Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Kansas make a median of $44,840 a year, or about $21.56 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $50,078 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,066/month, about 34.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $45K get you in Kansas?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Kansas
Construction laborers pay in Kansas tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,066/month, which is 35.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Kansas
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | $48K | +6% | 420 |
| Lawrence | $48K | +6% | 280 |
| Topeka | $46K | +3% | 810 |
| Wichita | $41K | -8% | 2,300 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 35.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/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 Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,890/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Kansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Kansas pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Kansas?
The median is $44,840 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,500, and experienced construction laborers can clear $60,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,014/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 35.4% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $50,078 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.