Construction laborer salary in Massachusetts
Median $30.48 an hour for 16,210 construction laborers, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 2000 and the state's own outlook.
Construction laborer pay in Massachusetts: the full range
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. The top 10% earn 2.2× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $21.72 – $25.16 | $45,170 – $52,330 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $25.16 – $42.46 | $52,330 – $88,330 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $42.46 – $47.54 | $88,330 – $98,880 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Construction laborer pay by metro in Massachusetts
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $22.34 | $30.49 | $28.15 | $47.80 | 11,580 | about the same as |
| Springfield | $20.91 | $30.12 | $31.34 | $44.96 | 880 | 1% below |
| Worcester | $20.88 | $29.52 | $28.80 | $46.23 | 1,650 | 3% below |
| Barnstable | $21.42 | $28.87 | $29.34 | $44.80 | 750 | 5% below |
| Providence | $19.12 | $28.50 | $28.00 | $43.65 | 3,240 | 6% below |
| Amherst | $18.72 | $27.96 | $27.90 | $46.22 | 280 | 8% below |
| Pittsfield | $19.10 | $25.06 | $26.35 | $36.25 | 350 | 18% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Construction laborer wages in Massachusetts over time
Table
| Year | Massachusetts $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $17.78 | $33.24 | $11.15 | 15,420 |
| 2001 | $18.76 | $34.10 | $11.57 | 15,980 |
| 2002 | $18.57 | $33.23 | $11.90 | 17,930 |
| 2003 | $19.28 | $33.73 | $11.86 | 17,820 |
| 2004 | $19.37 | $33.01 | $12.10 | 16,500 |
| 2005 | $19.57 | $32.26 | $12.22 | 16,300 |
| 2006 | $19.64 | $31.36 | $12.66 | 15,430 |
| 2007 | $19.88 | $30.87 | $13.13 | 14,710 |
| 2008 | $20.53 | $30.70 | $13.71 | 15,380 |
| 2009 | $21.28 | $31.93 | $14.01 | 14,240 |
| 2010 | $20.56 | $30.36 | $14.08 | 14,780 |
| 2011 | $21.75 | $31.13 | $14.30 | 14,980 |
| 2012 | $21.64 | $30.34 | $14.42 | 15,880 |
| 2013 | $20.98 | $28.99 | $14.64 | 16,450 |
| 2014 | $22.01 | $29.93 | $14.95 | 17,210 |
| 2015 | $23.67 | $32.15 | $15.34 | 16,960 |
| 2016 | $24.11 | $32.34 | $16.07 | 18,980 |
| 2017 | $23.27 | $30.56 | $16.60 | 19,560 |
| 2018 | $23.57 | $30.22 | $17.21 | 19,930 |
| 2019 | $24.45 | $30.79 | $17.72 | 20,020 |
| 2020 | $25.23 | $31.38 | $18.22 | 18,900 |
| 2021 | $27.27 | $32.40 | $18.16 | 20,050 |
| 2022 | $28.92 | $31.81 | $19.59 | 20,490 |
| 2023 | $29.44 | $31.11 | $21.78 | 18,280 |
| 2024 | $30.02 | $30.81 | $22.47 | 16,800 |
| 2025 | $30.48 | $30.48 | $22.66 | 16,210 |
In today's dollars, the median construction laborer wage in Massachusetts changed by -5.2% over the last ten years of data and by -1.0% since 2019.
Are there more construction laborer jobs in Massachusetts?
Since 2000, the number of construction laborers counted in Massachusetts has changed by +5.1%, against +33.6% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -19.0%.
Table
| Year | Massachusetts jobs | Massachusetts index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15,420 | 100 | 100 |
| 2001 | 15,980 | 104 | 100 |
| 2002 | 17,930 | 116 | 101 |
| 2003 | 17,820 | 116 | 102 |
| 2004 | 16,500 | 107 | 104 |
| 2005 | 16,300 | 106 | 114 |
| 2006 | 15,430 | 100 | 124 |
| 2007 | 14,710 | 95 | 128 |
| 2008 | 15,380 | 100 | 124 |
| 2009 | 14,240 | 92 | 104 |
| 2010 | 14,780 | 96 | 95 |
| 2011 | 14,980 | 97 | 95 |
| 2012 | 15,880 | 103 | 99 |
| 2013 | 16,450 | 107 | 100 |
| 2014 | 17,210 | 112 | 104 |
| 2015 | 16,960 | 110 | 108 |
| 2016 | 18,980 | 123 | 111 |
| 2017 | 19,560 | 127 | 117 |
| 2018 | 19,930 | 129 | 122 |
| 2019 | 20,020 | 130 | 124 |
| 2020 | 18,900 | 123 | 118 |
| 2021 | 20,050 | 130 | 118 |
| 2022 | 20,490 | 133 | 123 |
| 2023 | 18,280 | 118 | 124 |
| 2024 | 16,800 | 109 | 129 |
| 2025 | 16,210 | 105 | 134 |
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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts's labor market agency projects the number of construction laborers in the state to change by +9.5% between 2024 and 2034, from 22,430 to 24,570, with about 2,060 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +7.3% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 16,210 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Massachusetts labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).
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.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Bristol | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Dukes | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Essex | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Middlesex | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Nantucket | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Norfolk | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Suffolk | Union LABO0022-009 2024-12-01 | $46.10 | $29.70 | $75.80 | MA20260001 |
| Plymouth | Union LABR0721-001 2024-12-01 | $38.95 | $29.81 | $68.76 | MA20260012 |
| Berkshire | Union LABO0596-001 2024-12-02 | $35.00 | $28.87 | $63.87 | MA20260003 |
| Franklin | Union LABO0596-001 2024-12-02 | $35.00 | $28.87 | $63.87 | MA20260003 |
| Hampden | Union LABO0596-001 2024-12-02 | $35.00 | $28.87 | $63.87 | MA20260003 |
| Hampshire | Union LABO0596-001 2024-12-02 | $35.00 | $28.87 | $63.87 | MA20260003 |
| Worcester | Survey SUMA2014-002 2016-04-04 | $39.84 | $12.04 | $51.88 | MA20260013 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. 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?
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 14 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 92,697 in 2015 to 113,325 in 2025, +22.3%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County | 699 | 7,304 | $114,740 | $2,207 |
| Norfolk County | 1,570 | 15,879 | $111,044 | $2,135 |
| Middlesex County | 3,330 | 30,290 | $102,132 | $1,964 |
| Plymouth County | 1,423 | 11,316 | $100,512 | $1,933 |
| Nantucket County | 278 | 728 | $92,732 | $1,783 |
| Essex County | 1,711 | 11,307 | $91,756 | $1,765 |
| Worcester County | 1,866 | 11,590 | $90,722 | $1,745 |
| Dukes County | 169 | 535 | $90,408 | $1,739 |
| Bristol County | 1,244 | 9,754 | $88,917 | $1,710 |
| Hampden County | 658 | 5,659 | $87,478 | $1,682 |
| Barnstable County | 963 | 4,461 | $82,396 | $1,585 |
| Hampshire County | 272 | 1,676 | $81,930 | $1,576 |
| Berkshire County | 373 | 2,087 | $76,043 | $1,462 |
| Franklin County | 124 | 739 | $68,938 | $1,326 |
Keep comparing
Construction laborer pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Massachusetts
More on 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).
Is construction laborer work growing in Massachusetts?
The BLS employer survey count of construction laborers in Massachusetts went from 16,960 in 2015 to 16,210 in 2025, -4.4%, and -19.0% since 2019. Massachusetts's labor market agency projects +9.5% growth for construction laborers between 2024 and 2034, from 22,430 to 24,570 jobs.
How many construction laborer openings a year are there in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts projects about 2,060 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, Massachusetts 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: Massachusetts labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.