Put your hard hat on and let's get to work. Construction workers are extremely important when it comes to new buildings and infrastructure. While the job requires a lot of physical labor, formal education is not required.
It's important to note that being a construction worker is physically demanding work. Generally, construction workers have a full-time schedule. Plus they work outside in every kind of weather. Oh, and if you're afraid of heights, you probably don't want to become a construction worker.
What is a Construction Worker?
What Does a Construction Worker Do
There are certain skills that many construction workers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed color vision, math skills and mechanical skills.
How To Become a Construction Worker
If you're interested in becoming a construction worker, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 19.3% of construction workers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 1.4% of construction workers have master's degrees. Even though some construction workers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Construction Worker Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a construction worker can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as warehouse worker, progress to a title such as technician and then eventually end up with the title operations manager.
Construction Worker
Operations Manager
7 Years
Service Manager
6 Years
Maintenance Director
11 Years
Project Superintendent
10 Years
Site Manager
7 Years
Construction Manager
9 Years
Show More
Average Salary for a Construction Worker
Construction Workers in America make an average salary of $31,842 per year or $15 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $43,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $23,000 per year.
Average Construction Worker Salary
$31,842Â Yearly$15.31 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Construction Worker
The role of a construction worker includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general construction worker responsibilities:
- Learn, keep current with and apply the great lakes roofing’s safety
- Performs a variety of tasks involving dexterous use of hands
- Pour and finish concrete set up form work tie
There are several types of construction worker, including:
Construction Labour
Role:
Buildings don't just magically appear in our world. People have to build them. But it's not that simple. There's a lot of cleaning and prep work that needs to be done before any structure or building goes up. And that's all done thanks to construction laborers.
It's a tough job that is likely to leave a few bruises and blisters, here and there. A lot of times, you're out in the midst of the weather. Which can range from snow and ice to dry and hot. Sometimes, a nice day will blow through so that when you're moving materials and pouring concrete it's not so bad.
But still, this is not a job to take lightly. The best part about this job is that you really only need a high school degree and maybe some on-the-job training. Other than that, you'll just have to smile through the pain. Once you see your work, it'll all be worth it.
It's a tough job that is likely to leave a few bruises and blisters, here and there. A lot of times, you're out in the midst of the weather. Which can range from snow and ice to dry and hot. Sometimes, a nice day will blow through so that when you're moving materials and pouring concrete it's not so bad.
But still, this is not a job to take lightly. The best part about this job is that you really only need a high school degree and maybe some on-the-job training. Other than that, you'll just have to smile through the pain. Once you see your work, it'll all be worth it.
- Average Salary: $32,628
- Degree: High School Diploma
Labour Worker
Role:
If you like working outdoors, are looking for variety on the job, and want to work with your hands and with power tools, you should consider the role of a labor worker. Generally, most labor workers perform manual tasks such as cleaning, removing debris, loading and unloading materials, putting up scaffolding, or digging trenches on construction or building sites.
Working as a laborer, you may use various tools and machines to lift, carry, assemble, and disassemble temporary structures. Typically, you would also provide support to skilled craftspeople on worksites. While maintaining a safe and clean construction site, you may handle dangerous chemicals, power tools, and machines. Usually you would work 40 hours a week. However, you may work overtime during peak periods of construction.
Generally most aspiring labor workers hold a high school diploma or equivalent. However, earning a vocational-technical certificate as well may help boost your chances of landing this position. Since being a labor worker is physically demanding and strenuous, you need to have good stamina and endurance. When preparing and cleaning up construction sites, you may earn a median annual wage of $22,000, which would likely increase with your experience and your skill level. Not only that, but with advanced training and skills, you may become a qualified tradesperson, site supervisor, or construction manager.
Working as a laborer, you may use various tools and machines to lift, carry, assemble, and disassemble temporary structures. Typically, you would also provide support to skilled craftspeople on worksites. While maintaining a safe and clean construction site, you may handle dangerous chemicals, power tools, and machines. Usually you would work 40 hours a week. However, you may work overtime during peak periods of construction.
Generally most aspiring labor workers hold a high school diploma or equivalent. However, earning a vocational-technical certificate as well may help boost your chances of landing this position. Since being a labor worker is physically demanding and strenuous, you need to have good stamina and endurance. When preparing and cleaning up construction sites, you may earn a median annual wage of $22,000, which would likely increase with your experience and your skill level. Not only that, but with advanced training and skills, you may become a qualified tradesperson, site supervisor, or construction manager.
- Average Salary: $30,080
- Degree: High School Diploma
Mason
Role:
Masons use stones, bricks, or concrete blocks to create new structures such as walls, fences, walkways, and other masonry structures. Basically, masons use building materials to carry out construction. As a mason, some of your responsibilities include maintaining your tools and making sure they are in good shape, reading and following technical drawings for construction, and ensuring that your work area is clean and safe. Furthermore, your clients will want to have a budget for any construction before it starts; hence, you are expected to do an estimation of how much the construction will cost and how long it will take.
As a mason, you must be a team player, you must be physically fit, you must be able to read blueprints, you must have dexterity skills, and you must be creative. Most masons have a high school diploma degree; however, degrees are not a huge factor. Instead, it is important that you are experienced, and you are very good at your job. On average, you will earn $39,328 per year as a mason.
As a mason, you must be a team player, you must be physically fit, you must be able to read blueprints, you must have dexterity skills, and you must be creative. Most masons have a high school diploma degree; however, degrees are not a huge factor. Instead, it is important that you are experienced, and you are very good at your job. On average, you will earn $39,328 per year as a mason.
- Average Salary: $43,974
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Construction Worker Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active construction worker jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where construction workers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Construction Worker Jobs By State
Top Skills For a Construction Worker
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 16.9% of construction workers listed roofing on their resume, but soft skills such as color vision and math skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Construction Worker Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Construction Worker templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Construction Worker resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Construction Worker Demographics
Construction Worker Gender Distribution
Male
94%
Female
6%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among construction workers, 6.2% of them are women, while 93.8% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among construction workers is White, which makes up 52.9% of all construction workers.
- The most common foreign language among construction workers is Spanish at 75.2%.
Online Courses For Construction Worker That You May Like
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1. Construction Project Management
Construction Project Management introduces learners to Project Initiation and Planning. Columbia University professor, Ibrahim Odeh, along with industry experts join together to provide a comprehensive overview of the construction industry. There are 10 modules that allow learners to become knowledgeable of construction management within the dynamic construction industry. Professor Odeh teaches learners about the fundamentals of the Project Development Cycle while guest lecturers discuss Lean...
See More on Coursera2. Construction Management
The Construction Management specialization is curated for professionals in the construction and civil engineering industry looking to advance their careers. Through this specialization, students will gain comprehensive industry knowledge along with the latest trends and development within the industry. This 5-course specialization will cover the major facets of construction management including project initiation and planning, scheduling techniques and procedures, cost estimating and control,...
See More on Coursera3. Construction Finance
This course expands the knowledge of a construction project manager to include an understanding of economics and the mathematics of money, an essential component of every construction project. Topics covered include the time value of money, the definition and calculation of the types of interest rates, and the importance of Cash Flow Diagrams. The course covers these topics in three sections. The first section focuses on the foundation of building the mathematics of money, often referred to as...
See More on CourseraJob type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary
Best States For a Construction Worker
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a construction worker. The best states for people in this position are New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Illinois. Construction workers make the most in New York with an average salary of $47,620. Whereas in Massachusetts and Minnesota, they would average $47,324 and $46,393, respectively. While construction workers would only make an average of $44,353 in Illinois, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. New Hampshire
Total Construction Worker Jobs: 312
Highest 10% Earn:
$55,000
Location Quotient:
1.77
$42,025
Avg. Salary
2. Connecticut
Total Construction Worker Jobs: 467
Highest 10% Earn:
$59,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
$44,092
Avg. Salary
3. Washington
Total Construction Worker Jobs: 1,212
Highest 10% Earn:
$51,000
Location Quotient:
1.64
$41,072
Avg. Salary
How Do Construction Worker Rate Their Jobs?
5.0
Journey man electrician • September 2021
5.0
Journey man electrician • September 2021What do you like the most about working as Construction Worker?
Reading blueprints actual hands on labor bending conduit all aspcets of electrical work Show MoreWhat do you NOT like?
The rain the heat assholes that think they know all about what your doing Show More4.0
Fire watch confined space an bottle watch • June 2019
4.0
Fire watch confined space an bottle watch • June 2019What do you like the most about working as Construction Worker?
Travel Show MoreWhat do you NOT like?
There is not much I don't like about construction work. I like to trave an love meeting pew people an making me friends Show MoreTop Construction Worker Employers
Most Common Employers For Construction Worker
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turner Construction | $36,467 | $17.53 | 32 |
| 2 | Independent Contractor | $35,264 | $16.95 | 61 |
| 3 | Lamar Advertising | $32,640 | $15.69 | 23 |
| 4 | Clark Construction of Ridgefield | $32,390 | $15.57 | 34 |
| 5 | Construction Labor Contractors | $32,195 | $15.48 | 63 |
| 6 | Williams Construction Co. | $32,188 | $15.47 | 32 |
| 7 | Brown Construction | $32,123 | $15.44 | 32 |
| 8 | ALL Construction Group | $32,117 | $15.44 | 26 |
| 9 | ManpowerGroup | $31,979 | $15.37 | 43 |
| 10 | Habitat for Humanity | $31,900 | $15.34 | 158 |
Becoming a Construction Worker FAQs
How Long Does It Take To Become A Construction Worker?
It takes one year or less to become a construction worker. That is the time it takes to learn specific construction worker skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.
Is Construction A Good Career?
Yes, construction can be a good career field for many people, but it may not be the best career for everyone. While working in construction offers good pay and relaxed working conditions, there are some characteristics of the work that are challenging over the long term.
What Is The Construction Site Hierarchy?
The construction site hierarchy is similar to a regular business and includes. The owner/CEO sits at the top of the organizational chart, typically followed by the general manager, department managers, project managers, project supervisors, project coordinators, and finally the workers.
What Is The Hierarchy Of A Construction Company?
The hierarchy of a construction company begins with entry-level positions, and includes support, manager, director, executive, and owner. While smaller companies may have fewer people at each level, this general structure works from small to large construction companies.
Have more questions? See all answers to common construction and extraction questions.