Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN make a median of $46,190 a year, or about $22.21 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $47,945 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 52% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Construction laborers pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin tracks closely to the national median, $46K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,730/month, which is 53% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction laborers in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $45K | $49K |
| Knoxville | $46K | $50K |
| Chattanooga | $43K | $47K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $45K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $23K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 53% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,198/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $46K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $46,190 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,640, and experienced construction laborers can clear $59,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,263/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 53% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $47,945 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.