Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Kentucky make a median of $45,710 a year, or about $21.98 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $50,659 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 35.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in Kentucky?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Construction laborers pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 36.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (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, Kentucky
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | +4% | 4,600 |
| Paducah | $47K | +2% | 590 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $46K | +1% | 1,810 |
| Owensboro | $44K | -4% | 340 |
| Bowling Green | $42K | -8% | 840 |
| Elizabethtown | $39K | -15% | 220 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 36.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,026/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Kentucky pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Kentucky?
The median is $45,710 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,770, and experienced construction laborers can clear $60,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,078/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 36.1% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $50,659 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.