Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
The construction industry is a major component of the U.S. economy.
From the roads and bridges connecting every corner of the country to the factories and buildings that the American workforce uses daily, the construction sector has a far-reaching impact.
Some locations are better than others for construction workers. States with a strong union presence or prevailing wage laws tend to have the highest wages.
More so than by location, wages in the construction industry vary widely by occupation, and some roles have shown more recent wage growth than others.
To find the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. See the details of the methodology at the end.
Here are the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages.
10. Floor Layers (Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles)
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +23.2%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): No statistically significant change
- Mean annual wage (2022): $54,870
- Mean annual wage (2017): $44,530
- Total employment: 20,710
Official BLS title “Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles.” These floor layers apply blocks, strips, or sheets of shock-absorbing, sound-deadening, or decorative coverings to floors.
9. Helpers for Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +24.4%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): No statistically significant change
- Mean annual wage (2022): $38,040
- Mean annual wage (2017): $30,570
- Total employment: 8,630
Official BLS title “Helpers–Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons.” These workers help painters, paperhangers, plasterers, or stucco masons by performing duties requiring less skill.
Some duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work areas and equipment.
8. Carpenter Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +25.0%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +4.7%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $38,880
- Mean annual wage (2017): $31,100
- Total employment: 24,580
Official BLS title “Helpers–Carpenters.” These workers help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill, some of which include: using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work areas and equipment.
7. Floor Sanders and Finishers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +25.6%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): No statistically significant change
- Mean annual wage (2022): $49,330
- Mean annual wage (2017): $39,260
- Total employment: 4,270
Floor sanders and finishers prepare and apply finishing coats to wooden floors. They may work with floor scrapers and sanding machines to aid in their work.
6. Helpers for Masons, Tile Setters, and Marble Setters
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +26.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +5.8%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $44,230
- Mean annual wage (2017): $35,020
- Total employment: 17,730
Official BLS title “Helpers–Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters.”
These workers help brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters by fetching and holding supplies, cleaning up the work area, and maintaining tools and equipment.
5. Miscellaneous Construction Trade Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +28.1%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +7.3%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $40,790
- Mean annual wage (2017): $31,830
- Total employment: 27,920
Official BLS title “Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other.” These workers help skilled trades workers with activities that require less skill.
This occupation category specifically excludes helpers of blockmasons, brickmasons, carpenters, electricians, painters, paperhangers, plasterers, pipefitters, pipelayers, plumbers, roofers, steamfitters, stonemasons, stucco masons, and tile and marble setters.
4. Quarry Rock Splitters
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +30.4%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +9.2%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $47,010
- Mean annual wage (2017): $36,050
- Total employment: 3,910
Official BLS title “Rock Splitters, Quarry.” These workers typically separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
3. Stonemasons
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +32.4%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +10.9%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $56,100
- Mean annual wage (2017): $42,370
- Total employment: 10,220
Stonemasons build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. They may also lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.
2. Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +35.5%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +13.5%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $61,680
- Mean annual wage (2017): $45,520
- Total employment: 1,460
This occupation entails pouring and mixing cement, marble chips, and other materials to create durable and decorative surfaces such as floors, stairways, and cabinet fixtures.
1. Roofer Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +37.6%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +15.2%
- Mean annual wage (2022): $40,880
- Mean annual wage (2017): $29,710
- Total employment: 5,790
Official BLS title “Helpers–Roofers.” These workers help skilled roofers by performing lower-level job tasks, such as using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work areas and equipment.
Methodology
To find the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
The researchers ranked all construction and extraction occupations according to the five-year percentage change in wages from 2017 to 2022.
In the event of a tie, the occupation with the higher mean annual wage in 2022 was ranked higher.
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