Construction Laborer Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Construction Laborers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $55,120 a year — 17% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $44,777 take-home, or $3,731 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction laborer salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,434
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,417
- Medicare (1.45%)$799
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,692
- Take-home pay$44,777
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Construction Laborer pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,390 | $18.46 | $31,848 | $2,654 |
| 25th percentile | $46,660 | $22.43 | $38,239 | $3,187 |
| Median (50th) | $55,120 | $26.50 | $44,777 | $3,731 |
| 75th percentile | $71,480 | $34.37 | $56,922 | $4,743 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,200 | $40.00 | $64,807 | $5,401 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $55,120 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction laborer's $44,777 take-home pay has the buying power of $43,662 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 Philadelphia, PA than nationally (location quotient 0.71), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for construction laborers, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #93 of 286 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vineland, NJ | $83,680 | $64,558 | $67,271 |
| 2 | Trenton, NJ | $71,920 | $57,000 | $55,243 |
| 3 | Kahului, HI | $79,760 | $60,410 | $55,222 |
| 4 | Duluth, MN | $61,340 | $48,819 | $54,996 |
| 5 | Decatur, IL | $61,270 | $48,522 | $54,876 |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO | $64,500 | $51,912 | $54,593 |
| 7 | Peoria, IL | $62,960 | $49,797 | $54,583 |
| 8 | Jefferson City, MO | $58,220 | $47,161 | $53,607 |
| 93 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,120 | $44,777 | $43,662 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 286 metros →
Construction Laborer salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- State College, PA — $53,420
- Pittsburgh, PA — $50,600
- Scranton, PA — $48,290
- York, PA — $49,350
- Erie, PA — $46,480
- Harrisburg, PA — $49,670
- Reading, PA — $48,800
- Chambersburg, PA — $46,860
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction laborer make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median construction laborer salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $55,120 a year, or about $26.50 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $46,660 and $71,480.
What is a construction laborer’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $55,120 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $44,777 a year ($3,731 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,692 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a construction laborer?
Pay here is 17% above the national median of $47,120. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $43,662 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #93 of 286 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction laborer afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median construction laborer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $132,640
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $103,330
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $95,840
- Sheet Metal Worker — $77,140
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $75,970
- Construction and Building Inspector — $75,710
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $74,860
- Electrician — $74,590
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $66,810
- Glazier — $62,200
- Carpenter — $61,780
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical — $61,660