Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in Georgia

Median $18.74 an hour for 27,800 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$18.74/hrMedian hourly wageGeorgia, May data
$38,990/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$13.41 – $27.1410th to 90th percentilehourly range
27,800Jobs countedemployer survey

Construction laborer pay in Georgia: the full range

Wage percentiles, GeorgiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40/hrGeorgia: 10th $13.41 · 25th $16.93 · median $18.74 · 75th $22.57 · 90th $27.14Georgia$18.74$13.41$27.14United 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: Georgia vs United States, May 2025.

Georgia ranks 46th of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 51st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $19.46). 27,800 construction laborers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$13.41 – $16.93$27,880 – $35,220roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$16.93 – $22.57$35,220 – $46,950the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$22.57 – $27.14$46,950 – $56,450the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in Georgia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrChattanooga: $20.80Chattanooga$20.80Atlanta: $20.20Atlanta$20.20Macon: $19.23Macon$19.23Warner Robins: $18.99Warner Robins$18.99Rome: $18.85Rome$18.85Augusta: $18.62Augusta$18.62Gainesville: $18.40Gainesville$18.40Savannah: $18.12Savannah$18.12Athens: $17.85Athens$17.85Hinesville: $17.79Hinesville$17.79Brunswick: $17.32Brunswick$17.32Columbus: $17.26Columbus$17.26
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in Georgia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chattanooga$15.93$20.80$28.931,80011% above
Atlanta$13.60$20.20$27.9516,4608% above
Macon$14.42$19.23$24.364203% above
Warner Robins$13.98$18.99$23.882901% above
Rome$12.05$18.85$25.051101% above
Augusta$13.25$18.62$28.291,6301% below
Gainesville$13.76$18.40$26.896002% below
Savannah$12.56$18.12$26.631,2103% below
Athens$12.85$17.85$27.544205% below
Hinesville$13.18$17.79$25.15605% below
Brunswick$12.00$17.32$24.933308% below
Columbus$12.00$17.26$22.447108% below
Albany$11.62$17.25$22.664008% below
Dalton$11.76$16.98$25.212409% below
Valdosta$12.18$16.54$22.6834012% below

Construction laborer wages in Georgia over time

Georgia, 1999-2025GeorgiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$5$10$15$20$25200020052010201520202025$22.66United States$18.74Georgia
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, Georgia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearGeorgia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$9.52$18.40$10.8522,390
2000$9.81$18.34$11.1524,490
2001$10.13$18.41$11.5725,660
2002$10.50$18.79$11.9022,010
2003$10.48$18.34$11.8624,270
2004$10.56$18.00$12.1024,470
2005$10.51$17.33$12.2229,380
2006$10.82$17.28$12.6630,690
2007$11.22$17.42$13.1334,610
2008$12.06$18.03$13.7133,300
2009$12.05$18.08$14.0125,480
2010$12.05$17.79$14.0821,900
2011$12.32$17.63$14.3022,440
2012$12.93$18.13$14.4222,940
2013$12.25$16.93$14.6427,790
2014$11.97$16.28$14.9529,720
2015$12.75$17.32$15.3433,450
2016$14.09$18.90$16.0729,440
2017$14.56$19.12$16.6035,260
2018$14.77$18.94$17.2132,910
2019$15.10$19.02$17.7232,250
2020$15.40$19.16$18.2226,890
2021$16.64$19.77$18.1624,040
2022$17.32$19.05$19.5926,090
2023$18.04$19.06$21.7822,280
2024$18.26$18.74$22.4728,680
2025$18.74$18.74$22.6627,800

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Georgia changed by +8.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in Georgia

On federally funded construction in Georgia, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 159 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $11.46). 85 of the 159 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Appling County at $9.55). The market median for the state is $18.74.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, GAUnion / prevailing package, $/hr$10.24$11.10$12.15$14.60survey 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 (survey)$5$10$15$20$25/hrBurke (Augusta): market median $18.62, prevailing (survey) $20.31, gap +$1.69Burke (Augusta)+$1.69Floyd (Rome): market median $18.85, prevailing (survey) $19.12, gap +$0.27Floyd (Rome)+$0.27Catoosa (Chattanooga): market median $20.80, prevailing (survey) $19.12, gap −$1.68Catoosa (Chattanooga)−$1.68Hall (Gainesville): market median $18.40, prevailing (survey) $14.62, gap −$3.78Hall (Gainesville)−$3.78Clarke (Athens): market median $17.85, prevailing (survey) $14.06, gap −$3.79Clarke (Athens)−$3.79Murray (Dalton): market median $16.98, prevailing (survey) $13.08, gap −$3.90Murray (Dalton)−$3.90Brantley (Brunswick): market median $17.32, prevailing (survey) $13.27, gap −$4.05Brantley (Brunswick)−$4.05Bartow (Atlanta): market median $20.20, prevailing (survey) $15.96, gap −$4.24Bartow (Atlanta)−$4.24Bryan (Savannah): market median $18.12, prevailing (survey) $13.27, gap −$4.85Bryan (Savannah)−$4.85Liberty (Hinesville): market median $17.79, prevailing (survey) $12.19, gap −$5.60Liberty (Hinesville)−$5.60Stewart (Columbus): market median $17.26, prevailing (survey) $11.10, gap −$6.16Stewart (Columbus)−$6.16Brooks (Valdosta): market median $16.54, prevailing (survey) $10.24, gap −$6.30Brooks (Valdosta)−$6.30Dougherty (Albany): market median $17.25, prevailing (survey) $10.24, gap −$7.01Dougherty (Albany)−$7.01Houston (Warner Robins): market median $18.99, prevailing (survey) $10.24, gap −$8.75Houston (Warner Robins)−$8.75Bibb (Macon): market median $19.23, prevailing (survey) $10.24, gap −$8.99Bibb (Macon)−$8.99
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in Georgia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BurkeSurvey SUGA2017-033 2021-04-15$14.34$5.97$20.31GA20260318
ColumbiaSurvey SUGA2017-033 2021-04-15$14.34$5.97$20.31GA20260318
LincolnSurvey SUGA2017-033 2021-04-15$14.34$5.97$20.31GA20260318
McDuffieSurvey SUGA2017-033 2021-04-15$14.34$5.97$20.31GA20260318
CatoosaSurvey SUGA2017-034 2021-04-15$13.72$5.40$19.12GA20260319
DadeSurvey SUGA2017-034 2021-04-15$13.72$5.40$19.12GA20260319
FloydSurvey SUGA2017-021 2021-04-15$13.72$5.40$19.12GA20260306
WalkerSurvey SUGA2017-034 2021-04-15$13.72$5.40$19.12GA20260319
BartowSurvey SUGA2017-017 2021-04-15$15.96$0.00$15.96GA20260302
GwinnettSurvey SUGA2017-023 2021-04-15$15.00$0.00$15.00GA20260308
HallSurvey SUGA2017-024 2021-04-15$14.62$0.00$14.62GA20260309
BarrowSurvey SUGA2017-028 2021-04-15$14.60$0.00$14.60GA20260313
ButtsSurvey SUGA2017-028 2021-04-15$14.60$0.00$14.60GA20260313
CarrollSurvey SUGA2017-028 2021-04-15$14.60$0.00$14.60GA20260313
CherokeeSurvey SUGA2017-028 2021-04-15$14.60$0.00$14.60GA20260313

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

Is construction work growing in Georgia?

233.3kConstruction jobsGeorgia, 2026-08
-1.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025233kAug 2026
Construction employment in Georgia (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
Rockdale County2,310$96,652$1,859
Cobb County21,265$92,633$1,781
Fulton County11,203$91,591$1,761
Jackson County1,137$88,899$1,710
Carroll County2,476$88,363$1,699
DeKalb County6,686$88,283$1,698
Wilkes County388$88,204$1,696
Forsyth County5,666$87,501$1,683
Clayton County2,232$86,869$1,671
Gwinnett County18,291$84,502$1,625
Troup County1,138$83,713$1,610
Heard County134$80,120$1,541

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Georgia

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in Georgia?

The median construction laborer in Georgia earned $18.74 an hour ($38,990 a year) in May 2025, 17% below the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $16.93–$22.57; the top 10% earn more than $27.14.

Where does Georgia rank for construction laborer pay?

Georgia ranks 46th of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $18.74 an hour, and 51st after adjusting for Georgia's cost of living (BEA price parity 96.3, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in Georgia?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a construction laborer classification for most Georgia counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many construction laborers work in Georgia?

BLS counted 27,800 construction laborers in Georgia in May 2025, 5.7 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.81; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Georgia 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.