The National Association of Home Builders reports that workers in the construction industry earn higher annual wages than workers in general industry, but some make a lot more than others.
“The median wage of payroll workers in construction was $61,370 in 2025, with the top 25% earning at least $83,480,” according to NAHB.
“In comparison, the U.S. median annual wage was $50,980, while the highest paid 25% earned at least $80,520.”
(To see the rankings of who makes what in construction, check out the NAHB charts at the end of this article.)
As expected, those in the top management positions of the industry earn the most, with 16 of the 25 highest-paid occupations in construction being managerial roles, according to NAHB’s analysis of 2025 wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Half of construction company CEOs earned close to $200,000, while the top 25% of those earners brought in more than $312,000.
(All pay figures are estimates of straight-time gross pay wages and do not include premium pay such as stock and year-end bonuses, overtime pay, weekend premium pay, etc.)
Other high earners in construction include architectural and engineering managers, with half earning more than $163,290 and the top 25% earning over $201,300. Lawyers in construction make about $190,000 a year.
Powered byFirst-line supervisors of construction trades earn median pay of $80,000, with the top 25% making at least $101,220, according to NAHB.
Construction and building inspectors post median pay of $74,460, with the top 25% at $95,290.
Moving to the skilled workers, the wages drop considerably but still fare well compared to other industries.
“Carpenters working in construction still earn wages well above the national median for all occupations,” reports NAHB.
Half of carpenters earned more than $60,950 in 2025, with the top 25% making at least $77,390.
Plumbers and electricians fared even better at $63,270 in median pay and exceeding $83,360 for the top 25%.
Half of equipment operators earned $65,770 a year, with pile drivers making the most in this category at a median pay of $80,710, according to BLS.
Half of construction laborers make $52,030, according to BLS.
Those on the lower end, as expected, are apprentices for construction trades. Pay for carpenter helpers range from $36,750 to $49,420 a year.
And the highest-paid construction trade job is one you probably never would have guessed: elevator and escalator installers and repairers.
Half of them earn over $113,710 a year, with the highest 25% making at least $136,320, according to NAHB. “This is the only construction trade that made the industry’s overall top 20 highest-paid occupations list.”
Another revealing aspect of the NAHB report is just how broad and varied construction occupations are. Those who advocate construction to young people note there are many career paths they can follow after entering the field.
Who Makes What in Construction?
To see who makes what in construction, check out the NAHB charts below:
To see the full 2025 construction occupation wage report, go to NAHB's Eye on Housing.
