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$41,000 USD is the average salary for a Construction Laborer in Texas. This page breaks down the full pay range from entry-level site work to experienced craft laborer roles across Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and El Paso. Pay varies based on experience, project type (residential vs infrastructure), certifications such as OSHA 10/30, and local market conditions.
Experience tier is the single biggest pay driver for Texas labourers - here is what each stage looks like on the ground.
$29,000 - $36,000 USD
New labourers doing site cleanup, material carry, and trench support typically earn $14-$17/hr before any certifications are added to their profile.
$36,000 - $44,000 USD
Labourers with 3-6 years and an OSHA 10 card who can work across framing, concrete, and excavation crews command $17-$21/hr on most Texas commercial projects.
$44,000 - $51,000 USD
Seasoned labourers directing small crews on commercial or municipal projects, often with a concrete or demolition specialty, reach $21-$25/hr with consistent overtime potential.
$51,000 - $57,000 USD
Top-of-band labourers hold OSHA 30, may operate light equipment, and are valued for reliability on fast-track or high-hazard infrastructure projects paying $25-$28/hr.
Many Texas labourers plateau at $15-$17/hr because their resume lists only job titles with no evidence of certifications, multi-trade scope, or reliability metrics. Changing how you present experience is often faster than changing employers.
Higher-paying candidates typically show:
Houston's petrochemical plant turnarounds, port infrastructure, and data-center expansion sustain strong labourer demand, with industrial site rates often running above the state average.
The DFW metroplex's high residential and commercial permit volume creates broad entry-level openings, though rates are slightly compressed by a large available workforce.
Austin's tech-campus and multi-family boom drives steady labourer demand, but rapid population growth means labour supply keeps entry-level wages near the state median.
San Antonio's mix of military-adjacent construction and residential subdivision work supports steady hiring, though wages trend slightly below Dallas and Houston on a direct comparison.
Fort Worth benefits from industrial and logistics park development in the Alliance corridor, keeping experienced labourer rates competitive with the Dallas market just to the east.
El Paso sits at the lower end of the Texas range due to border-region wage dynamics and a high labour supply, though nearshoring manufacturing investment is gradually lifting rates.
Texas construction labourers frequently work 50-60 hour weeks during peak season (spring through early fall). Federal overtime at 1.5x kicks in above 40 hours, meaningfully boosting annual take-home above the base salary figures shown here. Infrastructure and industrial contracts sometimes include per diem that adds $50-$100/day on top of hourly wages.
Texas has no state income tax, so a $40,000 base wage in Texas nets more take-home pay than a nominally higher wage in California or New York. When comparing out-of-state job offers, factor in state tax differences before assuming a higher headline salary is better.
Many entry-level Texas labourers start through staffing or day-labour agencies, which typically pay $12-$16/hr without benefits. Moving to direct employment with a general contractor or specialty subcontractor usually adds $2-$5/hr plus benefits. Positioning your resume for direct-hire applications is one of the highest-return moves available at the entry and mid levels.
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Answers to the most common questions about Construction Labourer compensation in Texas.
The average construction labourer salary in Texas is approximately $40,000-$43,000 USD per year based on 2025-2026 data from ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, and Indeed. Entry-level labourers typically start around $29,000-$33,000, while experienced craft labourers with OSHA 30 can reach $51,000-$57,000 annually. Overtime is common and can significantly increase total annual earnings above these base figures.
Hourly rates for Texas construction labourers range from roughly $14/hr at the entry level to $28/hr for senior craft specialists with 10+ years of experience. The statewide average sits near $19-$21/hr based on aggregated 2025-2026 data. Infrastructure and industrial project sites tend to pay $1-$3/hr above residential jobsite rates.
Houston averages slightly higher due to petrochemical and industrial demand, with typical ranges of $34,000-$54,000. Dallas and Austin post similar ranges of $33,000-$54,000 and $33,000-$52,000 respectively, though Austin's high cost of living can offset the nominal pay. San Antonio and El Paso trend lower, typically $30,000-$50,000, reflecting higher regional labour supply.
Yes - OSHA 30 certification qualifies labourers for safety-watch, lead labourer, and foreman-track roles that typically pay $1-$3/hr more than OSHA 10-only positions. On federal or TxDOT-funded projects, OSHA 30 is increasingly listed as a requirement rather than a preference. The certification cost is typically $100-$200 online and pays back quickly in higher hourly rates.
A strong wage for a mid-career Texas construction labourer is $21-$25/hr ($43,000-$52,000 annualized), which sits above the statewide median and is achievable with OSHA 30, concrete or demolition experience, and direct employment with a GC or specialty subcontractor. Labourers with 10+ years and craft specializations can exceed $55,000 annually including overtime.
The fastest levers are earning OSHA 30, documenting specific trade skills on your resume (not just 'general labour'), and targeting direct-hire roles with infrastructure or industrial contractors rather than day-labour staffing agencies. Cities like Houston and Austin industrial corridors also pay above the state average for experienced labourers.
Texas construction demand peaks in spring and early fall when temperatures are manageable, and slows somewhat in the peak summer heat (June-August), particularly for outdoor work in cities like Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso. However, Texas does not experience winter shutdowns like northern states, so the work calendar is more consistent year-round than in most of the country.
At minimum, OSHA 10 is expected on most commercial sites. OSHA 30 opens higher-paying lead and safety-watch positions. First Aid and CPR, a TxDOT Flagger card, and confined space entry awareness are lower-cost add-ons that increase both hire-ability and negotiating position. Concrete and equipment certifications (such as forklift or skid-steer) further expand your earning range.
Explore salary ranges for other skilled trades and labour roles to compare compensation across the construction and industrial sectors.
| Job title | Entry Level | Mid-Career | Senior | Expert / Specialist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck Driver | $42,000 - $58,000 USD | $58,000 - $80,000 USD | $80,000 - $100,000 USD | $100,000 - $120,000 USD |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $46K - $62K CAD | $62K - $78K CAD | $78K - $92K CAD | $92K - $103K+ CAD |
| Forklift Operator | $36,000 - $44,000 CAD | $44,000 - $55,000 CAD | $55,000 - $63,000 CAD | $63,000 - $68,000 CAD |
| Electrician | $42K - $68K CAD | $68K - $90K CAD | $85K - $105K CAD | $95K - $110K+ CAD |
| Plumber | $36K - $52K CAD | $60K - $80K CAD | $78K - $95K CAD | $88K - $105K CAD |
| HVAC Technician | $45,000 - $58,000 CAD | $58,000 - $78,000 CAD | $78,000 - $95,000 CAD | $95,000 - $107,000 CAD |
| Welder | $42K - $55K CAD | $55K - $72K CAD | $72K - $83K CAD | $83K - $90K+ CAD |
Explore additional resources to help construction labourers in Texas understand compensation trends, negotiate better offers, and present their skills effectively to employers.
Learn proven strategies to negotiate your construction labourer salary in Texas and maximize your earning potential based on experience and certifications.
Read article →Discover how to highlight your construction experience, OSHA certifications, and project work on a resume that gets noticed by Texas contractors and builders.
Read article →Understand the current hiring landscape and demand for construction labour across Texas metro areas like Dallas, Houston, and Austin to inform your job search strategy.
Read article →Compare construction and skilled trade salary ranges across North America to benchmark your Texas compensation against broader market trends.
Read article →Salary ranges on this page were compiled by cross-referencing job posting data and employer surveys from ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, PayScale, and Indeed, filtered to Texas and major Texas metro areas, using data published between mid-2025 and early 2026. Where sources differed, midpoints were averaged and ranges were widened to reflect the true market spread rather than a single-source median.
Sentiments below are drawn from trade forums, job-review platforms, and professional communities active in 2025-2026, reflecting ground-level perspectives on Texas construction wages and working conditions.
“Started at $14/hr in Dallas doing demo work. Got my OSHA 10 and jumped to $18 within a year just by switching contractors.”
Illustrates the direct wage impact of certifications and employer switching at the entry level - a pattern consistent across Texas metro markets.
“The overtime is where you actually make money. Base is okay but 50-hour weeks in the summer bump it significantly.”
Confirms that base salary figures understate real annual earnings for Houston labourers willing to work peak-season hours on industrial and port projects.
“OSHA 30 got me onto a TxDOT highway job at $23/hr. Same work, way better pay than the residential crew I was on.”
Highlights the infrastructure vs. residential pay gap and the specific value of OSHA 30 in accessing higher-rate public project work in Texas.
“Pay is lower here than Houston but cost of living is a fair trade. Hard to break $20/hr without certifications though.”
Reflects the San Antonio market dynamic - wages trail Houston but local cost of living partially closes the gap; certifications remain the threshold for $20+/hr.
“Day labour agencies pay $13-$15. Get off the agency circuit and onto a direct-hire crew as fast as you can.”
A widely repeated piece of advice in Texas trades communities - staffing agency rates are significantly below direct-hire GC wages for equivalent labour.
“Work is steady because of the border manufacturing growth but rates haven't caught up yet. $17-$18 feels like the ceiling right now.”
Signals that El Paso's nearshoring-driven construction boom is driving volume but wage growth is lagging, consistent with the lower city-level ranges shown on this page.
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ZipRecruiter - Construction Laborer Salary in Texas (February 2026) ZipRecruiter TX Labourer Salary
Salary.com - Construction Laborer Salary in Texas (January 2026) Salary.com TX Labourer
PayScale - Construction Laborer Hourly Pay in Dallas, TX (2025-2026) PayScale Dallas Labourer
Indeed - Construction Laborer Salary in Texas (February 2026) Indeed TX Labourer Salary
Salary.com - Construction Laborer Salary in Houston, TX (2025) Salary.com Houston Labourer
ERI SalaryExpert - Construction Worker Salary in Texas (2025) SalaryExpert TX Construction