How much do construction laborers make in New York in 2026?

Construction laborers in New York earn a median wage of $55,930 per year, which works out to roughly $26.89 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year. That figure sits well above the national median for the trade, reflecting the high cost of doing business — and living — in New York State. The numbers come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025.

The pay spread across experience levels is wide. Workers at the 25th percentile — typically newer laborers or those in lower-cost corners of the state — bring in $43,950 a year, or about $21.13 per hour. At the 75th percentile, wages climb to $79,420 annually, roughly $38.18 per hour. That's a gap of more than $35,000 between the lower quarter and upper quarter of earners. What drives someone from the bottom of that range to the top? A combination of years on the job, specialized skills, geography, and the type of construction work they take on.

New York City and the surrounding metro area consistently push wages higher. Heavy civil work — tunnels, bridges, highway projects, utility trenching — tends to pay more than residential framing or cleanup. Laborers who can operate small equipment, handle concrete forming, or work flagging and traffic control add value that contractors are willing to pay for. Hazmat and asbestos abatement certifications are another lever: that work carries additional training requirements and commands a premium, particularly on public projects in New York City.

Overtime is a real factor in this trade. Construction schedules are deadline-driven, and laborers on large commercial or infrastructure projects in New York frequently log 50- or 60-hour weeks during peak season — spring through late fall. A laborer earning the median $26.89 per hour who regularly works 10 hours of overtime per week adds roughly $21,000 to their annual take-home at the 1.5x overtime rate, before taxes. That kind of schedule won't suit everyone, but for laborers willing to put in the hours during the busy season, gross annual pay can land well above the BLS snapshot, which captures a single-point-in-time wage rate, not annualized earnings including overtime.

Seasonality cuts both ways. New York winters slow outdoor construction, and laborers without steady commercial or underground work may see hours — and therefore annual income — dip. Laborers who pick up indoor work, demolition, or renovation projects between major outdoor jobs tend to maintain more consistent annual earnings.

Some workers in this trade may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement — check with your local for current rates. Publicly funded projects in New York are subject to prevailing wage requirements under state law, which can set a wage floor higher than what the open market pays. If you're bidding your labor on public work, it's worth verifying the prevailing wage rate for your county and classification before accepting a job.

For laborers looking to move up the pay scale, the path is straightforward: build a specialty, stay consistent, and document your training. OSHA 30 certification is expected on most major New York job sites and costs relatively little to obtain. Concrete work, scaffold erection, and pipeline construction each have their own skill sets that push hourly rates upward. Laborers who move into foreman or general foreman roles — which BLS classifies separately — typically see wages beyond the 75th percentile figures listed here.

The BLS OEWS data used on this page is a statewide average and doesn't distinguish between New York City rates and rates upstate in regions like the Southern Tier, North Country, or Capital District, where wages and cost of living both run lower. If you're comparing offers in different parts of the state, take the geographic difference seriously — a $55,000 offer in Albany and a $55,000 offer in Manhattan represent very different economic realities.