Construction Laborers
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
- O*NET-SOC code
47-2061.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$47,120
Employment, U.S.1,096,780
Median hourly wage$22.66
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35,090 | $38,620 | $47,120 | $59,740 | $78,090 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18,400 | $36,900 | 1.23 |
| Alaska | 3,690 | $58,060 | 1.61 |
| Arizona | 37,630 | $46,590 | 1.65 |
| Arkansas | 10,650 | $37,630 | 1.16 |
| California | 88,240 | $60,270 | 0.69 |
| Colorado | 18,680 | $47,900 | 0.92 |
| Connecticut | 7,360 | $58,290 | 0.62 |
| Delaware | 3,240 | $45,550 | 0.95 |
| District of Columbia | 2,090 | $50,020 | 0.42 |
| Florida | 87,040 | $44,030 | 1.24 |
| Georgia | 27,800 | $38,990 | 0.81 |
| Hawaii | 4,580 | $77,110 | 1.03 |
| Idaho | 10,850 | $46,940 | 1.79 |
| Illinois | 35,940 | $60,690 | 0.84 |
| Indiana | 28,600 | $50,070 | 1.27 |
| Iowa | 13,780 | $48,490 | 1.25 |
| Kansas | 9,990 | $44,840 | 0.99 |
| Kentucky | 13,280 | $45,710 | 0.94 |
| Louisiana | 22,100 | $38,230 | 1.62 |
| Maine | 3,960 | $46,430 | 0.88 |
| Maryland | 20,920 | $46,960 | 1.07 |
| Massachusetts | 16,210 | $63,390 | 0.63 |
| Michigan | 28,490 | $49,590 | 0.92 |
| Minnesota | 28,530 | $60,260 | 1.37 |
| Mississippi | 8,800 | $37,710 | 1.07 |
| Missouri | 17,050 | $56,730 | 0.82 |
| Montana | 4,590 | $49,830 | 1.27 |
| Nebraska | 8,530 | $47,260 | 1.18 |
| Nevada | 11,890 | $48,990 | 1.09 |
| New Hampshire | 4,330 | $49,980 | 0.90 |
| New Jersey | 23,590 | $64,060 | 0.78 |
| New Mexico | 12,470 | $38,400 | 2.03 |
| New York | 52,090 | $55,930 | 0.76 |
| North Carolina | 35,620 | $44,720 | 1.02 |
| North Dakota | 5,050 | $49,070 | 1.67 |
| Ohio | 31,910 | $56,080 | 0.82 |
| Oklahoma | 13,710 | $39,360 | 1.14 |
| Oregon | 12,620 | $50,860 | 0.91 |
| Pennsylvania | 35,920 | $49,400 | 0.84 |
| Rhode Island | 2,110 | $57,240 | 0.60 |
| South Carolina | 19,620 | $42,940 | 1.21 |
| South Dakota | 1,780 | $45,710 | 0.55 |
| Tennessee | 26,250 | $45,000 | 1.14 |
| Texas | 123,250 | $40,620 | 1.24 |
| Utah | 20,950 | $46,550 | 1.71 |
| Vermont | 1,430 | $48,580 | 0.67 |
| Virginia | 25,830 | $43,560 | 0.89 |
| Washington | 25,060 | $57,720 | 1.00 |
| West Virginia | 6,620 | $42,670 | 1.34 |
| Wisconsin | 20,330 | $56,100 | 0.98 |
| Wyoming | 3,350 | $46,030 | 1.69 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters | 1-2 | 0.964 |
| 2 | Helpers--Carpenters | 1-2 | 0.960 |
| 3 | Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall | 1-2 | 0.959 |
| 4 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | 1-2 | 0.956 |
| 5 | Plasterers and Stucco Masons | 1-2 | 0.953 |
| 6 | Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | 1-2 | 0.951 |
| 7 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | 1-2 | 0.951 |
| 8 | Roofers | 1-2 | 0.949 |
| 9 | Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 1-2 | 0.949 |
| 10 | Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | 1-2 | 0.947 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Construction Laborers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plasterers and Stucco Masons | Quality Control Analysis | 0.76 | 0.953 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | Quality Control Analysis | 0.76 | 0.949 |
| Pipelayers | Quality Control Analysis | 0.88 | 0.946 |
| Stonemasons | Mathematics | 1.62 | 0.944 |
| Segmental Pavers | Service Orientation | 0.87 | 0.944 |
| Tree Trimmers and Pruners | Instructing | 1.00 | 0.941 |
| Tile and Stone Setters | Mathematics | 1.74 | 0.935 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | Quality Control Analysis | 0.76 | 0.926 |
| Riggers | Judgment and Decision Making | 0.88 | 0.922 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Construction Laborers, excluding software Construction Laborers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Turtle Creek Software Goldenseal | 6 of 20 | 19.8x |
| CPR Visual Estimator | 4 of 20 | 23.1x |
| Tradesman's Software Master Estimator | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| Construction Software Center EasyEst | 3 of 20 | 27.7x |
| Cost estimating software | 4 of 20 | 11.5x |
| Construction Management Software ProEst | 3 of 20 | 23.1x |
| On Center Quick Bid | 3 of 20 | 23.1x |
| Intuit QuickBooks | 5 of 20 | 2.7x |
| Database software | 3 of 20 | 0.8x |
| Email software | 3 of 20 | 0.5x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.25 | 2.88 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.38 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.38 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.88 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Building and Construction | 3.98 | 4.74 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.17 | 3.43 |
| Mechanical | 3.03 | 3.47 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.79 | 2.57 |
| Education and Training | 2.36 | 2.33 |
| Administration and Management | 2.28 | 1.76 |
| Design | 2.23 | 1.99 |
| Mathematics | 2.20 | 2.22 |
| English Language | 2.09 | 2.01 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.08 | 1.80 |
| Production and Processing | 1.93 | 1.80 |
| Transportation | 1.84 | 1.62 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.73 | 1.36 |
| Administrative | 1.64 | not rated |
| Physics | 1.58 | 1.02 |
| Communications and Media | 1.57 | 1.28 |
| Computers and Electronics | 1.51 | 0.92 |
| Psychology | 1.51 | 0.79 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.50 | 0.83 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.49 | 0.87 |
| Chemistry | 1.48 | 1.13 |
| Geography | 1.48 | 1.00 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.44 | 0.89 |
| History and Archeology | 1.43 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.43 | 0.80 |
| Law and Government | 1.43 | 0.78 |
| Telecommunications | 1.43 | 0.77 |
| Foreign Language | 1.43 | 0.73 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.42 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.39 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.38 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.35 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.24 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Dexterity | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Static Strength | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.62 | 3.38 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.50 | 3.12 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Control Precision | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Near Vision | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Oral Expression | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Dynamic Strength | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Stamina | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Depth Perception | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Selective Attention | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Rate Control | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Reaction Time | 2.88 | 3.12 |
| Response Orientation | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Visualization | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Written Comprehension | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.50 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.50 | 2.25 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.25 | 1.62 |
| Explosive Strength | 2.25 | 1.38 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Written Expression | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Originality | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Memorization | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 2.00 | 1.12 |
| Sound Localization | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Number Facility | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Night Vision | 1.75 | 1.38 |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Autodesk Revit hot
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Windows hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management hot
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmington, NM | 1,310 | 3.91 | $38,150 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 2,130 | 2.97 | $45,240 |
| Decatur, IL | 940 | 2.91 | $61,270 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 3,340 | 2.90 | $44,240 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 5,230 | 2.43 | $43,290 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | 710 | 2.43 | $41,170 |
| St. George, UT | 1,500 | 2.35 | $45,670 |
| Midland, TX | 1,970 | 2.28 | $39,500 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 4,760 | 2.22 | $46,640 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 6,300 | 2.18 | $38,650 |