Construction Laborer Salary in Grand Rapids, MI
Construction Laborers in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area earn a median $47,780 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,791 take-home, or $3,233 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction laborer salary in Grand Rapids, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,554
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,962
- Medicare (1.45%)$693
- Michigan income tax$1,780
- Take-home pay$38,791
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Grand Rapids? City residents also pay Grand Rapids’s city income tax — about $717 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $38,075 ($3,173 a month). Choose “Grand Rapids” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Construction Laborer pay by experience in Grand Rapids, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,580 | $18.07 | $31,029 | $2,586 |
| 25th percentile | $42,000 | $20.19 | $34,393 | $2,866 |
| Median (50th) | $47,780 | $22.97 | $38,791 | $3,233 |
| 75th percentile | $59,850 | $28.77 | $47,977 | $3,998 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,570 | $32.00 | $53,084 | $4,424 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $47,780 buys in Grand Rapids, MI
Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction laborer's $38,791 take-home pay has the buying power of $40,600 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Construction Laborer jobs are about as common in Grand Rapids, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.95).
Best-paying cities for construction laborers, adjusted for cost of living
Grand Rapids, MI ranks #39 of 76 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis, MO | $64,500 | $51,912 | $54,593 |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,960 | $59,280 | $53,424 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $60,540 | $49,941 | $52,312 |
| 4 | Cleveland, OH | $57,180 | $47,334 | $50,397 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $68,470 | $53,843 | $48,761 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $72,610 | $56,371 | $48,758 |
| 7 | Milwaukee, WI | $57,430 | $46,579 | $48,051 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $54,930 | $45,588 | $47,801 |
| 39 | Grand Rapids, MI | $47,780 | $38,791 | $40,600 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 76 metros →
About the job: construction laborers
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. Construction laborers who primarily assist a particular craft worker are classified under "Helpers, Construction Trades" (47-3010).
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +7.3% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Construction Laborer salaries elsewhere in Michigan
- Detroit, MI — $57,430
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction laborer make in Grand Rapids, MI?
The median construction laborer salary in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area is $47,780 a year, or about $22.97 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $42,000 and $59,850.
What is a construction laborer’s take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI?
On the median $47,780 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $38,791 a year ($3,233 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,780 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Grand Rapids, MI a good place to work as a construction laborer?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $47,120. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $40,600 would in a typical U.S. city. Grand Rapids, MI ranks #39 of 76 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction laborer afford rent in Grand Rapids, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Grand Rapids, MI is $1,242 a month ($1,479 for two bedrooms) — 38% of a median construction laborer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Grand Rapids, MI
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $75,350
- Electrician — $62,240
- Carpenter — $59,000