How much do construction laborers make in Minnesota in 2026?

The median construction laborer in Minnesota earns $60,260 a year, which works out to $28.97 an hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That figure sits in the middle of a wide range. Workers at the 25th percentile — typically those newer to the trade or working in lower-demand areas — bring in $48,420 annually ($23.28/hr). Workers at the 75th percentile earn $79,710 a year ($38.32/hr). That $31,290 spread between the bottom quarter and the top quarter tells you experience, specialization, and location move the needle significantly in this state.

All figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release.

Minnesota construction runs hard from April through October and slows sharply in winter. That seasonal rhythm matters for laborers more than for most trades because layoffs and reduced hours between November and March are common. A worker putting in full-time hours during the busy season and collecting unemployment in the slow months may see annual take-home land well below the median figure, even if their hourly rate looks competitive. When you're comparing offers, ask how many weeks of work the employer realistically offers per year — an $32/hr rate that disappears in December isn't the same as a $30/hr rate backed by year-round indoor work.

The Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs — drives the bulk of Minnesota's construction volume and tends to push wages toward the upper end of the range. Large commercial, infrastructure, and industrial projects concentrated in Hennepin and Ramsey counties compete for laborers and bid wages up. Duluth, Rochester, and St. Cloud sit in the middle ground. Rural areas in Greater Minnesota, while they do have project activity, generally pay closer to the 25th percentile figure, and the gap in available work is as important as the gap in hourly rate.

Experience is the most direct path up this pay scale. Entry-level laborers who handle only basic site cleanup and material moving are easy to replace and priced accordingly. Workers who can operate hand tools and light equipment, read grade stakes, handle concrete finishing, or work in confined spaces and around hazardous materials become harder to replace and get compensated for it. Earning an OSHA 30-Hour construction card, a flagging certification, or hazardous-materials (HazMat) handling credentials adds tangible value that employers in Minnesota are willing to pay for, particularly on public and federally funded projects where safety documentation requirements are strict.

Some laborers in Minnesota are covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates.

The BLS OEWS data captures base wages reported by employers. It does not include overtime pay, per diem, travel pay, or the value of employer-provided benefits like health insurance and pension contributions. For a laborer working significant overtime on a large infrastructure project — highway work, bridge construction, or utility installation — total compensation can run meaningfully higher than the annual figure suggests. Conversely, a worker stringing together short-duration jobs with gaps in between may fall short of that median even at a solid hourly rate.

Apprenticeship programs for construction laborers in Minnesota typically run one to two years and combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Completing a formal apprenticeship not only builds your skill set but signals to contractors that you're committed to the trade — which translates directly into better starting rates and steadier calls for work. If you're early in your career, getting into a structured program is one of the highest-return moves available to you.

To summarize the pay scale clearly: the bottom 25% of Minnesota construction laborers earn up to $48,420/yr ($23.28/hr), the middle earns around $60,260/yr ($28.97/hr), and the top 25% earns $79,710/yr or more ($38.32/hr). Where you land depends on how long you've been working the trade, what certifications you carry, where in the state you work, and how consistently you're able to find hours.