The Highest-Paid Occupations in Construction in 2024

By   /  

According to the most recent May 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) research, half of construction payroll workers earn more than $60,320, while the top 25% earn at least $81,510.

In comparison, the median annual pay in the United States is $49,500, with the top quartile (the highest paid 25%) earning at least $78,810.1

The OEWS releases wage data for nearly 400 construction vocations. Only 46 of them are building trades.

The remaining construction sector employees work in finance, sales, administration, and other off-site tasks.

Lawyers will be the best paid occupation in construction in 2024, with an annual salary of $180,520, while the top 25% will earn more than $238,720.

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) had traditionally been the highest paid positions in the sector, but in 2024, they are second, with half of CEOs earning more than $174,030, while the top quartile’s earnings remain hidden.

Fourteen of the top twenty highest-paid construction vocations are various managers.

Architectural and engineering managers are the highest-paid managers in construction, with 50% earning more than $153,510 and the top 25% earning more than $181,150 each year.

Architectural and engineering managers also have a narrower compensation range dispersion, as determined by the percentage difference between the lowest and highest 25% pay levels.

Only computer and information systems (CIS) managers have a narrower compensation range than other construction managers.

The yearly salary of the top 25% of CIS managers in construction is at least $168,850, which is 40% more than the top earnings of the lowest paid quartile ($119,990).

In contrast, higher-level positions, such as lawyers and CEOs, have a far greater wage range.

The top 25% of highly paid lawyers earn more than double that of the bottom quartile, implying that construction lawyers have a broader range of duties and prospects for promotion.

Elevator installers and repairers had the highest median salaries of any construction trade, with 50% earning more than $108,130 per year and the top 25% earning at least $133,370.

This is also the only construction trade to make the industry’s top 20 highest-paying vocations list.

Next on the trade list are first-line supervisors of building trades, with a median wage of $78,900 and the top 25% earning more than $100,150.

In general, building trades that require more years of formal schooling pay higher annual income.

The median wage for construction and building inspectors is $66,340, while the top quartile earns $89,550.

This is likewise a trade with a significantly broad pay scale range, with the top 25% earning at least 74% more than the bottom quartile, presumably suggesting a wider variation in educational attainment, professional duties, and experience among building inspectors.

Carpenters are among the most common building crafts in the industry. The trade requires less formal schooling.

Nonetheless, the median pay for carpenters working in construction exceed the national average.

Half of these craftspeople earn more than $59,890, with the highest-paid 25 percent earning at least $76,290.

Plumbers and electricians, who often require specific training and license, have higher annual incomes.

Half of all plumbers in construction earn more than $62,820, with the top quartile earning more than $81,740. Electricians earn comparable high incomes.

The construction trade with the widest pay range is pile driver operators.

The top 25% of highest-paid operators make at least $105,100, which is more than 100% higher than the bottom quartile.

This broad pay scale is likely to reflect a wider range of opportunities and geographic locations (some pile driver operators work on offshore rigs), as well as varying levels of technical expertise and training (some equipment has computerized controls and requires additional electronics knowledge).

Solar photovoltaic installers, a relatively new construction sector, have a substantially smaller wage range.

The yearly salary gap between the top 25 percent ($65,850) and the bottom quartile ($48,350) is 36%, indicating less variance in competence, training, and regional distribution.

Typically, building trades that need less competence pay lower rates and have less variance.

Apprentice workers (helpers for painters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, carpenters, and other building crafts) demonstrate this. These are the six lowest-paid construction vocations with the narrowest pay variance.

For example, the top paid quartile of carpenters’ helpers receives at least $46,720 per year, while the lowest quartile earns at most $35,870, representing a 30% gap.

The OEWS earnings are for straight-time, gross pay. They exclude premium pay (stock and year-end bonuses, overtime pay, weekend premium pay, etc.).

[Read more about this topic on Eyeonhousing.org]

Jack is one of our correspondents who provide mainly on building industry trend updates.

  • Featured Builder's Profile / Flemingsburg KY

    A.W. Graham Lumber LLC

    Home of Dirt Cheap Prices! Shop for quality dimensional lumbers, spf framing lumber, stud and precut framing, syp lumber, lumber treated, Osb, advantech, zip and blue plus,, lumber pine and knotty pine, pine patterns, Fencing, fence post, fence boards, cargo containers, steel rebar and shapes, columns post and railing, kitchen cabinets, vinyl sliding, hardwood flooring, & other quality home improvement materials at the lowest price.

    Shop online at Grahamlumber.com