Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in Alabama

Median $17.74 an hour for 18,400 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$17.74/hrMedian hourly wageAlabama, May data
$36,900/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$11.53 – $23.9110th to 90th percentilehourly range
18,400Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Construction laborer pay in Alabama: the full range

Wage percentiles, AlabamaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$10$20$30$40/hrAlabama: 10th $11.53 · 25th $14.41 · median $17.74 · 75th $21.75 · 90th $23.91Alabama$17.74$11.53$23.91United States: 10th $16.87 · 25th $18.57 · median $22.66 · 75th $28.72 · 90th $37.54United States$22.66
Hourly wage percentiles for construction laborers: Alabama vs United States, May 2025.

Alabama ranks 51st of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 50th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $19.98). 18,400 construction laborers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$11.53 – $14.41$23,980 – $29,960roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$14.41 – $21.75$29,960 – $45,240the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$21.75 – $23.91$45,240 – $49,740the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in Alabama

Ranked median wages$0$5$10$15$20/hrDaphne: $18.48Daphne$18.48Birmingham: $18.45Birmingham$18.45Decatur: $18.11Decatur$18.11Huntsville: $18.03Huntsville$18.03Mobile: $17.71Mobile$17.71Montgomery: $17.61Montgomery$17.61Tuscaloosa: $17.53Tuscaloosa$17.53Florence: $17.43Florence$17.43Auburn: $17.36Auburn$17.36Columbus: $17.26Columbus$17.26Anniston: $16.33Anniston$16.33Gadsden: $15.82Gadsden$15.82
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in Alabama, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Daphne$13.62$18.48$25.679704% above
Birmingham$13.58$18.45$24.874,7804% above
Decatur$10.94$18.11$26.086902% above
Huntsville$10.62$18.03$24.361,6702% above
Mobile$11.92$17.71$23.262,050about the same as
Montgomery$12.15$17.61$23.071,0401% below
Tuscaloosa$10.71$17.53$23.001,1101% below
Florence$9.73$17.43$22.755602% below
Auburn$11.55$17.36$23.996702% below
Columbus$12.00$17.26$22.447103% below
Anniston$11.36$16.33$23.552408% below
Gadsden$8.49$15.82$24.3728011% below
Dothan$10.15$15.39$22.5760013% below

Construction laborer wages in Alabama over time

Alabama, 1999-2025AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$22.66United States$17.74Alabama
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, Alabama vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearAlabama $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$7.78$15.03$10.8519,610
2000$8.35$15.61$11.1513,380
2001$9.00$16.36$11.5713,550
2002$9.32$16.68$11.9012,850
2003$9.58$16.76$11.8613,360
2004$9.81$16.72$12.1016,170
2005$9.91$16.34$12.2216,610
2006$9.99$15.95$12.6615,910
2007$10.33$16.04$13.1315,350
2008$10.78$16.12$13.7113,870
2009$11.13$16.70$14.0112,080
2010$11.37$16.79$14.0810,650
2011$11.36$16.26$14.309,670
2012$11.84$16.60$14.429,320
2013$12.16$16.80$14.649,040
2014$12.77$17.37$14.958,510
2015$12.78$17.36$15.347,810
2016$13.11$17.59$16.077,560
2017$13.56$17.81$16.607,900
2018$14.51$18.60$17.219,290
2019$15.11$19.03$17.7211,420
2020$15.12$18.81$18.2214,170
2021$14.40$17.11$18.1614,820
2022$15.21$16.73$19.5916,390
2023$17.14$18.11$21.7815,680
2024$17.45$17.91$22.4717,260
2025$17.74$17.74$22.6618,400

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Alabama changed by +2.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in Alabama

On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 3 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $24.88 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $12.91). 64 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Autauga County at $12.29). The market median for the state is $17.74.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ALAutauga: $12.29 (survey)Baldwin: $12.31 (survey)Barbour: $11.41 (survey)Bibb: $17.99 (survey)Blount: $17.99 (survey)Bullock: $11.41 (survey)Butler: $11.41 (survey)Calhoun: $12.93 (survey)Chambers: $13.13 (survey)Cherokee: $13.13 (survey)Chilton: $17.99 (survey)Choctaw: $12.76 (survey)Clarke: $11.40 (survey)Clay: $13.13 (survey)Cleburne: $13.13 (survey)Coffee: $11.41 (survey)Colbert: $24.88 (union)Conecuh: $12.76 (survey)Coosa: $13.13 (survey)Covington: $11.41 (survey)Crenshaw: $11.41 (survey)Cullman: $13.75 (survey)Dale: $11.34 (survey)Dallas: $12.76 (survey)DeKalb: $13.13 (survey)Elmore: $12.29 (survey)Escambia: $12.76 (survey)Etowah: $12.50 (survey)Fayette: $13.75 (survey)Franklin: $13.75 (survey)Geneva: $20.74 (survey)Greene: $12.76 (survey)Hale: $12.91 (survey)Henry: $20.74 (survey)Houston: $26.06 (union)Jackson: $13.13 (survey)Jefferson: $18.51 (survey)Lamar: $13.75 (survey)Lauderdale: $24.88 (union)Lawrence: $14.06 (survey)Lee: $11.94 (survey)Limestone: $13.10 (survey)Lowndes: $12.29 (survey)Macon: $11.41 (survey)Madison: $12.92 (survey)Marengo: $12.76 (survey)Marion: $13.75 (survey)Marshall: $12.90 (survey)Mobile: $11.94 (survey)Monroe: $12.76 (survey)Montgomery: $11.73 (survey)Morgan: $13.37 (survey)Perry: $12.76 (survey)Pickens: $12.91 (survey)Pike: $11.41 (survey)Randolph: $13.13 (survey)Russell: $10.00 (survey)St. Clair: $17.99 (survey)Shelby: $19.94 (survey)Sumter: $12.76 (survey)Talladega: $13.58 (survey)Tallapoosa: $13.13 (survey)Tuscaloosa: $12.81 (survey)Walker: $17.99 (survey)Washington: $12.76 (survey)Wilcox: $12.76 (survey)Winston: $13.75 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$12.01$12.76$13.13$13.75survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for construction laborers by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$5$10$15$20$25$30/hrHouston (Dothan): market median $15.39, prevailing (union) $26.06, gap +$10.67Houston (Dothan)+$10.67Colbert (Florence): market median $17.43, prevailing (union) $24.88, gap +$7.45Colbert (Florence)+$7.45Shelby (Birmingham): market median $18.45, prevailing (survey) $19.94, gap +$1.49Shelby (Birmingham)+$1.49Etowah (Gadsden): market median $15.82, prevailing (survey) $12.50, gap −$3.32Etowah (Gadsden)−$3.32Calhoun (Anniston): market median $16.33, prevailing (survey) $12.93, gap −$3.40Calhoun (Anniston)−$3.40Lawrence (Decatur): market median $18.11, prevailing (survey) $14.06, gap −$4.05Lawrence (Decatur)−$4.05Hale (Tuscaloosa): market median $17.53, prevailing (survey) $12.91, gap −$4.62Hale (Tuscaloosa)−$4.62Limestone (Huntsville): market median $18.03, prevailing (survey) $13.10, gap −$4.93Limestone (Huntsville)−$4.93Autauga (Montgomery): market median $17.61, prevailing (survey) $12.29, gap −$5.32Autauga (Montgomery)−$5.32Lee (Auburn): market median $17.36, prevailing (survey) $11.94, gap −$5.42Lee (Auburn)−$5.42Mobile (Mobile): market median $17.71, prevailing (survey) $11.94, gap −$5.77Mobile (Mobile)−$5.77Baldwin (Daphne): market median $18.48, prevailing (survey) $12.31, gap −$6.17Baldwin (Daphne)−$6.17Russell (Columbus): market median $17.26, prevailing (survey) $10.00, gap −$7.26Russell (Columbus)−$7.26
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in Alabama.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
HoustonUnion LABO0559-004 2017-09-01$18.06$8.00$26.06AL20260086
ColbertUnion LABO0366-001 2017-01-01$18.13$6.75$24.88AL20260100
LauderdaleUnion LABO0366-001 2017-01-01$18.13$6.75$24.88AL20260100
GenevaSurvey SUAL2015-030 2017-08-02$14.58$6.16$20.74AL20260102
HenrySurvey SUAL2015-030 2017-08-02$14.58$6.16$20.74AL20260102
ShelbySurvey SUAL2015-024 2017-08-02$15.75$4.19$19.94AL20260096
JeffersonSurvey SUAL2015-015 2017-08-02$14.63$3.88$18.51AL20260087
BibbSurvey SUAL2015-027 2017-08-02$14.74$3.25$17.99AL20260099
BlountSurvey SUAL2015-027 2017-08-02$14.74$3.25$17.99AL20260099
ChiltonSurvey SUAL2015-027 2017-08-02$14.74$3.25$17.99AL20260099
St. ClairSurvey SUAL2015-025 2017-08-02$14.74$3.25$17.99AL20260097
WalkerSurvey SUAL2015-027 2017-08-02$14.74$3.25$17.99AL20260099
LawrenceSurvey SUAL2015-016 2017-08-02$11.88$2.18$14.06AL20260088
CullmanSurvey SUAL2015-002 2017-08-02$13.75$0.00$13.75AL20260074
FayetteSurvey SUAL2015-009 2017-08-02$13.75$0.00$13.75AL20260081

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Alabama?

113.4kConstruction jobsAlabama, 2026-08
+2.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k19901995200020052010201520202025113kAug 2026
Construction employment in Alabama (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just construction laborers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Jefferson County12,148$79,282$1,525
Madison County5,213$75,617$1,454
Mobile County8,072$75,348$1,449
Morgan County2,314$75,205$1,446
Chilton County457$75,114$1,445
Shelby County3,494$74,861$1,440
Montgomery County3,254$71,634$1,378
Colbert County1,209$68,621$1,320
Baldwin County3,531$67,920$1,306
Lauderdale County1,405$67,819$1,304
Elmore County805$67,299$1,294
Limestone County1,759$66,641$1,282

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Alabama

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in Alabama?

The median construction laborer in Alabama earned $17.74 an hour ($36,900 a year) in May 2025, 22% below the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $14.41–$21.75; the top 10% earn more than $23.91.

Where does Alabama rank for construction laborer pay?

Alabama ranks 51st of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $17.74 an hour, and 50th after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in Alabama?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for construction laborers in 3 counties, with a typical package of $24.88 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many construction laborers work in Alabama?

BLS counted 18,400 construction laborers in Alabama in May 2025, 8.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.23; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2061.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.