U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHelp plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment. Construction laborers who do not primarily assist plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers are classified under "Construction Laborers" (47-2061). Apprentice workers are classified with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation (47-2011 through 47-2231).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51,420 | 3.0 % | $13.66 | $28,420 | 1.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $8.87 | $10.53 | $12.99 | $15.86 | $18.56 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $18,460 | $21,900 | $27,010 | $32,990 | $38,600 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors | 38,870 | 2.38 | $13.36 | $27,780 |
| Utility System Construction | 4,980 | 1.26 | $14.68 | $30,530 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 3,650 | 0.56 | $15.07 | $31,350 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 750 | 0.14 | $12.89 | $26,820 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 620 | 0.01 | $16.79 | $34,910 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Equipment Contractors | 38,870 | 2.38 | $13.36 | $27,780 |
| Utility System Construction | 4,980 | 1.26 | $14.68 | $30,530 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 3,650 | 0.56 | $15.07 | $31,350 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 90 | 0.18 | $10.68 | $22,210 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 170 | 0.14 | $11.28 | $23,460 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 40 | (7) | $17.87 | $37,170 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 70 | 0.07 | $17.40 | $36,200 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 620 | 0.01 | $16.79 | $34,910 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 40 | (7) | $16.60 | $34,530 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 140 | 0.08 | $15.61 | $32,460 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10,020 | 0.97 | 2.43 | $13.10 | $27,240 |
| California | 3,220 | 0.23 | 0.57 | $18.86 | $39,230 |
| North Carolina | 3,150 | 0.83 | 2.06 | $13.36 | $27,780 |
| New York | 3,130 | 0.37 | 0.93 | $13.93 | $28,970 |
| Georgia | 2,420 | 0.64 | 1.60 | $12.55 | $26,110 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 970 | 1.25 | 3.12 | $12.63 | $26,270 |
| Louisiana | 2,030 | 1.11 | 2.76 | $13.59 | $28,270 |
| Texas | 10,020 | 0.97 | 2.43 | $13.10 | $27,240 |
| Mississippi | 1,030 | 0.96 | 2.38 | $12.96 | $26,960 |
| North Carolina | 3,150 | 0.83 | 2.06 | $13.36 | $27,780 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 50 | 0.17 | 0.42 | $21.95 | $45,650 |
| California | 3,220 | 0.23 | 0.57 | $18.86 | $39,230 |
| Minnesota | 170 | 0.07 | 0.17 | $18.72 | $38,930 |
| Massachusetts | 520 | 0.16 | 0.41 | $16.84 | $35,030 |
| Maine | 290 | 0.51 | 1.27 | $16.58 | $34,490 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 3,500 | 1.37 | 3.42 | $13.77 | $28,640 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 2,270 | 0.45 | 1.12 | $14.68 | $30,530 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 1,290 | 0.63 | 1.57 | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 1,130 | 0.49 | 1.22 | $14.34 | $29,820 |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 1,040 | 0.29 | 0.72 | $11.01 | $22,910 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 1,030 | 0.46 | 1.16 | $13.37 | $27,800 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,020 | 0.27 | 0.66 | (8) | (8) |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 890 | 1.05 | 2.62 | $12.30 | $25,580 |
| Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC | 830 | 1.00 | 2.50 | $13.53 | $28,140 |
| Las Vegas-Paradise, NV | 720 | 0.89 | 2.22 | $14.82 | $30,820 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon, GA | 260 | 2.89 | 7.21 | $11.26 | $23,420 |
| Odessa, TX | 180 | 2.84 | 7.09 | $11.95 | $24,860 |
| Anderson, SC | 120 | 2.12 | 5.30 | $15.59 | $32,430 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 240 | 2.11 | 5.26 | $13.90 | $28,910 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 180 | 2.00 | 5.00 | $11.92 | $24,800 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 680 | 1.92 | 4.79 | $15.51 | $32,270 |
| Gainesville, GA | 130 | 1.86 | 4.65 | (8) | (8) |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 160 | 1.79 | 4.47 | $11.75 | $24,450 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 160 | 1.61 | 4.02 | $13.59 | $28,260 |
| Jackson, MS | 390 | 1.59 | 3.95 | $13.04 | $27,120 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | 50 | 0.16 | 0.41 | $20.65 | $42,960 |
| Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH | 60 | 0.84 | 2.09 | $19.96 | $41,510 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | (8) | (8) | (8) | $19.66 | $40,890 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | (8) | (8) | (8) | $19.58 | $40,730 |
| Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME | 140 | 0.75 | 1.88 | $19.02 | $39,570 |
| Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division | (8) | (8) | (8) | $17.81 | $37,040 |
| Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division | 90 | 0.36 | 0.91 | $17.56 | $36,520 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 270 | 0.24 | 0.59 | $17.52 | $36,430 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.98 | $35,320 |
| Joplin, MO | (8) | (8) | (8) | $16.94 | $35,240 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Texas nonmetropolitan area | 330 | 1.21 | 3.01 | $10.97 | $22,820 |
| Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 320 | 1.10 | 2.75 | $11.89 | $24,740 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 270 | 0.71 | 1.78 | $13.49 | $28,050 |
| Central Texas nonmetropolitan area | 270 | 1.92 | 4.78 | $11.85 | $24,650 |
| Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 220 | 1.78 | 4.44 | $9.34 | $19,430 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Texas nonmetropolitan area | 270 | 1.92 | 4.78 | $11.85 | $24,650 |
| Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 220 | 1.78 | 4.44 | $9.34 | $19,430 |
| Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 1.67 | 4.17 | $11.64 | $24,210 |
| North and West Central New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 1.49 | 3.71 | $11.78 | $24,510 |
| St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.30 | 3.23 | $15.50 | $32,250 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.44 | 1.09 | $17.14 | $35,650 |
| Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $15.64 | $32,540 |
| St. Mary's County, Maryland nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.30 | 3.23 | $15.50 | $32,250 |
| Northeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.97 | 2.41 | $14.89 | $30,960 |
| South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $14.85 | $30,890 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order
List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order
Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files
Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012
