Construction and extraction occupations: pay, outlook, and education
Official pay, projected growth, openings, and entry requirements for 831 U.S. occupations. Filter, sort, and open any career for state and metro pay, skills, programs, and licenses.
60 occupations. Wages Verified data Growth and openings Official projection
| Occupation | Median wage | Change 2025 to 2035 | Openings per year | Employment | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and escalator installers and repairers SOC 47-4021 | $109,910 | +5.7% | 1,900 | 24,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers SOC 47-1011 | $79,920 | +5.0% | 67,000 | 913,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Roof bolters, mining SOC 47-5043 | $78,540 | -18.9% | 100 | 2,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Boilermakers SOC 47-2011 | $76,410 | -1.8% | 700 | 10,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Terrazzo workers and finishers SOC 47-2053 | $76,170 | -13.0% | 100 | 1,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Construction and building inspectors SOC 47-4011 | $74,690 | 0.0% | 14,800 | 153,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining SOC 47-5044 | $74,500 | -15.8% | 400 | 5,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Pile driver operators SOC 47-2072 | $73,300 | -5.7% | 200 | 2,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Underground mining machine operators, all other SOC 47-5049 | $70,130 | -1.0% | 300 | 3,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators SOC 47-4061 | $70,070 | +1.5% | 1,200 | 17,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Tapers SOC 47-2082 | $68,270 | -1.6% | 900 | 15,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Rotary drill operators, oil and gas SOC 47-5012 | $67,890 | +0.8% | 1,100 | 12,700 | No formal educational credential |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters SOC 47-2152 | $63,800 | +6.8% | 42,000 | 510,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electricians SOC 47-2111 | $63,190 | +9.2% | 72,700 | 821,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Structural iron and steel workers SOC 47-2221 | $62,780 | +3.1% | 5,900 | 68,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons SOC 47-2021 | $62,120 | +1.1% | 4,100 | 62,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Continuous mining machine operators SOC 47-5041 | $61,810 | +3.2% | 1,400 | 14,000 | No formal educational credential |
| Sheet metal workers SOC 47-2211 | $61,800 | +2.5% | 9,800 | 131,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters SOC 47-5032 | $61,390 | 0.0% | 400 | 5,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Carpenters SOC 47-2031 | $60,580 | +3.9% | 62,800 | 889,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Earth drillers, except oil and gas SOC 47-5023 | $60,190 | +3.6% | 1,400 | 19,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators SOC 47-2073 | $59,850 | +4.6% | 39,200 | 489,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Reinforcing iron and rebar workers SOC 47-2171 | $58,970 | -5.3% | 1,000 | 16,600 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers SOC 47-2081 | $58,930 | +2.5% | 6,600 | 102,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Derrick operators, oil and gas SOC 47-5011 | $58,620 | +1.6% | 900 | 10,700 | No formal educational credential |
| Insulation workers, mechanical SOC 47-2132 | $58,340 | +5.1% | 1,800 | 26,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Service unit operators, oil and gas SOC 47-5013 | $58,160 | +1.1% | 3,800 | 43,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Plasterers and stucco masons SOC 47-2161 | $57,660 | +2.8% | 1,500 | 22,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining SOC 47-5022 | $57,430 | +1.0% | 2,400 | 34,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Stonemasons SOC 47-2022 | $57,390 | -5.4% | 500 | 9,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Glaziers SOC 47-2121 | $57,080 | +1.9% | 3,900 | 59,200 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers SOC 47-2051 | $57,020 | +1.6% | 13,600 | 204,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Extraction workers, all other SOC 47-5099 | $57,010 | +3.4% | 600 | 5,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles SOC 47-2042 | $56,460 | +9.0% | 2,200 | 29,800 | No formal educational credential |
| Tile and stone setters SOC 47-2044 | $55,690 | +9.8% | 3,300 | 45,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Roofers SOC 47-2181 | $55,440 | +5.3% | 12,000 | 166,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators SOC 47-2071 | $53,340 | -0.9% | 3,100 | 42,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Solar photovoltaic installers SOC 47-2231 | $53,140 | +36.5% | 4,200 | 31,100 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Paperhangers SOC 47-2142 | $52,140 | +4.3% | 200 | 2,300 | No formal educational credential |
| Floor sanders and finishers SOC 47-2043 | $50,440 | +1.4% | 300 | 4,700 | No formal educational credential |
| Carpet installers SOC 47-2041 | $50,340 | -16.4% | 700 | 17,400 | No formal educational credential |
| Highway maintenance workers SOC 47-4051 | $50,260 | +3.4% | 11,800 | 161,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Miscellaneous construction and related workers SOC 47-4090 | $49,910 | +3.9% | 2,400 | 29,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners SOC 47-4071 | $49,880 | +7.8% | 2,800 | 31,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Hazardous materials removal workers SOC 47-4041 | $49,450 | +1.5% | 4,300 | 52,700 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Painters, construction and maintenance SOC 47-2141 | $49,400 | +3.0% | 24,900 | 326,900 | No formal educational credential |
| Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall SOC 47-2131 | $49,120 | +2.4% | 3,000 | 45,100 | No formal educational credential |
| Pipelayers SOC 47-2151 | $49,000 | -3.1% | 2,100 | 33,200 | No formal educational credential |
| Rock splitters, quarry SOC 47-5051 | $48,740 | +5.8% | 400 | 3,500 | No formal educational credential |
| Fence erectors SOC 47-4031 | $47,980 | +5.6% | 2,500 | 30,600 | No formal educational credential |
Employment is from BLS Employment Projections (2025) when OEWS does not publish it. Median wage is the OEWS May 2025 national median annual wage; hourly medians are shown where BLS publishes hourly wages only.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.