Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Arizona make a median of $46,590 a year, or about $22.4 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $48,325 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 44.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Arizona?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Arizona
Construction laborers pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,437/month, which is 45% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Arizona
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $47K | +1% | 29,230 |
| Flagstaff | $46K | -0% | 470 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $46K | -1% | 1,100 |
| Tucson | $45K | -3% | 3,410 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas | $44K | -6% | 310 |
| Yuma | $43K | -7% | 570 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $43K | -7% | 650 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 45% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,206/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is construction laborer a high-paying job in Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Arizona pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Arizona?
The median is $46,590 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,770, and experienced construction laborers can clear $60,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,192/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 45% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a construction laborers salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median construction laborers salary is worth about $48,325 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do construction laborers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.