Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in California

Median $28.98 an hour for 88,240 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$28.98/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$60,270/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.69 – $45.0110th to 90th percentilehourly range
88,240Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Construction laborer pay in California: the full range

Wage percentiles, CaliforniaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrCalifornia: 10th $19.69 · 25th $23.15 · median $28.98 · 75th $37.75 · 90th $45.01California$28.98$19.69$45.01United 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: California vs United States, May 2025.

California ranks 5th of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 14th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.18). 88,240 construction laborers work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.3× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$19.69 – $23.15$40,950 – $48,140roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.15 – $37.75$48,140 – $78,520the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$37.75 – $45.01$78,520 – $93,620the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in California

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSan Francisco: $34.91San Francisco$34.91San Jose: $32.92San Jose$32.92Vallejo: $30.05Vallejo$30.05Salinas: $29.65Salinas$29.65Modesto: $29.15Modesto$29.15Sacramento: $29.11Sacramento$29.11Santa Rosa: $28.98Santa Rosa$28.98San Luis Obispo: $28.92San Luis Obispo$28.92Hanford: $28.79Hanford$28.79Napa: $28.75Napa$28.75Riverside: $28.61Riverside$28.61Oxnard: $28.34Oxnard$28.34
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in California, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
San Francisco$23.29$34.91$30.20$49.2611,62020% above
San Jose$22.34$32.92$29.82$45.374,42014% above
Vallejo$21.71$30.05$27.70$44.311,0804% above
Salinas$21.93$29.65$27.20$47.619502% above
Modesto$18.93$29.15$28.00$39.351,0701% above
Sacramento$19.35$29.11$27.28$44.017,390about the same as
Santa Rosa$21.84$28.98$26.88$43.931,550about the same as
San Luis Obispo$21.25$28.92$26.63$44.321,030about the same as
Hanford$18.29$28.79$28.34$45.731001% below
Napa$19.34$28.75$25.53$43.645401% below
Riverside$18.60$28.61$26.89$46.1912,1201% below
Oxnard$19.71$28.34$25.65$45.261,7902% below
Los Angeles$19.08$28.28$24.89$43.9921,7302% below
Santa Cruz$21.71$28.13$25.60$39.305203% below
Stockton$18.52$27.62$26.28$42.331,4705% below
San Diego$19.04$27.49$24.57$41.358,8505% below
Santa Maria$19.48$26.99$24.81$43.751,1507% below
Bakersfield$18.42$26.83$26.59$43.631,4807% below
Redding$19.04$26.82$26.63$40.765007% below
Fresno$18.24$26.50$25.93$40.772,6609% below
Chico$19.51$26.31$26.00$39.044809% below
Merced$18.16$26.17$26.62$47.7438010% below
El Centro$18.45$25.75$27.05$35.6227011% below
Yuba City$19.28$23.18$22.25$38.4929020% below
Visalia$17.82$22.93$22.98$37.0674021% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Construction laborer wages in California over time

California, 1999-2025CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.98California$22.66United States
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, California vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearCalifornia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$13.02$25.16$10.8584,110
2000$14.10$26.36$11.1586,660
2001$14.57$26.49$11.5789,510
2002$14.40$25.77$11.9099,350
2003$14.31$25.04$11.86103,710
2004$14.17$24.15$12.10110,440
2005$14.42$23.77$12.22122,200
2006$14.83$23.68$12.66141,810
2007$15.85$24.61$13.13150,550
2008$16.46$24.61$13.71140,180
2009$17.36$26.05$14.01109,860
2010$17.53$25.88$14.0888,440
2011$18.38$26.31$14.3083,990
2012$19.03$26.68$14.4285,000
2013$18.84$26.04$14.6487,000
2014$18.09$24.60$14.9587,620
2015$18.16$24.67$15.3487,530
2016$18.90$25.35$16.0792,250
2017$19.80$26.01$16.6096,480
2018$21.12$27.08$17.21104,150
2019$21.83$27.49$17.72101,900
2020$22.69$28.22$18.22100,740
2021$22.83$27.12$18.16102,510
2022$23.52$25.87$19.5995,900
2023$27.27$28.81$21.7889,950
2024$29.11$29.88$22.4785,370
2025$28.98$28.98$22.6688,240

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in California changed by +17.5% over the last ten years of data and by +5.4% since 2019.

Are there more construction laborer jobs in California?

-13.4%Jobs since 2019101,900 then, 88,240 in 2025
+0.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.7× the US share, 45th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of construction laborers counted in California has changed by +4.9%, against +43.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -13.4%.

Construction laborers in California vs United States, 1999 = 100CaliforniaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages75100125150175200200020052010201520202025144United States105California
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, California vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearCalifornia jobsCalifornia indexUS index
199984,110100100
200086,660103108
200189,510106108
200299,350118109
2003103,710123110
2004110,440131112
2005122,200145122
2006141,810169133
2007150,550179138
2008140,180167134
2009109,860131112
201088,440105102
201183,990100102
201285,000101107
201387,000103108
201487,620104112
201587,530104116
201692,250110120
201796,480115126
2018104,150124131
2019101,900121134
2020100,740120127
2021102,510122127
202295,900114133
202389,950107134
202485,370102138
202588,240105144

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for construction laborers in California

+10.2%Projected growth in California2024–2034, state agency
11,150Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
120,100Jobs in 2024132,300 projected for 2034
+7.3%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

California's labor market agency projects the number of construction laborers in the state to change by +10.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 120,100 to 132,300, with about 11,150 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +7.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 88,240 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in California

On federally funded construction in California, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 52 of the 58 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $67.91 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $22.57). 6 of the 58 counties still use a survey rate dated 1985 or earlier (for example Amador County at $19.12). The market median for the state is $28.98.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, CAAlameda: $67.91 (union)Alpine: $66.44 (union)Amador: $19.12 (survey)Butte: $66.44 (union)Calaveras: $67.91 (union)Colusa: $66.44 (union)Contra Costa: $67.91 (union)Del Norte: $22.57 (survey)El Dorado: $66.44 (union)Fresno: $67.91 (union)Glenn: $66.44 (union)Humboldt: $22.57 (survey)Imperial: $75.43 (union)Inyo: $75.43 (union)Kern: $75.43 (union)Kings: $67.91 (union)Lake: $22.57 (survey)Lassen: $66.44 (union)Los Angeles: $75.43 (union)Madera: $67.91 (union)Marin: $66.44 (union)Mariposa: $67.91 (union)Mendocino: $22.57 (survey)Merced: $67.91 (union)Modoc: $66.44 (union)Mono: $75.43 (union)Monterey: $67.91 (union)Napa: $66.44 (union)Nevada: $66.44 (union)Orange: $75.43 (union)Placer: $66.44 (union)Plumas: $66.44 (union)Riverside: $75.43 (union)Sacramento: $66.44 (union)San Benito: $67.91 (union)San Bernardino: $75.43 (union)San Diego: $74.37 (union)San Francisco: $67.91 (union)San Joaquin: $67.91 (union)San Luis Obispo: $75.43 (union)San Mateo: $67.91 (union)Santa Barbara: $75.43 (union)Santa Clara: $67.91 (union)Santa Cruz: $67.91 (union)Shasta: $66.44 (union)Sierra: $66.44 (union)Siskiyou: $66.44 (union)Solano: $66.44 (union)Sonoma: $66.44 (union)Stanislaus: $67.91 (union)Sutter: $66.44 (union)Tehama: $66.44 (union)Trinity: $66.44 (union)Tulare: $10.69 (survey)Tuolumne: $67.91 (union)Ventura: $75.43 (union)Yolo: $66.44 (union)Yuba: $66.44 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$66.44$67.91$71.79survey 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)$20$40$60$80/hrImperial (El Centro): market median $25.75, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$49.68Imperial (El Centro)+$49.68Kern (Bakersfield): market median $26.83, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$48.60Kern (Bakersfield)+$48.60Santa Barbara (Santa Maria): market median $26.99, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$48.44Santa Barbara (Santa Maria)+$48.44Los Angeles (Los Angeles): market median $28.28, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$47.15Los Angeles (Los Angeles)+$47.15Ventura (Oxnard): market median $28.34, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$47.09Ventura (Oxnard)+$47.09San Diego (San Diego): market median $27.49, prevailing (union) $74.37, gap +$46.88San Diego (San Diego)+$46.88Riverside (Riverside): market median $28.61, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$46.82Riverside (Riverside)+$46.82San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo): market median $28.92, prevailing (union) $75.43, gap +$46.51San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo)+$46.51Merced (Merced): market median $26.17, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$41.74Merced (Merced)+$41.74Fresno (Fresno): market median $26.50, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$41.41Fresno (Fresno)+$41.41San Joaquin (Stockton): market median $27.62, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$40.29San Joaquin (Stockton)+$40.29Butte (Chico): market median $26.31, prevailing (union) $66.44, gap +$40.13Butte (Chico)+$40.13Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz): market median $28.13, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$39.78Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz)+$39.78Kings (Hanford): market median $28.79, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$39.12Kings (Hanford)+$39.12Stanislaus (Modesto): market median $29.15, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$38.76Stanislaus (Modesto)+$38.76Monterey (Salinas): market median $29.65, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$38.26Monterey (Salinas)+$38.26Napa (Napa): market median $28.75, prevailing (union) $66.44, gap +$37.69Napa (Napa)+$37.69El Dorado (Sacramento): market median $29.11, prevailing (union) $66.44, gap +$37.33El Dorado (Sacramento)+$37.33San Benito (San Jose): market median $32.92, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$34.99San Benito (San Jose)+$34.99Alameda (San Francisco): market median $34.91, prevailing (union) $67.91, gap +$33.00Alameda (San Francisco)+$33.00
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in California.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
ImperialUnion LABO1184-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260002
InyoUnion LABO0220-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260020
KernUnion LABO0220-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260020
Los AngelesUnion LABO0300-003 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260022
MonoUnion LABO0220-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260020
OrangeUnion LABO0652-001 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260024
RiversideUnion LABO1184-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260025
San BernardinoUnion LABO0783-002 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260026
San Luis ObispoUnion LABO0220-001 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260012
Santa BarbaraUnion LABO0220-001 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260014
VenturaUnion LABO0585-001 2025-07-01$49.48$25.95$75.43CA20260015
San DiegoUnion LABO0089-004 2025-07-01$49.28$25.09$74.37CA20260001
AlamedaUnion LABO0073-007 2025-06-30$38.02$29.89$67.91CA20260018
CalaverasUnion LABO0073-007 2025-06-30$38.02$29.89$67.91CA20260018
Contra CostaUnion LABO0073-007 2025-06-30$38.02$29.89$67.91CA20260018

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the California prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in California?

895.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k1,000k1,200k19901995200020052010201520202025896kSep 2026
Construction employment in California (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. Across the 54 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 473,902 in 2015 to 577,497 in 2025, +21.9%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Santa Clara County2,55136,245$125,489$2,413
San Francisco County8429,262$117,920$2,268
Alameda County2,02330,452$108,326$2,083
San Mateo County1,1399,114$100,601$1,935
Napa County2842,507$99,591$1,915
Tehama County87591$98,752$1,899
Contra Costa County1,62914,636$93,476$1,798
Marin County5093,891$91,182$1,754
Orange County5,31871,320$90,517$1,741
Solano County5966,754$86,478$1,663
Yolo County2702,809$86,258$1,659
Sonoma County1,43210,718$85,602$1,646

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in California

More on California

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in California?

The median construction laborer in California earned $28.98 an hour ($60,270 a year) in May 2025, 28% above the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $23.15–$37.75; the top 10% earn more than $45.01.

Where does California rank for construction laborer pay?

California ranks 5th of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $28.98 an hour, and 14th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in California?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for construction laborers in 52 counties, with a typical package of $67.91 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many construction laborers work in California?

BLS counted 88,240 construction laborers in California in May 2025, 4.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.69; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is construction laborer work growing in California?

The BLS employer survey count of construction laborers in California went from 87,530 in 2015 to 88,240 in 2025, +0.8%, and -13.4% since 2019. California's labor market agency projects +10.2% growth for construction laborers between 2024 and 2034, from 120,100 to 132,300 jobs.

How many construction laborer openings a year are there in California?

California projects about 11,150 openings a year for construction laborers over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 120,000 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 47-2061. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: California labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.