Construction Laborer
B-02B Other Construction electrical jobs · Start level · O*NET 47-2061.00
- Texas median
whole occupation, 2025 - $40,620
- work over
40 h a week - 18%
- load index
from O*NET data - 3.0/5
- Texas jobs
2024 to 2034 - +12.2%
Pay
This level's pay
No published pay record names this level: no public record found in sources S1-S7 that names this rung. The occupation-wide figure below is for all experience levels.
Whole occupation: all Construction Laborers, Texas BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047206113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 123,250 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047206101).
BLS OEWS May 2025
- Series OEUS480000000000047206113 (median), Texas, May 2025, read 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Base pay (straight-time, excludes overtime).
- Based on an estimated 123,250 jobs in Texas (series OEUS480000000000047206101).
Outlook 2024 to 2034, all Construction Laborers, not level-specific TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
TWC, BLS
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- Texas
- +12.2% jobs · about 15,270 openings a year (159,660 jobs in 2024)
- United States
- +7.3% jobs · about 129,400 openings a year (1,457,000 jobs in 2024)
Openings include people retiring or changing jobs, not only growth.
Hours O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2020, n = 21 respondents, O*NET OnLine
O*NET 31.0
- Duration of Typical Work Week (4.C.3.d.8), O*NET Work Context, data 08/2020, n = 21 respondents, O*NET OnLine
Schedule: regular 16% · irregular 53% · seasonal 31%
Physical load 3.0 of 5, our index from O*NET Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.59, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.43, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Method
- Engineer Tsai index (et_physical_v1): mean of a body index (2.59, 6 measures) and an exposure index (3.43, 7 measures), built from O*NET Work Context means, 1 to 5: Spend Time Standing; Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles; Spend Time Walking or Running; Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling; Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance; Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body; Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions; Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures; Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions; Exposed to High Places; Exposed to Hazardous Conditions; Exposed to Hazardous Equipment; Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection.
- O*NET OnLine
Body
- Standing4.65
- Walking or running2.71
- Bending or twisting2.62
- Kneeling or crawling2.22
- Climbing ladders1.76
- Keeping balance1.59
Exposure
- Outdoors, all weather4.63
- Very hot or cold4.48
- Hazardous equipment4.34
- Cramped space3.27
- Hazardous conditions2.6
- Protective gear2.48
- High places2.21
Getting in
- License
- No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
- Degree
- 0% hold a bachelor's or higher; most common: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Experience
- None of related experience is the most common answer (44% of workers).
O*NET
- O*NET Related Work Experience, Construction Laborers, O*NET OnLine
- Preparation
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Why this level
- Start: O*NET Job Zone 2 (1-2 start, 3-4 skilled, 5 senior).
Moves to the side 5
- B Ironworker O*NET lists Structural Iron and Steel Workers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.81.
- B Pipelayer O*NET lists Pipelayers as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.78. License: depends on the work.
- R Maintenance Mechanic O*NET lists Maintenance Workers, Machinery as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.68. License: depends on the work.
- B Plumber O*NET lists Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters as a related occupation (Supplemental); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.79. License gate: Journeyman Plumber (TSBPE), Tradesman Plumber-Limited (TSBPE).
What the work is 6 core tasks
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
- Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
- Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
- Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
- Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
- Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
- Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
Core tasks ranked by O*NET task Importance (IM, 1-5), top 6.
Top skills
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Coordination
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Sources (4)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, Texas, series OEUS480000000000047206113, read 2026-10-03
- Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections (via Projections Central) 2024-2034, Texas, read 2026-10-03
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034, United States, read 2026-10-03
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), 47-2061.00 Construction Laborers, read 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Engineer Tsai has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 · O*NET license
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Base pay; excludes overtime. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (United States) and Texas Workforce Commission long-term projections 2024-2034, read through Projections Central.
