Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
The construction industry is a major component of the U.S. economy. From the roads and bridges connecting every corner of the country, to the factories and buildings that the American workforce uses daily, the construction sector has a far-reaching impact.
Despite this, the U.S. is in the midst of a skilled worker shortage that is projected to worsen as an already aging construction workforce reaches retirement. To fill the demand, construction firms will need to recruit the next generation of skilled workers.
One way to attract more qualified workers to the construction sector is with increasing pay.
Wages in the construction industry vary widely by occupation, and some roles have shown more recent wage growth than others.
To find the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). See the details of the methodology at the end.
Here are the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages.
10. Electricians Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +25.1%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +3.1%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $41,240
- Mean annual wage (2018): $32,960
- Total employment (2023): 68,670
Official BLS title “Helpers–Electricians.” These workers help electricians perform tasks that require less skill, such as cleaning the work area, retrieving equipment, and holding tools.
9. Masons, Tile Setters, and Marble Setters Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +25.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +3.2%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $45,590
- Mean annual wage (2018): $36,390
- Total employment (2023): 16,460
Official BLS title “Helpers–Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters.”
These workers help brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters by fetching and holding supplies, cleaning up the work area, and maintaining tools and equipment.
8. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +26.1%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +3.9%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $100,060
- Mean annual wage (2018): $79,370
- Total employment (2023): 23,990
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing elevators, moving walkways, escalators, and similar types of equipment.
7. Roofers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +27.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +4.9%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $55,840
- Mean annual wage (2018): $43,870
- Total employment (2023): 135,140
Roofers install, repair, and replace roofs on buildings, ensuring they are waterproof and structurally sound.
6. Carpenters Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +28.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +5.7%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $40,860
- Mean annual wage (2018): $31,850
- Total employment (2023): 21,770
Official BLS title “Helpers–Carpenters.” These workers help carpenters by performing duties requiring less skill, some of which include: using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work areas and equipment.
5. Stonemasons
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +28.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +5.7%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $56,930
- Mean annual wage (2018): $44,370
- Total employment (2023): 9,790
Stonemasons build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments. They may also lay walks, curbstones, or special types of masonry for vats, tanks, and floors.
4. Paperhangers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +32.3%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +9.0%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $54,020
- Mean annual wage (2018): $40,840
- Total employment (2023): 1,830
Paperhangers typically install decorative wall coverings, such as wallpaper and fabric, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of interior spaces.
3. Miscellaneous Construction Trade Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +33.1%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +9.7%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $43,090
- Mean annual wage (2018): $32,370
- Total employment (2023): 27,250
Official BLS title “Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other.” These workers help skilled trades workers with activities that require less skill.
This occupation category specifically excludes helpers of blockmasons, brickmasons, carpenters, electricians, painters, paperhangers, plasterers, pipefitters, pipelayers, plumbers, roofers, steamfitters, stonemasons, stucco masons, and tile and marble setters.
2. Roofers Helpers
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +33.2%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +9.8%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $42,280
- Mean annual wage (2018): $31,740
- Total employment (2023): 4,540
Official BLS title “Helpers–Roofers.” These workers help skilled roofers by performing lower-level job tasks, such as using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work areas and equipment.
1. Quarry Rock Splitters
- 5-year percentage change in wage (nominal): +33.8%
- 5-year percentage change in wage (inflation-adjusted): +10.2%
- Mean annual wage (2023): $47,830
- Mean annual wage (2018): $35,760
- Total employment (2023): 3,610
Official BLS title “Rock Splitters, Quarry.” These workers typically separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
Methodology
To find the construction jobs with the fastest-growing wages, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
The researchers ranked all construction and extraction occupations according to the five-year percentage change in wages from 2018 to 2023.
Inflation-adjusted changes as well as total employment levels were also included for context.