Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Baton Rouge, LA make a median of $38,650 a year, or about $18.58 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $42,575 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,204/month, about 45.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About construction laborers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Baton Rouge
Pay for construction laborers in Baton Rouge runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,204/month, which is 45.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for construction laborerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction laborers in metros near Baton Rouge, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $39K | $43K |
| Lake Charles | $45K | $53K |
| Lafayette | $39K | $44K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $38K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Construction Laborers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $77K | +64% | 4,580 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +36% | 23,590 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +35% | 16,210 |
| Illinois | $61K | +29% | 35,940 |
| California | $60K | +28% | 88,240 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +28% | 28,530 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +24% | 7,360 |
| Alaska | $58K | +23% | 3,690 |
| Washington | $58K | +22% | 25,060 |
| Rhode Island | $57K | +21% | 2,110 |
| Missouri | $57K | +20% | 17,050 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +19% | 20,330 |
| Ohio | $56K | +19% | 31,910 |
| New York | $56K | +19% | 52,090 |
| Oregon | $51K | +8% | 12,620 |
| Indiana | $50K | +6% | 28,600 |
| District of Columbia | $50K | +6% | 2,090 |
| New Hampshire | $50K | +6% | 4,330 |
| Montana | $50K | +6% | 4,590 |
| Michigan | $50K | +5% | 28,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +5% | 35,920 |
| North Dakota | $49K | +4% | 5,050 |
| Nevada | $49K | +4% | 11,890 |
| Vermont | $49K | +3% | 1,430 |
| Iowa | $48K | +3% | 13,780 |
| Colorado | $48K | +2% | 18,680 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +0% | 8,530 |
| Maryland | $47K | -0% | 20,920 |
| Idaho | $47K | -0% | 10,850 |
| Arizona | $47K | -1% | 37,630 |
| Utah | $47K | -1% | 20,950 |
| Maine | $46K | -1% | 3,960 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -2% | 3,350 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -3% | 1,780 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -3% | 13,280 |
| Delaware | $46K | -3% | 3,240 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -4% | 26,250 |
| Kansas | $45K | -5% | 9,990 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -5% | 35,620 |
| Florida | $44K | -7% | 87,040 |
| Virginia | $44K | -8% | 25,830 |
| South Carolina | $43K | -9% | 19,620 |
| West Virginia | $43K | -9% | 6,620 |
| Texas | $41K | -14% | 123,250 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -16% | 13,710 |
| Georgia | $39K | -17% | 27,800 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -19% | 12,470 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -19% | 22,100 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -20% | 8,800 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -20% | 10,650 |
| Alabama | $37K | -22% | 18,400 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baton Rouge numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baton Rouge?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 45.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,204/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Baton Rouge?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,858/month. At HUD’s $1,204/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 Baton Rouge?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Baton Rouge compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Baton Rouge pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $38,650 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,960, and experienced construction laborers can clear $59,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,662/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 45.2% 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 Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (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 $42,575 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.