Statewide pay Government data
Construction laborers in Pennsylvania earn a statewide median of $49,400 a year, 5% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #21 of 50 states and DC. About 35,920 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Pennsylvania
See all states on the construction laborer overview.
Pay by city Government data
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhiladelphiaPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $55,120 | $53,747 | 14,580 |
| State CollegePENNSYLVANIA · PA | $53,420 | $55,208 | 620 |
| PittsburghPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $50,600 | $53,448 | 8,620 |
| HarrisburgPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $49,670 | $50,350 | 1,370 |
| YorkPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $49,350 | $51,406 | 1,250 |
| AllentownPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $49,290 | $49,306 | 1,670 |
| ReadingPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $48,800 | $50,278 | 990 |
| LancasterPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $48,670 | $49,533 | 2,270 |
| ScrantonPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $48,290 | $51,616 | 1,450 |
| GettysburgPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $48,010 | $50,336 | 240 |
| LebanonPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $47,530 | $50,990 | 240 |
| ChambersburgPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $46,860 | $49,513 | 440 |
| EriePENNSYLVANIA · PA | $46,480 | $51,105 | 540 |
| WilliamsportPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $46,360 | $50,200 | 250 |
| AltoonaPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $45,820 | $51,192 | 350 |
| JohnstownPENNSYLVANIA · PA | $45,320 | $52,741 | 210 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for Pennsylvania's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
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.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 7.3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 120,000 openings a year. Typical training: short-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, construction laborers have 218 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 2.5× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often construction laborers deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in Pennsylvania Official source
The main state licensing office in Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Home improvement contractors register with the state; most trades are licensed locally. It can point you to the right license for construction laborers.
Official Pennsylvania licensing site ↗
Requirements for construction laborers vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in Pennsylvania
All trades in Pennsylvania.