Construction Laborers
Also called: Air Breaker Operator, Air Drill Operator, Air Gun Operator, Air Hammer Operator, Air Tool Operator, Aluminum Pool Installer, Asbestos Removal Worker, Asphalt Distributor Tender
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites.
What construction laborers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Construction Laborers salary
The median annual wage for construction laborers is $47,120 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $35,090 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $78,090. The mean annual wage is $52,030.
The mean hourly wage of $25.00 is 3.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Construction Laborers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $47,120 → in 3 years $52,200 → in 5 years $55,900 → in 10 years $66,300 (10-year range $57,100–$77,000). The model assumes pay growth of +3.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Construction Laborers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Construction Laborers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Construction Laborers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Construction Laborers United States | 建設・土木作業員 Japan | 解体工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $47,120 | ¥4.35M ≈ $27,676 | ¥4.15M ≈ $26,360 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $66,300 | ¥5.99M | ¥5.52M |
| Outlook score | 67 | 67 | 57 |
| AI replacement risk | 8% Very low | 8% Very low | 16% Very low |
| Workers | 1.1M | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Construction Laborers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become construction laborers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as construction laborers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.