is 1.46, indicating that construction laborers are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, construction laborers earn a median of $54,483 per year ($26.19/hour), lower than the Puerto Rico median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 252,335 construction laborers across the United States. In Puerto Rico alone, about 9,400 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 14,200 construction laborers.

Top Puerto Rico Metros for Construction Laborers

The metro areas below employ the most construction laborers in Puerto Rico.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	6,830	$23,130
Ponce, PR	640	$22,730
Aguadilla, PR	580	$22,120
Mayaguez, PR	490	$21,670
Arecibo, PR	330	$22,900
Guayama, PR	60	$23,300

Top States for Construction Laborers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most construction laborers work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	117,580
California	85,370
Florida	75,770
New York	49,890
North Carolina	38,530
Pennsylvania	38,350
Illinois	31,960
Ohio	30,820
Arizona	30,310
Georgia	28,680
Minnesota	27,510
Washington	27,410
Indiana	26,910
Virginia	26,860
Michigan	26,570
Tennessee	25,390
Louisiana	25,350
Utah	22,230
New Jersey	20,720
Maryland	20,280

Highest-Paying States for Construction Laborers

These states pay the most for construction laborers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Hawaii	$66,100
Illinois	$64,890
New Jersey	$63,190
Massachusetts	$62,430
California	$60,540
Minnesota	$58,720
Rhode Island	$58,290
Alaska	$57,970
New York	$57,680
Washington	$57,240

Skills

Top construction laborers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for construction laborers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
• Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
• Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
• Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
• Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
• Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
• Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
• Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
• Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
• Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms.
• Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.
• Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.

Work Activities

• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Getting Information
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk Revit

Related Careers

Related occupations to construction laborers include:

• Brickmasons and Blockmasons
• Carpenters
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Also Known As

Air Breaker Operator, Air Drill Operator, Air Gun Operator, Air Hammer Operator, Air Tool Operator, Aluminum Pool Installer, Asbestos Removal Worker, Asphalt Distributor Tender, Asphalt Heater Tender, Asphalt Layer, Asphalt Patcher, Asphalt Paver, Asphalt Raker, Asphalt Smoother, Asphalt Spreader.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2061.00