Construction laborer salary in Delaware
Median $21.90 an hour for 3,240 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Construction laborer pay in Delaware: the full range
Delaware ranks 36th of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 39th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $21.94). 3,240 construction laborers work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $15.98 – $17.93 | $33,240 – $37,280 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $17.93 – $27.07 | $37,280 – $56,310 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $27.07 – $30.64 | $56,310 – $63,730 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Construction laborer pay by metro in Delaware
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $18.46 | $26.50 | $25.83 | $40.00 | 14,580 | 21% above |
| Dover | $17.02 | $22.02 | $22.58 | $28.86 | 400 | 1% above |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Construction laborer wages in Delaware over time
Table
| Year | Delaware $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $11.53 | $22.28 | $10.85 | 2,970 |
| 2000 | $11.54 | $21.58 | $11.15 | 3,090 |
| 2001 | $11.94 | $21.71 | $11.57 | 3,110 |
| 2002 | $12.35 | $22.10 | $11.90 | 2,480 |
| 2003 | $12.21 | $21.36 | $11.86 | 2,760 |
| 2004 | $11.85 | $20.20 | $12.10 | 3,780 |
| 2005 | $12.01 | $19.80 | $12.22 | 3,970 |
| 2006 | $12.81 | $20.46 | $12.66 | 4,380 |
| 2007 | $13.27 | $20.60 | $13.13 | 3,770 |
| 2008 | $13.77 | $20.59 | $13.71 | 3,620 |
| 2009 | $13.89 | $20.84 | $14.01 | 2,760 |
| 2010 | $14.34 | $21.17 | $14.08 | 2,280 |
| 2011 | $14.21 | $20.34 | $14.30 | 2,180 |
| 2012 | $14.10 | $19.77 | $14.42 | 2,090 |
| 2013 | $14.03 | $19.39 | $14.64 | 2,300 |
| 2014 | $15.08 | $20.51 | $14.95 | 2,320 |
| 2015 | $16.07 | $21.83 | $15.34 | 1,950 |
| 2016 | $16.57 | $22.23 | $16.07 | 1,920 |
| 2017 | $16.60 | $21.80 | $16.60 | 1,810 |
| 2018 | $16.81 | $21.55 | $17.21 | 1,870 |
| 2019 | $17.44 | $21.96 | $17.72 | 1,810 |
| 2020 | $17.95 | $22.33 | $18.22 | 2,000 |
| 2021 | $18.09 | $21.49 | $18.16 | 2,280 |
| 2022 | $20.17 | $22.19 | $19.59 | 2,640 |
| 2023 | $22.21 | $23.47 | $21.78 | 2,460 |
| 2024 | $21.92 | $22.50 | $22.47 | 2,760 |
| 2025 | $21.90 | $21.90 | $22.66 | 3,240 |
In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Delaware changed by +0.3% over the last ten years of data and by -0.3% since 2019.
Are there more construction laborer jobs in Delaware?
Since 1999, the number of construction laborers counted in Delaware has changed by +9.1%, against +43.7% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +79.0%.
Table
| Year | Delaware jobs | Delaware index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,970 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 3,090 | 104 | 108 |
| 2001 | 3,110 | 105 | 108 |
| 2002 | 2,480 | 84 | 109 |
| 2003 | 2,760 | 93 | 110 |
| 2004 | 3,780 | 127 | 112 |
| 2005 | 3,970 | 134 | 122 |
| 2006 | 4,380 | 148 | 133 |
| 2007 | 3,770 | 127 | 138 |
| 2008 | 3,620 | 122 | 134 |
| 2009 | 2,760 | 93 | 112 |
| 2010 | 2,280 | 77 | 102 |
| 2011 | 2,180 | 73 | 102 |
| 2012 | 2,090 | 70 | 107 |
| 2013 | 2,300 | 77 | 108 |
| 2014 | 2,320 | 78 | 112 |
| 2015 | 1,950 | 66 | 116 |
| 2016 | 1,920 | 65 | 120 |
| 2017 | 1,810 | 61 | 126 |
| 2018 | 1,870 | 63 | 131 |
| 2019 | 1,810 | 61 | 134 |
| 2020 | 2,000 | 67 | 127 |
| 2021 | 2,280 | 77 | 127 |
| 2022 | 2,640 | 89 | 133 |
| 2023 | 2,460 | 83 | 134 |
| 2024 | 2,760 | 93 | 138 |
| 2025 | 3,240 | 109 | 144 |
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 Delaware
Delaware's labor market agency projects the number of construction laborers in the state to change by +11.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,490 to 3,900, with about 330 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +7.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,240 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Delaware labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in Delaware
On federally funded construction in Delaware, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 2 of the 3 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $55.15 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $33.10). 1 of the 3 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Sussex County at $33.10). The market median for the state is $21.90.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | Union LABO0199-005 2024-02-01 | $29.45 | $25.70 | $55.15 | DE20260007 |
| New Castle | Union LABO0199-005 2024-02-01 | $29.45 | $25.70 | $55.15 | DE20260008 |
| Sussex | Survey SUDE2014-006 2016-01-20 | $24.45 | $8.65 | $33.10 | DE20260009 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Delaware prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Delaware?
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 3 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 12,862 in 2015 to 15,905 in 2025, +23.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | 1,327 | 10,015 | $79,861 | $1,536 |
| Kent County | 318 | 1,656 | $71,423 | $1,374 |
| Sussex County | 688 | 4,234 | $64,356 | $1,238 |
Keep comparing
Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Delaware
More on Delaware
Questions this page answers
How much do construction laborers make in Delaware?
The median construction laborer in Delaware earned $21.90 an hour ($45,550 a year) in May 2025, 3% below the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $17.93–$27.07; the top 10% earn more than $30.64.
Where does Delaware rank for construction laborer pay?
Delaware ranks 36th of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $21.90 an hour, and 39th after adjusting for Delaware's cost of living (BEA price parity 99.8, US = 100).
What is the union construction laborer rate in Delaware?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for construction laborers in 2 counties, with a typical package of $55.15 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many construction laborers work in Delaware?
BLS counted 3,240 construction laborers in Delaware in May 2025, 6.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.95; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is construction laborer work growing in Delaware?
The BLS employer survey count of construction laborers in Delaware went from 1,950 in 2015 to 3,240 in 2025, +66.2%, and +79.0% since 2019. Delaware's labor market agency projects +11.8% growth for construction laborers between 2024 and 2034, from 3,490 to 3,900 jobs.
How many construction laborer openings a year are there in Delaware?
Delaware projects about 330 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, Delaware 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: Delaware labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.