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Salary comparison

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs. Construction Laborers: Who Earns More?

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers out-earn Construction Laborers by $12K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers land at $58,970 and Construction Laborers at $47,120. The education gap is real: reinforcing iron and rebar worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while construction laborer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers is Wisconsin ($121,620); for Construction Laborers it's Hawaii ($77,110).

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Construction Laborers
Median salary
$58,970
$47,120
Hourly rate
$28.35/hr
$22.66/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$43,310
$35,090
Senior level (90th %)
$104,540
$78,090
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
13,800
1,096,780
Job growth (10-year)
4.6%
7.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
Wisconsin
Hawaii

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers median pay.

State
Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
Construction Laborers
Wisconsin
$121,620
$56,100
New Jersey
$116,110
$64,060
Washington
$108,970
$57,720
Illinois
$105,580
$60,690
Nevada
$102,130
$48,990
New York
$98,040
$55,930
Oregon
$93,490
$50,860
Michigan
$91,220
$49,590
Pennsylvania
$74,670
$49,400
Indiana
$64,650
$50,070
California
$63,110
$60,270
Nebraska
$62,920
$47,260
Alaska
$61,480
$58,060
Missouri
$59,410
$56,730
Colorado
$56,160
$47,900

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers or Construction Laborers?

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn more nationally. The median is $58,970 for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers versus $47,120 for Construction Laborers, a difference of $12K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers or Construction Laborers?

Construction Laborers has the better 10-year outlook at 7.3% projected growth, compared to 4.6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers or Construction Laborers?

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Construction Laborers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers get paid the most?

Wisconsin is the top-paying state for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers at $121,620/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers vs. Construction Laborers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Wisconsin, Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers earn $121,620 vs. $56,100 for Construction Laborers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers salary breakdownView →Full Construction Laborers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Construction Laborers by take-home payExplore →How to become a reinforcing iron and rebar workersGuide →How to become a construction laborersGuide →