Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Oklahoma make a median of $39,360 a year, or about $18.92 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $45,003 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,081/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oklahoma. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $39K get you in Oklahoma?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for construction laborers in Oklahoma runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,081/month, which is 40.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (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, Oklahoma
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Oklahoma
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $43K | +10% | 3,990 |
| Enid | $42K | +8% | 190 |
| Oklahoma City | $39K | +0% | 5,570 |
| Lawton | $37K | -7% | 270 |
Compare to other states
Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oklahoma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 40.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/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 Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,009/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $39K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Oklahoma pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Oklahoma?
The median is $39,360 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,490, and experienced construction laborers can clear $58,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,690/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 40.2% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $45,003 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.