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.

What you'd actually do

• Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
• Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
• Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
• Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
• Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
• Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Less than high school. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 26.9% of construction laborers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Related careers

• Structural Iron and Steel Workers
• Electricians
• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• Construction and Building Inspectors
• First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
• Roustabouts, Oil and Gas

Quick questions

How much does a construction laborer make?

The median pay is $22.66 per hour — roughly $47,000 a year, with the real range running from about $16.87/hr (10th percentile) to $37.54/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a construction laborer?

The typical entry-level education is: Less than high school. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a construction laborer actually do all day?

Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt. Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools. Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.