Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Joplin, MO-KS make a median of $49,880 a year, or about $23.98 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.72), which stretches that salary to about $58,189 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $947/month, or 27.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $50K get you in Joplin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Joplin’s Regional Price Parity (85.72). 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 Joplin
Construction laborers pay in Joplin tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $947/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction laborers in metros near Joplin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $65K | $68K |
| Kansas City | $51K | $55K |
| Springfield | $48K | $54K |
| Jefferson City | $58K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Joplin, MO-KS
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $37K 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
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Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Joplin?
Yes — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 28% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $947/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Joplin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,168/month. At HUD’s $947/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Joplin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Joplin compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Joplin pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Joplin, MO-KS?
The median is $49,880 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,130, and experienced construction laborers can clear $73,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Joplin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,378/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $947/month, which eats 28% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a construction laborers salary go in Joplin?
Joplin has a Regional Price Parity of 85.72 (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 $58,189 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.