Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Georgia make a median of $38,990 a year, or about $18.74 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $42,431 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 53.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Georgia?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Georgia
Pay for construction laborers in Georgia runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 54.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Georgia
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $42K | +8% | 16,460 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $40K | +3% | 420 |
| Warner Robins | $40K | +1% | 290 |
| Rome | $39K | +1% | 110 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $39K | -1% | 1,630 |
| Gainesville | $38K | -2% | 600 |
| Savannah | $38K | -3% | 1,210 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $37K | -5% | 420 |
| Hinesville | $37K | -5% | 60 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $36K | -8% | 330 |
| Columbus | $36K | -8% | 710 |
| Albany | $36K | -8% | 400 |
| Dalton | $35K | -9% | 240 |
| Valdosta | $34K | -12% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 54.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/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 Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,673/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 Georgia?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Georgia pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Georgia?
The median is $38,990 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,880, and experienced construction laborers can clear $56,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,640/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 54.3% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $42,431 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.