Fence Erectors earn a median of $47,980 per year ($23.07/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.6% through 2035, with about 2,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-4031
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Fence Erector in four numbers
- Median pay
- $47,980a year, or $23.07/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $70K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,50030,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202530.6K
- Projected 203532.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 30.6K Projected 2035 32.3K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school29.4%
- High school47.5%
- Certificate1%
- Some college22.1%
Highest education held by fence erectors Segment Value Less than high school 29.4% High school 47.5% Certificate 1% Some college 22.1%
Also advertised as: Fence Builder, Fence Contractor, Fence Erector, Fence Installer, Fence Laborer, Fence Mechanic.
Pay
How much do Fence Erectors make?
Every fence erector in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$47,980
Middle half earn $40,400 to $58,610
- 10th
- $35,810
- 25th
- $40,400
- 75th
- $58,610
- 90th
- $70,010
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,810 |
| 25th | $40,400 |
| Median | $47,980 |
| 75th | $58,610 |
| 90th | $70,010 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $47,980
- Median hourly wage
- $23.07/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $50,530
- People employed
- 24,480
Versus all US occupations
At $47,980, Fence Erectors earn 6% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,000 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 20% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $70,010 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,810, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 18% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $64,600, and still leads at $63,111 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Fence Erectors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $64,600 | $63,111 | 40 |
| 2Pennsylvania | $58,600 | $60,058 | 1,150 |
| 3Minnesota | $57,260 | $58,061 | N/A |
| 4New Jersey | $56,690 | $52,102 | 910 |
| 5California | $56,060 | $50,632 | 3,150 |
| 6Montana | $55,720 | $58,873 | 680 |
| 7Connecticut | $53,180 | $51,327 | 300 |
| 8Iowa | $52,510 | $59,832 | 290 |
| 9Washington | $51,860 | $48,461 | 1,450 |
| 10Louisiana | $51,770 | $58,691 | 120 |
Job outlook
Is Fence Erector a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fence Erectors | +5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Fence Erectors to change 5.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,500 openings are projected each year, 8.2% of the 30,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Fence Erector
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as fence erectors.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)47.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma29.4%
- Some College Courses22.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 47.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 29.4% |
| Some College Courses | 22.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Fence Erector do?
Erect and repair fences and fence gates, using hand and power tools.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools.
- Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area.
- Make rails for fences, by sawing lumber or by cutting metal tubing to required lengths.
- Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes.
- Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications.
- Mix and pour concrete around bases of posts, or tamp soil into postholes to embed posts.
- Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers.
- Stretch wire, wire mesh, or chain link fencing between posts, and attach fencing to frames.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.5
- Mathematics2.3
- Active Learning2.3
- Learning Strategies2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.5 |
| Mathematics | 2.3 |
| Active Learning | 2.3 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Operations Monitoring2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.6
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Equipment Selection2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.6 |
| Equipment Selection | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Project management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Fence Erector?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Fence Erector |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative2.1
- Artistic1.4
- Social1.4
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Fence Erector
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
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$58,930median a year
Most earn $38K to $102K
+2.5%No formal credential - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer
$95,320median a year
Most earn $51K to $129K
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Helpers--Pipelayer, Plumber, Pipefitter, and Steamfitter
$42,360median a year
Most earn $34K to $58K
+2.4%High school
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with fence erectors highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Fence Erector$47,980
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Fence Erector | $47,980 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Fence Erector appears on
Questions
Fence Erector: frequently asked questions
How much do Fence Erectors make?
Fence Erectors earn a median of $47,980 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 6% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.07/hr. The middle half earn between $40,400 and $58,610. The top 10% earn $70,010 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Fence Erector?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Fence Erectors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.5% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Fence Erector a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Fence Erector do?
Erect and repair fences and fence gates, using hand and power tools. A core O*NET task: assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Spreadsheet software, Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Fence Erectors the most?
The highest state medians for Fence Erectors are Alaska ($64,600), Pennsylvania ($58,600), Minnesota ($57,260) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Fence Erector?
O*NET scores Fence Erectors highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.