Skilled Wages

Construction laborer salary in Massachusetts

Median $30.48 an hour for 16,210 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 2000.

$30.48/hrMedian hourly wageMassachusetts, May data
$63,390/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$21.72 – $47.5410th to 90th percentilehourly range
16,210Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Construction laborer pay in Massachusetts: the full range

Wage percentiles, MassachusettsMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50/hrMassachusetts: 10th $21.72 · 25th $25.16 · median $30.48 · 75th $42.46 · 90th $47.54Massachusetts$30.48$21.72$47.54United 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: Massachusetts vs United States, May 2025.

Massachusetts ranks 3rd of 51 states for median construction laborer pay, and 6th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.81). 16,210 construction laborers work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$21.72 – $25.16$45,170 – $52,330roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$25.16 – $42.46$52,330 – $88,330the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$42.46 – $47.54$88,330 – $98,880the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Construction laborer pay by metro in Massachusetts

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrBoston: $30.49Boston$30.49Springfield: $30.12Springfield$30.12Worcester: $29.52Worcester$29.52Barnstable: $28.87Barnstable$28.87Providence: $28.50Providence$28.50Amherst: $27.96Amherst$27.96Pittsfield: $25.06Pittsfield$25.06
Median hourly wage for construction laborers by metro area in Massachusetts, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Boston$22.34$30.49$47.8011,580about the same as
Springfield$20.91$30.12$44.968801% below
Worcester$20.88$29.52$46.231,6503% below
Barnstable$21.42$28.87$44.807505% below
Providence$19.12$28.50$43.653,2406% below
Amherst$18.72$27.96$46.222808% below
Pittsfield$19.10$25.06$36.2535018% below

Construction laborer wages in Massachusetts over time

Massachusetts, 2000-2025MassachusettsUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$30.48Massachusetts$22.66United States
Median hourly wage for construction laborers, Massachusetts vs United States, 2000–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMassachusetts $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
2000$17.78$33.24$11.1515,420
2001$18.76$34.10$11.5715,980
2002$18.57$33.23$11.9017,930
2003$19.28$33.73$11.8617,820
2004$19.37$33.01$12.1016,500
2005$19.57$32.26$12.2216,300
2006$19.64$31.36$12.6615,430
2007$19.88$30.87$13.1314,710
2008$20.53$30.70$13.7115,380
2009$21.28$31.93$14.0114,240
2010$20.56$30.36$14.0814,780
2011$21.75$31.13$14.3014,980
2012$21.64$30.34$14.4215,880
2013$20.98$28.99$14.6416,450
2014$22.01$29.93$14.9517,210
2015$23.67$32.15$15.3416,960
2016$24.11$32.34$16.0718,980
2017$23.27$30.56$16.6019,560
2018$23.57$30.22$17.2119,930
2019$24.45$30.79$17.7220,020
2020$25.23$31.38$18.2218,900
2021$27.27$32.40$18.1620,050
2022$28.92$31.81$19.5920,490
2023$29.44$31.11$21.7818,280
2024$30.02$30.81$22.4716,800
2025$30.48$30.48$22.6616,210

In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Massachusetts changed by -5.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for construction laborers in Massachusetts

On federally funded construction in Massachusetts, contractors must pay construction laborers at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 13 of the 14 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $75.80 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $51.88). 1 of the 14 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Worcester County at $51.88). The market median for the state is $30.48.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MABarnstable: $75.80 (union)Berkshire: $63.87 (union)Bristol: $75.80 (union)Dukes: $75.80 (union)Essex: $75.80 (union)Franklin: $63.87 (union)Hampden: $63.87 (union)Hampshire: $63.87 (union)Middlesex: $75.80 (union)Nantucket: $75.80 (union)Norfolk: $75.80 (union)Plymouth: $68.76 (union)Suffolk: $75.80 (union)Worcester: $51.88 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$63.87$70.17survey 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)$20$40$60$80/hrBristol (Providence): market median $28.50, prevailing (union) $75.80, gap +$47.30Bristol (Providence)+$47.30Barnstable (Barnstable): market median $28.87, prevailing (union) $75.80, gap +$46.93Barnstable (Barnstable)+$46.93Essex (Boston): market median $30.49, prevailing (union) $75.80, gap +$45.31Essex (Boston)+$45.31Berkshire (Pittsfield): market median $25.06, prevailing (union) $63.87, gap +$38.81Berkshire (Pittsfield)+$38.81Hampshire (Amherst): market median $27.96, prevailing (union) $63.87, gap +$35.91Hampshire (Amherst)+$35.91Hampden (Springfield): market median $30.12, prevailing (union) $63.87, gap +$33.75Hampden (Springfield)+$33.75Worcester (Worcester): market median $29.52, prevailing (survey) $51.88, gap +$22.36Worcester (Worcester)+$22.36
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for construction laborers, metro counties in Massachusetts.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BarnstableUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
BristolUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
DukesUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
EssexUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
MiddlesexUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
NantucketUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
NorfolkUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
SuffolkUnion LABO0022-009 2024-12-01$46.10$29.70$75.80MA20260001
PlymouthUnion LABR0721-001 2024-12-01$38.95$29.81$68.76MA20260012
BerkshireUnion LABO0596-001 2024-12-02$35.00$28.87$63.87MA20260003
FranklinUnion LABO0596-001 2024-12-02$35.00$28.87$63.87MA20260003
HampdenUnion LABO0596-001 2024-12-02$35.00$28.87$63.87MA20260003
HampshireUnion LABO0596-001 2024-12-02$35.00$28.87$63.87MA20260003
WorcesterSurvey SUMA2014-002 2016-04-04$39.84$12.04$51.88MA20260013

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

Is construction work growing in Massachusetts?

175.5kConstruction jobsMassachusetts, 2026-08
+2.0%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025176kAug 2026
Construction employment in Massachusetts (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
Suffolk County7,304$114,740$2,207
Norfolk County15,879$111,044$2,135
Middlesex County30,290$102,132$1,964
Plymouth County11,316$100,512$1,933
Nantucket County728$92,732$1,783
Essex County11,307$91,756$1,765
Worcester County11,590$90,722$1,745
Dukes County535$90,408$1,739
Bristol County9,754$88,917$1,710
Hampden County5,659$87,478$1,682
Barnstable County4,461$82,396$1,585
Hampshire County1,676$81,930$1,576

Keep comparing

Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Massachusetts

Questions this page answers

How much do construction laborers make in Massachusetts?

The median construction laborer in Massachusetts earned $30.48 an hour ($63,390 a year) in May 2025, 35% above the national median of $22.66. The middle half earn $25.16–$42.46; the top 10% earn more than $47.54.

Where does Massachusetts rank for construction laborer pay?

Massachusetts ranks 3rd of 51 states for construction laborer pay, with a median of $30.48 an hour, and 6th after adjusting for Massachusetts's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.8, US = 100).

What is the union construction laborer rate in Massachusetts?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for construction laborers in 13 counties, with a typical package of $75.80 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many construction laborers work in Massachusetts?

BLS counted 16,210 construction laborers in Massachusetts in May 2025, 4.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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