Construction Laborers pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $86,000 or more. The middle half of construction laborers in San Diego earn between $48,480 and $71,390.
- $40K10th
- $48K25th
- $57KMedian
- $71K75th
- $86K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $60,490 | $5,041 | $29.08 |
| Median | $57,180 | $4,765 | $27.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,480 | $4,040 | $23.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $71,390 | $5,949 | $34.32 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Construction Laborers pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Construction laborers in San Diego earn 7% less than the California average ($64,870) and 16% more than the U.S. average ($52,030). At the median the gap is +21% against the U.S. median of $47,120.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $60,490 | $57,180 | $39,600 | $86,000 | 8,850 |
| California | $64,870 | $60,270 | $40,950 | $93,620 | 88,240 |
| United States | $52,030 | $47,120 | $35,090 | $78,090 | 1,096,780 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Construction Laborers salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $60,490, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $48,962 a year, or $4,080 a month and $1,883 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for construction laborers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $60,490 buys what about $54,063 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 15.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Construction Laborers salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 18th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($73,640).
- San Francisco$73,640
- San Jose$69,780
- Salinas$66,620
- Vallejo$66,400
- Santa Rosa$65,600
- Riverside$65,580
- Hanford$64,650
- San Luis Obispo$64,150
- Sacramento$64,070
- San Diego$60,490
Highest-paying cities for construction laborers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,590).
- Kahului, HI$78,590
- Vineland, NJ$74,200
- San Francisco, CA$73,640
- Trenton, NJ$73,100
- Boston, MA$71,350
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Construction Laborers salary in San Diego: questions
How much do construction laborers make an hour in San Diego?
$29.08 an hour on average, and $27.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level construction laborers salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $39,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the construction laborers take-home pay in San Diego?
About $48,962 a year ($4,080 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $60,490. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do construction laborers earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 16% more than the U.S. average for this job ($52,030).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2061; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.82, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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