23% of these careers already have a full profile page; the rest publish with the next tranche and show the same bank data here in the meantime.
Highest-Paying Jobs in Construction (2026)
Construction Manager tops this list at $114,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +8.7% projected employment change over 2024–2034. Below are 30 careers that meet the criteria, each with its real median wage, outlook and entry requirement.
Every occupation in the SOC construction and extraction group, plus construction managers, ranked by national median wage.
- Careers on this list
- 30
- Median pay on the list
- $62,450
- Projected to grow
- 22 of 30
- Openings a year
- 432,100
From 923 in the bank
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Combined, BLS EP
How we built this list
- Included when the occupation sits in the "construction and extraction" SOC major group (47-0000), plus construction managers (11-9021), whom BLS files under management.
- Ranked by national median annual wage from BLS OEWS.
- BLS publishes one wage per occupation code, and several O*NET job titles can share a code. Only one title per code is listed, so the same wage does not appear over and over.
- Occupations with no BLS wage or projection data are excluded rather than estimated.
- The list is regenerated from source data on every bank refresh. It is not hand-picked and no editorial ranking is applied.
The top 30 highest-paying jobs in construction
1. Construction Manager
Management
- Median pay
- $114,990
- Growth
- +8.7%
- Openings/yr
- 46,800
- Education
- Bachelor's
Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems.
Construction Manager salary & outlook →2. Elevator Installer
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $109,910
- Growth
- +5.0%
- Openings/yr
- 2,000
- Education
- High school
Assemble, install, repair, or maintain electric or hydraulic freight or passenger elevators, escalators, or dumbwaiters.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
3. First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $79,920
- Growth
- +5.3%
- Openings/yr
- 74,400
- Education
- High school
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
4. Roof Bolter, Mining
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $78,540
- Growth
- -34.2%
- Openings/yr
- 100
- Education
- High school
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
5. Boilermaker
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $76,410
- Growth
- -2.4%
- Openings/yr
- 800
- Education
- High school
Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
6. Terrazzo Worker and Finisher
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $76,170
- Growth
- -11.1%
- Openings/yr
- 100
- Education
- High school
Apply a mixture of cement, sand, pigment, or marble chips to floors, stairways, and cabinet fixtures to fashion durable and decorative surfaces.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
7. Construction and Building Inspector
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $74,690
- Growth
- -0.8%
- Openings/yr
- 14,800
- Education
- High school
Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations.
Construction and Building Inspector salary & outlook →8. Loading and Moving Machine Operator, Underground Mining
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $74,500
- Growth
- -22.3%
- Openings/yr
- 500
- Education
- No formal credential
Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
9. Pile Driver Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $73,300
- Growth
- +4.3%
- Openings/yr
- 300
- Education
- High school
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
10. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $70,070
- Growth
- +1.6%
- Openings/yr
- 1,100
- Education
- High school
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
11. Taper
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $68,270
- Growth
- +0.1%
- Openings/yr
- 1,100
- Education
- No formal credential
Seal joints between plasterboard or other wallboard to prepare wall surface for painting or papering.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
12. Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $67,890
- Growth
- +0.2%
- Openings/yr
- 1,200
- Education
- No formal credential
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
13. Plumber
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $63,800
- Growth
- +4.5%
- Openings/yr
- 44,000
- Education
- High school
Assemble, install, alter, and repair pipelines or pipe systems that carry water, steam, air, or other liquids or gases.
Plumber salary & outlook →14. Electrician
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $63,190
- Growth
- +9.5%
- Openings/yr
- 81,000
- Education
- High school
Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures.
Electrician salary & outlook →15. Structural Iron and Steel Worker
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $62,780
- Growth
- +4.4%
- Openings/yr
- 5,500
- Education
- High school
Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
16. Brickmason and Blockmason
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $62,120
- Growth
- +3.2%
- Openings/yr
- 5,600
- Education
- High school
Lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block, and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances, to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, se…
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
17. Continuous Mining Machine Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $61,810
- Growth
- +0.6%
- Openings/yr
- 1,600
- Education
- No formal credential
Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
18. Sheet Metal Worker
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $61,800
- Growth
- +2.4%
- Openings/yr
- 10,600
- Education
- High school
Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings.
Sheet Metal Worker salary & outlook →19. Explosives Worker, Ordnance Handling Expert, and Blaster
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $61,390
- Growth
- -0.9%
- Openings/yr
- 500
- Education
- High school
Place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
20. Carpenter
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $60,580
- Growth
- +4.5%
- Openings/yr
- 74,100
- Education
- High school
Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood and comparable materials, such as concrete forms; building frameworks, including partitions, joists, studding, and rafters; and wood stairways,…
Carpenter salary & outlook →21. Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $60,190
- Growth
- +2.9%
- Openings/yr
- 1,700
- Education
- High school
Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in…
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
22. Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $59,850
- Growth
- +3.6%
- Openings/yr
- 41,900
- Education
- High school
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erec…
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator salary & outlook →23. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Worker
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $58,970
- Growth
- +4.6%
- Openings/yr
- 1,500
- Education
- High school
Position and secure steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
24. Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $58,930
- Growth
- +4.2%
- Openings/yr
- 7,700
- Education
- No formal credential
Apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
25. Derrick Operator, Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $58,620
- Growth
- +0.5%
- Openings/yr
- 1,000
- Education
- No formal credential
Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
26. Insulation Worker, Mechanical
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $58,340
- Growth
- +4.7%
- Openings/yr
- 2,300
- Education
- High school
Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
27. Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $58,160
- Growth
- +0.4%
- Openings/yr
- 4,100
- Education
- No formal credential
Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
28. Plasterer and Stucco Mason
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $57,660
- Growth
- +4.1%
- Openings/yr
- 1,900
- Education
- No formal credential
Apply interior or exterior plaster, cement, stucco, or similar materials.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
29. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $57,430
- Growth
- -0.4%
- Openings/yr
- 3,100
- Education
- High school
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
30. Stonemason
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $57,390
- Growth
- -3.0%
- Openings/yr
- 800
- Education
- High school
Build stone structures, such as piers, walls, and abutments.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
Highest-Paying Jobs in Construction: FAQ
What is the top career on the highest-paying jobs in construction list?
Construction Manager leads the list with a median wage of $114,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) and projected employment change of +8.7% over 2024–2034. Typical entry-level education is bachelor's.
How was this list put together?
Every occupation in the SOC construction and extraction group, plus construction managers, ranked by national median wage. Included when the occupation sits in the "construction and extraction" SOC major group (47-0000), plus construction managers (11-9021), whom BLS files under management. Ranked by national median annual wage from BLS OEWS. BLS publishes one wage per occupation code, and several O*NET job titles can share a code. Only one title per code is listed, so the same wage does not appear over and over. Every figure comes from BLS OEWS May 2025, BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET 30.3 Database.
How much do highest-paying jobs in construction pay?
Across the 30 careers on this list the middle occupation pays $62,450 a year, from $57,390 at the bottom to $114,990 at the top (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The median across all US occupations is $50,980.
How many of these careers can you enter without a degree?
29 of the 30 careers on this list have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree: a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or no formal credential (BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034).