Salaries of Construction Jobs
The construction industry produces homes, businesses, schools, shops, bridges and roads, among other structures. It requires the planning and management that is found in many other industries. Workers in this industry perform tasks specific to this sector such as the building, maintenance and repair of structures. Salaries vary according to construction and job type.
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General
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As of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction sector employed 6.4 million individuals at an average wage of $22.36 per hour or $46,500 per year. The 341,950 management occupations responsible for ensuring completion of jobs earned $50.28 per hour or $104,580 per year. The 636,900 office support occupations that handled construction paperwork got a mean $16.30 per hour or $33,910 per year. The 4.21 million trade jobs, which included carpenters, electricians, electricians, helpers and laborers received a mean $20.93 per hour or $43,530 per year.
Types
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The construction sector is subdivided into different structure types, with each type showing different salaries and employment. For example, the 695,950 workers in residential building construction, which built homes and apartment buildings, earned a mean $22.12 per hour or $46,010 per year. The 766,140 involved in non-residential building construction, which erected such structures as offices and shopping malls, made a mean $25.86 per hour or $53,790 per year. The 921,850 individuals handling civil engineering construction, which built bridges, roads and utilities, received a mean $22.76 per hour or $47,350 per year.
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Managers
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As an example of higher-level construction jobs, managers plan and coordinate supervisory staff, schedules and materials to complete projects. Most have a bachelor's degree in a construction-related field, though some reach their positions after years of experience. They made a mean $44.85 per hour or $93,290 per year for 204,760 positions. Their biggest employers were nonresidential building construction with 50,560 jobs getting a mean $44.36 per hour or $92,260 per year. Following that was residential building construction with 33,100 jobs earning a mean $42.81 per hour or $89,040 per year.
Laborers
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At the lower end of the pay scale are construction laborers, who require no education because they learn their skills on the job. They perform miscellaneous tasks like operating hand and power tools, preparing sites and removing rubble. The 856,440 workers made a mean $15.96 per hour or $33,190 per year. Their highest paying employers were the motion picture and video industries, offering a mean $30.46 per hour or $63,360 per year for only 100 jobs. The second ranking employer for pay was rail transportation at a mean $22.82 per hour or $47,470 per year for 370 positions.
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References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Construction
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 National Industry-Specific Occupational
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Construction Managers
Resources
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