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Construction worker salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$60,270median pay per year in California, or $28.98 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,950lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,14025th percentile
  3. $60,270median
  4. $78,52075th percentile
  5. $93,620top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $47,120[3]

The median pay for construction workers in California was $60,270 a year in May 2025[1]. That is $13,150 above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
88,240[4]
Rank by median pay
5 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+27.9%[6]

How much do construction workers make in California?

The median wage for construction workers in California was $60,270 a year, or $28.98 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher, at $64,870 a year[7].

Across the US, the median for construction workers was $47,120[3]. California came in $13,150 (27.9%) higher[6]. California had the 5th highest median among the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for construction workers was $2,030 higher than the all-jobs median of $58,240[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,950 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $93,620[2]. Among the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest, at $72,610[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $68,470, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had $58,810[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, so self-employed people and business owners are left out. It also leaves out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for construction workers in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$60,270[1]$47,120[3]
Median per hour$28.98[1]$22.66[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$40,950[2]$35,090[13]
Top 10% earn more than$93,620[2]$78,090[13]
Jobs88,240[4]1,096,780[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for construction workers, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$58,81021,730
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$59,50012,120
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$72,61011,620
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$57,1808,850
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$60,5607,390
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$68,4704,420
Fresno, CA$55,1202,660
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$58,9501,790

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for construction workers in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$50,86012,620
Nevada$48,99011,890
Arizona$46,59037,630

Median pay for construction workers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for construction workers are projected to grow 7.3% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: no formal educational credential[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a construction worker make in California?
The median was $60,270 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $64,870[7].
How much does a construction worker make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $28.98[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $19.69 an hour[17][2].
Which city in California pays construction workers the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median of the 25 metro areas with a published figure, at $72,610 a year[10].
Is California a good state for construction workers?
California had the 5th highest median pay for construction workers among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 27.9% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a construction worker in California?
This is a US figure, not a state one. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is no formal educational credential[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Construction Laborers in California was $60,270 per year and $28.98 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Construction Laborers in California: 10th percentile $40,950, 25th percentile $48,140, 75th percentile $78,520, 90th percentile $93,620. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Construction Laborers in the US as a whole was $47,120 per year and $22.66 per hour, with about 1,096,780 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 88,240 people worked as Construction Laborers in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 5th highest median annual wage for Construction Laborers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Construction Laborers in California ($60,270) was $13,150 (27.9%) higher than the US median ($47,120). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Construction Laborers in California was $64,870 per year and $31.19 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Construction Laborers in California was $2,030 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Construction Laborers, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $72,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Construction Laborers in the US: 10th percentile $35,090, 25th percentile $38,620, 75th percentile $59,740, 90th percentile $78,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Construction Laborers in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $50,860; Nevada $48,990; Arizona $46,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Construction Laborers is projected to grow 7.3% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 120,000 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Construction Laborers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Construction Laborers in California: 10th percentile $19.69, 25th percentile $23.15, 75th percentile $37.75, 90th percentile $45.01. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.