Construction Laborer Salary in New York, NY
Construction Laborers in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $61,270 a year — 30% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,699 take-home, or $4,058 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction laborer salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,172
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,799
- Medicare (1.45%)$888
- New York income tax$2,712
- Take-home pay$48,699
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $1,940 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,759 ($3,897 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. 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 New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,320 | $16.50 | $28,500 | $2,375 |
| 25th percentile | $45,450 | $21.85 | $36,842 | $3,070 |
| Median (50th) | $61,270 | $29.46 | $48,699 | $4,058 |
| 75th percentile | $92,350 | $44.40 | $69,390 | $5,782 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $104,280 | $50.13 | $77,079 | $6,423 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,270 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction laborer's $48,699 take-home pay has the buying power of $43,264 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 less concentrated in New York, NY than nationally (location quotient 0.76), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for construction laborers, adjusted for cost of living
New York, NY ranks #25 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 |
| 25 | New York, NY | $61,270 | $48,699 | $43,264 |
*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 New York
- Albany, NY — $52,940
- Buffalo, NY — $50,620
- Rochester, NY — $49,290
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction laborer make in New York, NY?
The median construction laborer salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $61,270 a year, or about $29.46 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,450 and $92,350.
What is a construction laborer’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $61,270 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $48,699 a year ($4,058 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,712 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a construction laborer?
Pay here is 30% above the national median of $47,120. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $43,264 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #25 of 76 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction laborer afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 59% of a median construction laborer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in New York, NY
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $136,000
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $103,990
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $95,050
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $92,300
- Construction and Building Inspector — $90,800
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator — $87,150
- Electrician — $79,020
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $78,610
- Sheet Metal Worker — $76,730
- Roofer — $76,400
- Carpenter — $74,300
- Hazardous Materials Removal Worker — $74,060