Construction Laborers Salary
Construction Laborers in Wisconsin make a median of $56,100 a year, or about $26.97 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $59,472 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Wisconsin?
About construction laborers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Wisconsin sits well above the national pay line for construction laborers, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. Rent runs $1,202/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level construction laborers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Laborers salary by metro in Wisconsin
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton | $59K | +6% | 1,030 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $59K | +5% | 610 |
| Eau Claire | $58K | +4% | 640 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $57K | +2% | 4,740 |
| Madison | $57K | +2% | 2,370 |
| Sheboygan | $56K | +1% | 310 |
| Fond du Lac | $56K | +0% | 420 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $56K | -1% | 480 |
| Green Bay | $55K | -2% | 1,160 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $54K | -3% | 540 |
| Wausau | $53K | -6% | 510 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $51K | -9% | 560 |
| Kenosha | $50K | -11% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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Track construction laborers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction laborer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction laborers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction laborers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,279/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $56K here vs. $47K nationally.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for construction laborers?
Wisconsin pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction laborers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $56,100 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,990, and experienced construction laborers can clear $80,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,766/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 31.9% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $59,472 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.