Construction Laborers
Also called: Construction Laborer, Construction Worker, Equipment Operator (EO), Post FramerPerform 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 1 of its 27 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 7.3% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 6.7% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 12.8 hires for every 10 job openings in construction, which employs about 85% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.12.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,900 | $29,960 to $45,240 | 18,400 |
| Alaska | $58,060 | $46,390 to $69,950 | 3,690 |
| Arizona | $46,590 | $39,610 to $51,620 | 37,630 |
| Arkansas | $37,630 | $34,590 to $44,320 | 10,650 |
| California | $60,270 | $48,140 to $78,520 | 88,240 |
| Colorado | $47,900 | $42,700 to $56,670 | 18,680 |
| Connecticut | $58,290 | $47,670 to $72,750 | 7,360 |
| Delaware | $45,550 | $37,280 to $56,310 | 3,240 |
| District of Columbia | $50,020 | $43,260 to $59,090 | 2,090 |
| Florida | $44,030 | $37,090 to $47,970 | 87,040 |
| Georgia | $38,990 | $35,220 to $46,950 | 27,800 |
| Guam | $29,410 | $23,570 to $35,090 | 800 |
| Hawaii | $77,110 | $52,270 to $87,750 | 4,580 |
| Idaho | $46,940 | $39,550 to $55,030 | 10,850 |
| Illinois | $60,690 | $46,040 to $95,240 | 35,940 |
| Indiana | $50,070 | $44,270 to $62,240 | 28,600 |
| Iowa | $48,490 | $45,560 to $58,470 | 13,780 |
| Kansas | $44,840 | $37,310 to $49,210 | 9,990 |
| Kentucky | $45,710 | $37,700 to $50,040 | 13,280 |
| Louisiana | $38,230 | $34,510 to $47,300 | 22,100 |
| Maine | $46,430 | $40,570 to $53,070 | 3,960 |
| Maryland | $46,960 | $39,480 to $55,540 | 20,920 |
| Massachusetts | $63,390 | $52,330 to $88,330 | 16,210 |
| Michigan | $49,590 | $44,750 to $61,730 | 28,490 |
| Minnesota | $60,260 | $48,420 to $79,710 | 28,530 |
| Mississippi | $37,710 | $33,790 to $45,790 | 8,800 |
| Missouri | $56,730 | $45,610 to $77,580 | 17,050 |
| Montana | $49,830 | $43,260 to $58,750 | 4,590 |
| Nebraska | $47,260 | $40,320 to $55,550 | 8,530 |
| Nevada | $48,990 | $42,070 to $64,720 | 11,890 |
| New Hampshire | $49,980 | $44,950 to $58,910 | 4,330 |
| New Jersey | $64,060 | $46,710 to $94,510 | 23,590 |
| New Mexico | $38,400 | $35,500 to $46,300 | 12,470 |
| New York | $55,930 | $43,950 to $79,420 | 52,090 |
| North Carolina | $44,720 | $37,380 to $49,070 | 35,620 |
| North Dakota | $49,070 | $45,680 to $60,680 | 5,050 |
| Ohio | $56,080 | $45,940 to $74,370 | 31,910 |
| Oklahoma | $39,360 | $36,470 to $47,460 | 13,710 |
| Oregon | $50,860 | $45,030 to $62,200 | 12,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,400 | $45,110 to $61,810 | 35,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $24,270 | $22,690 to $28,560 | 9,820 |
| Rhode Island | $57,240 | $46,810 to $77,480 | 2,110 |
| South Carolina | $42,940 | $36,680 to $49,120 | 19,620 |
| South Dakota | $45,710 | $38,300 to $48,120 | 1,780 |
| Tennessee | $45,000 | $37,670 to $49,450 | 26,250 |
| Texas | $40,620 | $36,730 to $46,950 | 123,250 |
| Utah | $46,550 | $38,750 to $55,250 | 20,950 |
| Vermont | $48,580 | $46,780 to $58,110 | 1,430 |
| Virgin Islands | $42,200 | $34,820 to $47,440 | 370 |
| Virginia | $43,560 | $37,020 to $47,550 | 25,830 |
| Washington | $57,720 | $46,930 to $72,160 | 25,060 |
| West Virginia | $42,670 | $35,620 to $54,780 | 6,620 |
| Wisconsin | $56,100 | $46,060 to $72,130 | 20,330 |
| Wyoming | $46,030 | $38,510 to $49,920 | 3,350 |
Nationally: $47,120. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 1 of its 27 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt. | Not published |
| Not much | Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities. | Not published |
| Not much | Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards. | Not published |
| AI + software | Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials. | Not published |
| Not much | Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications. | Not published |
See all 27 tasks
| Not much | Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed. | Not published |
| Not much | Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes. O*NET flags this task's ratings as uncertain | Not published |
| Not much | Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures. | Not published |
| Not much | Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment. O*NET flags this task's ratings as uncertain | Not published |
| Not much | Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments. | Not published |
| Not much | Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons. | Not published |
| Not much | Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines. | Not published |
| Not much | Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air. | Not published |
| Not much | Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes. | Not published |
| Not much | Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms. | Not published |
| Not much | Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces. | Not published |
| Not much | Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection. | Not published |
| Not much | Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts. | Not published |
| Not much | Raze buildings or salvage useful materials. | Not published |
| Not much | Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers. | Not published |
| Not much | Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures. | Not published |
| Not much | Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 27 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 27 tasks fall under 22 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities | |||
| Apply protective solutions or coatings | |||
| Build structures | |||
| Prepare mixtures or solutions | |||
| Position materials or components for assembly | |||
| Install plumbing or piping equipment or systems | |||
| Operate pumping systems or equipment |
Show all 22 activities
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Assess characteristics of land or property | |||
| Position tools or equipment | |||
| Dispose of waste or debris | |||
| Disassemble equipment | |||
| Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment | |||
| Move materials, equipment, or supplies | |||
| Set up protective structures or coverings near work areas | |||
| Signal others to coordinate work activities | |||
| Load products, materials, or equipment for transportation or further processing | |||
| Direct vehicle traffic | |||
| Test sites or materials for environmental hazards | |||
| Operate construction or excavation equipment |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for construction laborers specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 82,237 moves out
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 6%
- 2 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 5%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Construction Managers High +9.1% 4%
- 5 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 67,449 moves in
- 1 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 8%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 4 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 5 Construction Managers High +9.1% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 33% less than high school
- 35% high school
- 5% associate's
- 28% not published
O*NET marks 28% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 20 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 33% less than high school
- 41% high school
- 14% some college
- 5% associate's
- 5% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 17,151 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
39.1% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 3.0% | 19.1% |
| a certification | 2.7% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 6 registered apprenticeships in this occupation. Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Construction Laborers” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/47-2061.00