Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Louisiana make a median of $38,230 a year, or about $18.38 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $43,802 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 45.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Louisiana?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for construction laborers in Louisiana runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 45.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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, Louisiana
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | $45K | +18% | 2,130 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $39K | +3% | 3,620 |
| Baton Rouge | $39K | +1% | 6,300 |
| Lafayette | $39K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $38K | +1% | 1,170 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $38K | +0% | 860 |
| Alexandria | $37K | -3% | 610 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $37K | -4% | 880 |
| Hammond | $37K | -4% | 300 |
| Monroe | $36K | -6% | 860 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 45.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,779/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $38K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Louisiana pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Louisiana?
The median is $38,230 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,650, and experienced construction laborers can clear $60,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,635/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 45.2% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $43,802 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.