Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Rockford, IL make a median of $58,390 a year, or about $28.07 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.15), which stretches that salary to about $63,364 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,175/month, about 30.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Rockford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rockford’s Regional Price Parity (92.15). 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
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What this looks like in Rockford
Rockford sits well above the national pay line for construction laborers, local pay runs about 24% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,175/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.15 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction laborers in metros near Rockford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $61K | $59K |
| Peoria | $63K | $69K |
| Decatur | $61K | $69K |
| Champaign-Urbana | $59K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rockford, IL
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $58K 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
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Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rockford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 30.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,175/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Rockford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,337/month. At HUD’s $1,175/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Rockford?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $58K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Rockford compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Rockford pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Rockford, IL?
The median is $58,390 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,950, and experienced construction laborers can clear $97,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Rockford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,839/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,175/month, which eats 30.6% 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 Rockford?
Rockford has a Regional Price Parity of 92.15 (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 $63,364 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.