May 2016 Occupational Employment and Wages — 2017-03-31

Construction and extraction occupations had employment of nearly 5.6 million in May 2016, representing 4 percent of total national employment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over 4.2 million of these jobs were in construction trades occupations, including construction laborers (912,100), carpenters (676,980), and electricians (607,120). The highest paying construction and extraction occupations were elevator installers and repairers ($76,860) and first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers ($68,040). The lowest paying construction and extraction occupations were roofers' helpers ($28,890) and helpers of painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons ($28,760). The annual mean wage across all construction and extraction occupations was $48,900, slightly below the U.S. average wage of $49,630 for all occupations combined. National employment and wage information for all occupations is shown in table 1. The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program provides estimates for over 800 occupations in the nation, states, and nearly 600 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.