An official website of the United States government
Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Construction laborers who do not primarily assist plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers are classified under "Construction Laborers" (47-2061). Apprentice workers are classified with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation (47-2011 through 47-2231).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
54,710 | 3.3 % | $15.66 | $32,570 | 0.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $10.51 | $12.69 | $14.89 | $18.09 | $22.21 |
Annual Wage (2) | $21,860 | $26,390 | $30,980 | $37,620 | $46,200 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Building Equipment Contractors | 42,180 | 1.98 | $15.26 | $31,740 |
Nonresidential Building Construction | 3,750 | 0.46 | $18.77 | $39,030 |
Utility System Construction | 2,790 | 0.53 | $16.00 | $33,290 |
Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 670 | 0.10 | $15.14 | $31,480 |
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | 620 | 0.01 | $19.63 | $40,830 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Building Equipment Contractors | 42,180 | 1.98 | $15.26 | $31,740 |
Utility System Construction | 2,790 | 0.53 | $16.00 | $33,290 |
Nonresidential Building Construction | 3,750 | 0.46 | $18.77 | $39,030 |
Support Activities for Mining | 610 | 0.19 | $16.07 | $33,430 |
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 210 | 0.14 | $13.63 | $28,340 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Natural Gas Distribution | 100 | 0.09 | $20.98 | $43,630 |
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) | 620 | 0.01 | $19.63 | $40,830 |
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 40 | (7) | $18.99 | $39,510 |
Nonresidential Building Construction | 3,750 | 0.46 | $18.77 | $39,030 |
Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 50 | 0.02 | $17.50 | $36,390 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | 9,250 | 0.76 | 2.02 | $15.76 | $32,780 |
Florida | 6,070 | 0.71 | 1.87 | $13.73 | $28,570 |
Louisiana | 3,520 | 1.84 | 4.87 | $17.04 | $35,440 |
New York | 3,520 | 0.38 | 0.99 | $18.25 | $37,960 |
North Carolina | 3,080 | 0.70 | 1.86 | $14.29 | $29,730 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Louisiana | 3,520 | 1.84 | 4.87 | $17.04 | $35,440 |
Oklahoma | 1,350 | 0.85 | 2.24 | $16.69 | $34,710 |
New Mexico | 690 | 0.85 | 2.26 | $15.53 | $32,300 |
Texas | 9,250 | 0.76 | 2.02 | $15.76 | $32,780 |
Florida | 6,070 | 0.71 | 1.87 | $13.73 | $28,570 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska | (8) | (8) | (8) | $23.27 | $48,400 |
Missouri | 270 | 0.10 | 0.26 | $19.11 | $39,750 |
Washington | 640 | 0.19 | 0.52 | $18.75 | $39,000 |
Hawaii | (8) | (8) | (8) | $18.59 | $38,660 |
District of Columbia | 350 | 0.49 | 1.31 | $18.27 | $38,000 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 3,340 | 0.35 | 0.93 | $18.64 | $38,770 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 3,160 | 1.06 | 2.80 | $18.00 | $37,430 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,960 | 0.55 | 1.45 | $15.00 | $31,200 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,820 | 0.58 | 1.53 | $16.45 | $34,210 |
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,470 | 0.57 | 1.50 | $14.40 | $29,950 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,400 | 0.23 | 0.61 | $16.04 | $33,370 |
Lake Charles, LA | 1,350 | 11.67 | 30.89 | $20.05 | $41,700 |
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,170 | 0.44 | 1.16 | $14.25 | $29,640 |
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,130 | 0.93 | 2.46 | $14.71 | $30,590 |
New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 1,100 | 1.99 | 5.26 | $14.58 | $30,320 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lake Charles, LA | 1,350 | 11.67 | 30.89 | $20.05 | $41,700 |
Enid, OK | 100 | 3.97 | 10.52 | $23.30 | $48,470 |
Homosassa Springs, FL | 110 | 3.35 | 8.85 | $15.70 | $32,650 |
Rapid City, SD | 130 | 2.05 | 5.42 | $12.85 | $26,730 |
New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 1,100 | 1.99 | 5.26 | $14.58 | $30,320 |
Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 450 | 1.77 | 4.68 | $16.50 | $34,320 |
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 90 | 1.64 | 4.34 | $17.27 | $35,930 |
Monroe, LA | 130 | 1.62 | 4.28 | $12.38 | $25,760 |
Hattiesburg, MS | 100 | 1.59 | 4.21 | $12.47 | $25,930 |
Alexandria, LA | 90 | 1.53 | 4.05 | $16.72 | $34,770 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | (8) | (8) | (8) | $31.48 | $65,470 |
Anchorage, AK | (8) | (8) | (8) | $24.59 | $51,140 |
Enid, OK | 100 | 3.97 | 10.52 | $23.30 | $48,470 |
Kansas City, MO-KS | 250 | 0.23 | 0.61 | $21.37 | $44,440 |
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 170 | 0.18 | 0.47 | $20.52 | $42,690 |
Lake Charles, LA | 1,350 | 11.67 | 30.89 | $20.05 | $41,700 |
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 390 | 0.20 | 0.52 | $19.85 | $41,290 |
St. Louis, MO-IL | 120 | 0.09 | 0.23 | $19.42 | $40,390 |
Urban Honolulu, HI | 90 | 0.18 | 0.48 | $19.33 | $40,200 |
Rockford, IL | 40 | 0.28 | 0.75 | $19.30 | $40,140 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.28 | 3.39 | $14.69 | $30,560 |
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.04 | 2.75 | $14.75 | $30,680 |
Northeast South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 1.98 | 5.24 | $16.21 | $33,720 |
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 0.76 | 2.00 | $15.67 | $32,590 |
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.95 | 2.50 | $13.84 | $28,790 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northeast South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 1.98 | 5.24 | $16.21 | $33,720 |
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 1.33 | 3.53 | $14.53 | $30,220 |
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.28 | 3.39 | $14.69 | $30,560 |
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.04 | 2.75 | $14.75 | $30,680 |
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.95 | 2.50 | $13.84 | $28,790 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.50 | 1.33 | $24.78 | $51,550 |
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $22.20 | $46,180 |
Alaska nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $20.64 | $42,930 |
Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $20.46 | $42,550 |
West Montana nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.44 | 1.17 | $18.36 | $38,190 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019