Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV make a median of $47,430 a year, or about $22.8 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $43,562 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 68.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Construction laborers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 70.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction laborers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $42K | $45K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $46K | $44K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $38K | $39K |
| Richmond | $42K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $26K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 70.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,222/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 101% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $47,430 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,030, and experienced construction laborers can clear $62,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,198/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 70.2% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median construction laborers salary is worth about $43,562 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.