Can you make a good wage on a Georgia construction site? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018 Occupational Handbook forecast, pay for the top-earning group in this job niche, elevator repairers, hits $38.36 per hour on average and requires high school and an apprenticeship to start earning.
This employment scenario is playing out in a job market where, after decades of promoting the college track and earning bachelor's degrees, the U.S. is realizing it really needs tradespeople. Does this need extend to construction workers, or, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018 Occupational Handbook forecast describes the job niche, "construction and extraction workers"?
According to the BLS, construction workers are in demand. "Employment of construction and extraction occupations is projected to grow 10 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations, a gain of about 704,000 new jobs," it explained. "Overall growth in the economy and population will increase demand for new buildings, roads, and other structures, which will create new jobs in construction and extraction occupations."
At 0.74 job openings per every unemployed person in the industry, construction is definitely on the list of current industry labor shortages, according to ProBuilder. It cited a report from the nonprofit Conference Board that explained, "Blue-collar workers are much more likely than a few years ago to have a job, experience rapid wage growth, and be overall satisfied with their jobs."
According to BLS stats, the median annual wage for all construction and extraction occupations was "$46,010 in May 2018, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $38,640."
The top-paid group, elevator installers and repairers, averaged $38.36 per hour.
Within that growth picture, here are the five best-paid construction and extraction jobs in Georiga, calculated using 2018 data. Each requires a high school diploma and an apprenticeship:
Median pay: $79,780 per year, $38.36 per hour
Median pay: $62,150 per year, $29.88 per hour
Median pay: $59,700 per year, $28.70 per hour
Typical entry-level education:
Median pay: $55,190 per year, $26.53 per hour
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