Construction and extraction
Construction laborer
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.
Median pay
$47,120
Growth to 2035
+7%
faster than average
Openings a year
120,000
Time to qualify*
1 month
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Construction laborer
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Construction laborer: 18% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- 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.
- Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
- Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
Also called: Bituminous Asphalt Technician · Construction Laborer · Construction Worker · Drop Crew Laborer · Equipment Operator (EO) · Form Setter · Post Framer · Scaffolding Operator
Outlook and AI
Construction laborers held 1,489,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 1,598,600 by 2035 (+7%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Construction laborer vs. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Construction laborer vs. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Construction laborer vs. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Construction laborer vs. Pipelayer
- Construction laborer vs. Structural iron and steel workers
- Construction laborer vs. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Construction laborer vs. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Construction laborer vs. Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters
- Construction laborer vs. Carpenter
- Construction laborer vs. Maintenance workers, machinery