The Average Income of a Construction Worker
Construction workers build, maintain and repair structures such as houses, factories, businesses and bridges. Their jobs are heavily affected by the state of the economy. When times are bad, this industry may lag, thus eliminating employment opportunities. During good times, salaries may rise to attract more workers to an increasing number of jobs.
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General
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies construction occupations along with a few extraction occupations such as mining. This group includes such construction workers as laborers, helpers such as painters' assistants, tradesmen like carpenters and plumbers, and first line supervisors of workers. The 5.75 million members of this occupational group made a mean rate of $20.84 per hour or $43,350 per year as of May 2009. This is very close to the mean for all 130 million occupations in the U.S., which ran $20.90 per hour or $43,460 per year.
Supervisors
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First-line supervisors manage several construction workers and are ultimately responsible for their completing an assigned task. They often rise to this position after several years of experience in the field. For 2009, the 531,840 members of this profession made a mean $29.68 per hour or $61,730 per year. Most worked in non-residential building construction, with means of $31.41 per hour or $65,330. However, their highest-paying employers were electronics and appliance stores, at a mean $41.48 per hour or $86,290 per year.
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Tradesmen
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Tradesmen perform construction tasks using craft skills. They often undergo training as apprentices helping out experienced workers before becoming journeymen allowed to perform construction on their own. For example, electricians, who handle wiring and the distribution of power, made a mean $24.45 per hour or $50,850 per year as of 2009. Carpenters earned a mean $20.98 per hour or $43,640 per year. Brickmasons received $23.68 per hour or $49,250 per year.
Laborers and Helpers
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Laborers and helpers are the lowest-paid members of the construction industry, since they require no education to perform their tasks, and learn their skills on the job by observing other workers. For 2009, construction laborers made a mean $15.96 per hour or $33,190. Painters earned a mean $11.68 per hour or $24,300 per year. Plumbers' helpers earned a mean $13.24 per hour or $27,530 per year.
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References
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