Construction Laborer Salary in Kansas City, MO
Construction Laborers in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area earn a median $50,500 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $41,321 take-home, or $3,443 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction laborer salary in Kansas City, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,880
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,131
- Medicare (1.45%)$732
- Missouri income tax$1,436
- Take-home pay$41,321
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in Kansas City, MO? City residents also pay Kansas City, MO’s Earnings Tax — about $505 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $40,816 ($3,401 a month). Choose “Kansas City, MO” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Kansas City, MO-KS metro spans Missouri, Kansas. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Construction Laborer pay by experience in Kansas City, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,270 | $17.44 | $30,556 | $2,546 |
| 25th percentile | $43,910 | $21.11 | $36,335 | $3,028 |
| Median (50th) | $50,500 | $24.28 | $41,321 | $3,443 |
| 75th percentile | $70,930 | $34.10 | $56,333 | $4,694 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $80,170 | $38.54 | $62,399 | $5,200 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,500 buys in Kansas City, MO
Prices in Kansas City, MO are 7.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 13% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction laborer's $41,321 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,650 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 Kansas City, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.85).
Best-paying cities for construction laborers, adjusted for cost of living
Kansas City, MO ranks #19 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 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $50,500 | $41,321 | $44,650 |
*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 Missouri
- St. Louis, MO — $64,500
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction laborer make in Kansas City, MO?
The median construction laborer salary in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area is $50,500 a year, or about $24.28 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,910 and $70,930.
What is a construction laborer’s take-home pay in Kansas City, MO?
On the median $50,500 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $41,321 a year ($3,443 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,436 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is Kansas City, MO a good place to work as a construction laborer?
Pay here is 7% above the national median of $47,120. Local prices are 7.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,650 would in a typical U.S. city. Kansas City, MO ranks #19 of 76 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction laborer afford rent in Kansas City, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Kansas City, MO is $1,193 a month ($1,355 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median construction laborer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Kansas City, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $84,100
- Electrician — $76,860
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $76,150
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $64,060
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $62,250
- Carpenter — $61,810