Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Florida make a median of $44,030 a year, or about $21.17 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $44,664 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 52.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $44K get you in Florida?
About construction laborers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Florida
Construction laborers pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 53.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) 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, Florida
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Florida
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island | $46K | +5% | 2,340 |
| Punta Gorda | $46K | +3% | 810 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $46K | +3% | 18,280 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $45K | +3% | 4,260 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $45K | +3% | 1,000 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $45K | +2% | 480 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $45K | +2% | 1,870 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $44K | -1% | 12,860 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $44K | -1% | 2,050 |
| Jacksonville | $43K | -1% | 7,150 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $43K | -2% | 5,230 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $43K | -2% | 1,130 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $43K | -2% | 1,930 |
| Port St. Lucie | $43K | -2% | 2,310 |
| Homosassa Springs | $43K | -3% | 430 |
| Sebring | $43K | -3% | 320 |
| Gainesville | $42K | -5% | 1,060 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $41K | -6% | 710 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $41K | -7% | 12,290 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $39K | -10% | 2,690 |
| Tallahassee | $39K | -12% | 1,390 |
| Ocala | $38K | -14% | 1,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 53.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,997/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Florida pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Florida?
The median is $44,030 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,280, and experienced construction laborers can clear $58,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,118/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 53.2% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $44,664 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.