Tag Construction Wages

Demand for electricians will grow nearly 3X faster than the overall job growth rate in the coming years, as more of the nation's energy infrastructure transitions to renewable sources. These are the best-paying U.S. states and metros for electricians.

The U.S. is in the midst of a skilled worker shortage that is projected to worsen as an already aging construction workforce reaches retirement. To fill the demand, construction firms will need to recruit the next generation of skilled workers—and one way to attract more qualified workers is by increasing pay.

Nationally, full-time female workers earn $52,478 annually in the construction sector. However, pay varies widely by state, and regional differences in the cost of living affect how far a salary will go in a given location. These are the best-paying states for women in construction.

To attract and retain workers, many employers are raising wages, providing a favorable outlook for carpenters—with some locations offering more lucrative prospects than others. Researchers calculated the median annual earnings for carpenters, adjusted for cost-of-living differences, then ranked metros and states accordingly.

High levels of inflation beginning in 2021 have, in many cases, more than offset the wage growth routinely touted as a positive of the COVID-era economy. And while wage growth is below-average nationally, construction workers in certain parts of the country have fared better. Researchers calculated the inflation-adjusted change in mean construction worker earnings from 2018 to 2023, then ranked locations accordingly.

The construction industry has experienced a period of heightened activity over the past several years, and researchers set out to find the best-paying construction occupations. They analyzed the most common jobs using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those occupations were ranked according to their median hourly wage.

Nationally, plumbers earn about 30% more than the typical worker—but more localized data shows a highly regional industry. We ranked U.S. states and metros according to the median annual wage for plumbers, adjusted for the cost of living.

On a national level, construction workers are well-compensated for their hard work, but wages vary widely by location. Here we explore which cities pay the most.