Wage growth in construction slowed in April, although regional inequalities remained sharp. When averaged across all payroll employees (non-seasonally adjusted, NSA), average hourly earnings (AHE) in construction climbed 3.6% year on year and reached $39.3 nationally.
Meanwhile, construction workers in Alaska and Massachusetts earned more than $50 per hour (NSA).
AHE yearly growth rates varied by state, ranging from 10.6% in Nevada to a 3% fall in Oklahoma. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) most recent Current Employment Statistics (CES) report confirms this.
Average hourly earnings (AHE) in construction vary substantially across the 43 states that report these figures.
Alaska, the Pacific Coast states, Illinois, Minnesota, and the bulk of Northeastern states have the highest AHE.
As of April 2025, fourteen states reported average hourly earnings (NSA) of more than $40.
On the opposite end of the scale, nine states have NSA average hourly wages in construction under $34.
The states with the lowest AHE are primarily in the South, with Arkansas reporting the lowest rate of $29.3 per hour.
While regional hourly rates reflect variances in the cost of living between states, among other things, faster growing wages are more likely to signal certain labor markets that are particularly tight.
Nevada, Mississippi, Alaska, Colorado, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and Montana recorded the highest growing hourly salaries in construction year after year, more than tripling the national average of 3.6%.
Nevada had the highest yearly increase of 10.6%, while Mississippi and Alaska had growth rates of slightly under 10%.
In stark contrast, Oklahoma saw a 3% drop in hourly wages.
Louisiana, Missouri, Rhode Island, California, and Wisconsin all reported somewhat lower hourly rates in construction than the previous year.
[Read more about this topic on Eyeonhousing.org]