Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations (Major Group)

This major group comprises the following occupations: First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers ; Boilermakers ; Brickmasons and Blockmasons ; Stonemasons ; Carpenters ; Carpet Installers ; Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles ; Floor Sanders and Finishers ; Tile and Marble Setters ; Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers ; Terrazzo Workers and Finishers ; Construction Laborers ; Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators ; Pile-Driver Operators ; Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators ; Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers ; Tapers ; Electricians ; Glaziers ; Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall ; Insulation Workers, Mechanical ; Painters, Construction and Maintenance ; Paperhangers ; Pipelayers ; Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ; Plasterers and Stucco Masons ; Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers ; Roofers ; Sheet Metal Workers ; Structural Iron and Steel Workers ; Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters ; Helpers--Carpenters ; Helpers--Electricians ; Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons ; Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters ; Helpers--Roofers ; Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other ; Construction and Building Inspectors ; Elevator Installers and Repairers ; Fence Erectors ; Hazardous Materials Removal Workers ; Highway Maintenance Workers ; Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators ; Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners ; Segmental Pavers ; Construction and Related Workers, All Other* ; Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas ; Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas ; Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining ; Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas ; Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters ; Continuous Mining Machine Operators ; Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators ; Mining Machine Operators, All Other ; Rock Splitters, Quarry ; Roof Bolters, Mining ; Roustabouts, Oil and Gas ; Helpers--Extraction Workers ; Extraction Workers, All Other

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this major group:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
4,956,770 0.3 % $21.46 $44,630 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this major group:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $11.08 $14.29 $19.15 $26.99 $35.35
Annual Wage (2) $23,050 $29,720 $39,820 $56,130 $73,530

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Building Equipment Contractors 917,060 56.09 $24.13 $50,190
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 520,040 76.74 $19.76 $41,110
Building Finishing Contractors 474,140 75.16 $19.94 $41,480
Nonresidential Building Construction 397,260 61.05 $23.08 $48,010
Residential Building Construction 368,740 63.93 $19.52 $40,600

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 520,040 76.74 $19.76 $41,110
Building Finishing Contractors 474,140 75.16 $19.94 $41,480
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 197,920 66.62 $22.09 $45,940
Residential Building Construction 368,740 63.93 $19.52 $40,600
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 333,680 62.48 $19.51 $40,570

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing (8) (8) $34.52 $71,810
Motion Picture and Video Industries 3,190 0.90 $34.45 $71,670
Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (8) (8) $32.68 $67,980
Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers 370 0.08 $32.01 $66,570
Educational Support Services 50 0.03 $31.49 $65,500

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 524,230 50.87 1.32 $17.89 $37,210
California 458,240 32.64 0.84 $25.56 $53,160
New York 296,900 35.23 0.91 $27.40 $57,000
Florida 254,690 35.61 0.92 $17.73 $36,880
Pennsylvania 214,940 38.73 1.00 $21.78 $45,300




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 33,210 121.84 3.15 $22.12 $46,010
North Dakota 28,140 75.72 1.96 $20.99 $43,660
West Virginia 47,970 68.51 1.77 $20.79 $43,240
New Mexico 50,910 65.46 1.69 $18.43 $38,340
Alaska 20,150 64.34 1.67 $29.25 $60,830




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 20,150 64.34 1.67 $29.25 $60,830
Hawaii 25,040 43.38 1.12 $29.11 $60,550
New York 296,900 35.23 0.91 $27.40 $57,000
New Jersey 104,540 27.72 0.72 $27.12 $56,400
Massachusetts 92,530 29.31 0.76 $26.79 $55,730





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 153,290 30.28 0.78 $30.75 $63,960
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 151,780 59.48 1.54 $19.28 $40,100
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 118,620 33.11 0.86 $26.97 $56,100
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 87,620 22.92 0.59 $25.20 $52,410
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 84,950 36.77 0.95 $22.41 $46,620
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 80,550 39.39 1.02 $17.70 $36,810
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 69,700 41.03 1.06 $19.90 $41,390
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 67,620 30.35 0.79 $18.96 $39,440
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 54,920 39.62 1.03 $24.94 $51,880
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 54,110 29.81 0.77 $25.40 $52,830