Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA make a median of $41,670 a year, or about $20.03 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.71), which stretches that salary to about $44,947 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,271/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford’s Regional Price Parity (92.71). 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
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What this looks like in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford
Pay for construction laborers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,271/month, which is 45.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.71 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $38K | $39K |
| Richmond | $42K | $43K |
| Roanoke | $38K | $41K |
| Lynchburg | $38K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $20K 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 45.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,271/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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,876/month. At HUD’s $1,271/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $42K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA?
The median is $41,670 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,260, and experienced construction laborers can clear $51,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,803/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,271/month, which eats 45.3% 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford?
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford has a Regional Price Parity of 92.71 (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 $44,947 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.