Georgia Construction Workers See Just 0.4% Wage Increase Since 2018

Wage growth is routinely touted as one positive aspect of the COVID-era economy. However, high levels of inflation beginning in 2021 have, in many cases, more than offset increases in pay. In the construction industry, for example, the average worker has less purchasing power today than in the years leading up to the pandemic. Despite persistent labor shortages and record levels of spending , the absolute changes in earnings for construction workers have failed to keep pace with rising costs.

Construction Wage Growth Compared

Over the past 5 years, wage growth for construction workers has trailed the national average

Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage

Nationally, construction and extraction workers—a group which includes trades workers, laborers, equipment operators, inspectors, and other similar professions—earned an average annual wage of $61,500 in 2023, up from $51,220 in 2018. While on a nominal basis, this marks a 20.1% increase in pay, when adjusted for inflation, it represents a 1.1% decrease in purchasing power.

Among the 22 major occupational groups tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12 recorded growth in purchasing power between 2018 and 2023, while 10 (including construction and extraction) showed declines. Generally, lower-wage occupations that require less education experienced the most significant growth in pay, led by personal care and service occupations, food preparation and serving occupations, and farming, fishing, and forestry occupations.

The occupational groups that saw the most significant decreases in pay were management occupations and architecture and engineering occupations. On average across all occupations, there was a positive change of 3.8% over the five-year period after adjusting for inflation.

Construction Wage Growth by State

Construction workers in Maine & Nevada have experienced the most wage growth since 2018

Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage

Despite below-average wage growth nationally, construction workers in certain parts of the country have fared better. In 22 states, inflation-adjusted construction wages showed positive growth over the past five years. Leading this list are Maine (+6.2%), Nevada (+6.0%), Washington (+4.8%), and Oregon (+4.4%). Even as inflation has offset wage gains, the average construction worker in these states still has more purchasing power today than in 2018.

Conversely, the wage gains experienced by construction workers in 28 states failed to keep pace with inflation, resulting in a net loss of purchasing power. Among the least favorable states for construction wage growth are Wyoming (-7.3%), Alaska (-6.4%), and New York (-6.4%).

At the local level, major metropolitan areas in many of these top states rank highly, such as Portland, ME; Las Vegas, NV; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA. However, several locations in Georgia and California also stand out.

This analysis was conducted by Construction Coverage , a website that provides construction software and insurance reviews, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Researchers ranked locations according to the inflation-adjusted change in mean construction worker earnings from 2018 to 2023.

Here is a summary of the data for Georgia:

Inflation-adjusted change in mean earnings (2018–2023): +0.4%Actual change in mean earnings (2018–2023): +21.8%Mean annual earnings (2023): $52,480Mean annual earnings (2018): $43,080Total construction employment: 141,180

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

Inflation-adjusted change in mean earnings (2018–2023): -1.1%Actual change in mean earnings (2018–2023): +20.1%Mean annual earnings (2023): $61,500Mean annual earnings (2018): $51,220Total construction employment: 6,225,630

For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results, see Cities With the Fastest-Growing Wages for Construction Workers on Construction Coverage.