Construction

An Architect is the licensed design professional who turns an owner's program into drawings and specifications a contractor can price, permit and build, then represents the owner on technical questions while construction is underway. The work runs from site and code analysis through schematic design, construction documents and site visits, and only a licensed practitioner may seal the final set. Architects work for design firms, design-build contractors, owners and public agencies. Per BLS, architects earned a median of $99,280 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $62,300 and the 90th at $161,420.

An assistant project manager (APM) is the junior member of a general contractor's project management team, working under a project manager to run the paper side of a job: RFIs, submittals, change orders, cost reports, meeting minutes and closeout. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that new construction managers are typically hired as assistants, which makes the APM seat the usual first rung toward project manager. Pay here is an editorial estimate of $60,000 to $110,000 with an $80,000 midpoint, set below the May 2025 construction manager median of $114,990 because APMs are still learning the job.

Bridge Engineers design, analyze, and inspect bridge structures — highway overpasses, pedestrian crossings, railroad bridges, and major span structures. They apply structural engineering principles to meet AASHTO load requirements, manage deterioration over decades of service life, and work across the full project lifecycle from concept-level type studies through final design and construction support.

A building engineer runs and repairs the mechanical plant inside a working building: boilers, chillers, air handlers, pumps, electrical gear and the building automation system that ties them together. The job sits in the operations side of property management, at hospitals, universities, office towers, hotels and government campuses, usually reporting to a chief engineer or facility manager. BLS counts the work under stationary engineers and boiler operators, whose May 2025 median pay was $78,620, with the 10th and 90th percentiles at $50,590 and $125,390. Licensing depends on the city or state, and the trade is learned largely on the job or through an apprenticeship.

A Building Inspector checks construction against the adopted building code and the approved permit drawings, stage by stage, from footings and framing through the final inspection that clears a building for occupancy. In the construction industry the job sits between the contractor and the authority having jurisdiction: inspectors work for city and county building departments or for engineering and inspection firms that a jurisdiction contracts with. Their pass, fail and correction calls decide when work can be covered and when a project moves forward. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $74,690 for construction and building inspectors, with the 10th to 90th percentile band running from $47,140 to $114,200.

Building Maintenance Technicians keep buildings operating by handling repairs, preventive maintenance, and minor improvements across plumbing, electrical, HVAC, carpentry, and grounds. They are the first responders for facility problems and the backbone of routine upkeep that prevents small issues from becoming expensive failures. The role spans multi-family apartments, commercial office buildings, and public agencies, and pay varies with how many trades a technician can competently cover, whether refrigerant or electrical work falls inside the job, and how much on-site housing or overtime the employer folds into total compensation.

A building superintendent is the on-site operator of an apartment building, co-op or condo: the person who fixes what breaks, schedules the contractors who handle the rest, keeps the boiler and common areas in order, and answers to tenants, the board or the managing agent. The super sits between the maintenance crew and property management, and in smaller buildings is the whole maintenance crew. BLS does not report supers as a separate occupation; its closest row, general maintenance and repair workers employed in real estate, shows a median of $48,360 in May 2025, with the 10th and 90th percentiles at $36,310 and $67,140.

Building Systems Engineers design and analyze the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems that make buildings habitable and functional — HVAC, lighting, power distribution, domestic water, and life safety. They work at engineering consulting firms, architecture firms, or on owner-side facilities teams, taking a building from schematic design through construction documents and into commissioning and operational support.

Cabinet Makers design, construct, and install custom and semi-custom cabinetry, built-ins, and millwork for residential and commercial clients. Working in a shop environment, they use stationary woodworking machinery, hand tools, and CNC equipment to cut, shape, join, and finish wood components, then install the finished work on job sites. Precision at every stage — from the cut to the final fitting — is what separates quality cabinetry from commodity box work.

A carpenter builds, installs and repairs the wood and framed elements of a building: wall and roof framing, concrete forms, stairs, doors, trim and cabinets. The trade sits inside residential and commercial construction, working for homebuilders, general contractors and specialty subcontractors, and self-employed carpenters often work in residential construction. Entry usually follows high school, with skills built through an apprenticeship or on the job. Carpenters earned a median of $60,580 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the lowest tenth under $40,410 and the top tenth above $99,910. Framing, formwork and finish work call for different skills, and a carpenter may specialize in one.

A Carpenter Apprentice is a paid trainee in a registered or employer-run carpentry program who works on construction crews under journey-level carpenters while completing classroom instruction. The role sits at the entry rung of the carpentry trade, spanning residential framing, commercial formwork and interior systems, and leads to journey-level status after several years. Pay rises in steps as skills are proven. Using BLS wages for carpenter helpers as the closest proxy, national pay runs from about $31,660 at the 10th percentile to $57,670 at the 90th, with a median of $43,780.

A carpenter foreman is the working supervisor of a carpentry crew: the journey-level carpenter who turns a superintendent's schedule and a set of drawings into each day's assignments, then answers for the crew's output, accuracy and safety. The job sits one rung above journeyman and one rung below general foreman or superintendent, on framing, formwork, drywall and finish packages for general and specialty contractors. BLS folds the title into First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, where the May 2025 median was $79,920. In the working-foreman model, the foreman handles layout and problem areas while running apprentices and journeymen on production work.

Carpenter Helpers perform manual support tasks for journeyman and apprentice carpenters on construction job sites — carrying materials, staging tools, cleaning work areas, and performing simple tasks under direct supervision. It's the entry point into the carpentry trade for workers who lack apprenticeship enrollment and want to learn the trade while earning a wage on an active job site.

A civil engineer plans, designs and oversees the public works and private site infrastructure that people depend on: roads, bridges, water and sewer networks, stormwater systems and graded building pads. The job sits between the owner who pays for a project and the contractor who builds it, inside consulting firms, government agencies and construction companies. Licensed engineers seal the drawings and carry legal responsibility for public safety. Pay for civil engineers (BLS SOC 17-2051) runs from $68,240 at the 10th percentile to $163,220 at the 90th, with a national median of $100,840 as of May 2025.

A concrete finisher places, strikes off, floats and trowels fresh concrete into floors, slabs, sidewalks, driveways and bridge decks, racing the setting clock to hit the elevation, flatness, texture and joint layout on the drawings. The trade sits inside the cement mason occupation, and finishers work for specialty concrete subcontractors, general contractors and public works departments. Federal wage data put the national median at $57,020 a year in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $39,190 and the 90th at $85,480. Crews answer to a finishing foreman and the concrete superintendent, and on public jobs an owner's inspector checks the result.

Concrete Form Setters build the temporary molds — formwork systems — that hold fresh concrete in shape until it hardens into its final structural form. They erect, align, brace, and secure form panels for foundations, footings, walls, columns, and elevated decks, then strip and clean the forms after concrete cures. Precision in form setting directly controls the structural geometry and surface quality of the concrete.

Concrete Laborers perform the physical work required before, during, and after concrete pours — placing rebar, setting forms, vibrating fresh concrete, directing pump hoses, and cleaning up after the work is done. They work on foundation, flatwork, and structural concrete crews, providing the muscle and coordination that makes pour operations run efficiently under time pressure.

A construction administrator runs the paperwork side of a building project: subcontracts, insurance certificates, monthly pay applications, lien waivers, submittal and RFI logs, and closeout binders. The job usually sits in a general contractor's project office, reporting to a project manager, though owners and architecture firms use the title too. BLS has no category for the role, so pay here borrows from its nearest occupation, secretaries and administrative assistants outside legal, medical and executive work, which paid a $47,540 median in May 2025, with a 10th to 90th percentile range of $33,280 to $66,350.

A construction electrician installs the power, lighting and control systems in new and renovated buildings, working for an electrical contractor from rough-in through final testing. The job sits between the drawings and the inspector: bending conduit, pulling wire, setting gear and terminating equipment so the installation meets the National Electrical Code edition the local jurisdiction enforces. BLS counts these workers as Electricians, and BLS says most electricians learn through an apprenticeship. In the electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors industry, May 2025 OEWS data put the median annual wage at $61,570, with the 10th percentile at $39,560 and the 90th at $108,780.

A construction estimator prices a building or infrastructure project before anyone commits to build it: measuring quantities from drawings, soliciting and leveling subcontractor bids, and assembling the number a contractor submits or negotiates. The job sits in the preconstruction group of general contractors, specialty trade contractors and heavy civil firms, and the estimate becomes the budget project managers later buy out and track. BLS counts the work under Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051), where the May 2025 national median wage was $78,740, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $48,530 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,820.

Construction Facility Managers oversee the physical operations of buildings and campuses — maintenance, vendor contracts, space planning, emergency preparedness, and capital project execution. They keep buildings functional, safe, and cost-efficient while serving the operational needs of the organizations that occupy them.

A construction foreman is the first-line supervisor who runs a crew of tradespeople, turning drawings, specs and the day's schedule into work assignments and answering for the safety, quality and output of that crew's scope. The title spans every trade, from concrete and framing to electrical, pipe and paint, and a foreman typically reports to a general foreman or superintendent. BLS counts construction foremen as first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers. Inside the construction industry, that group earned a May 2025 median wage of $79,990, with $54,830 at the 10th percentile and $128,020 at the 90th.

A Construction Helper is the entry-level crew member who supports skilled tradespeople on building and civil projects: staging materials, setting up equipment, holding work in place, feeding mixers and keeping the site clean. BLS classifies the job under Helpers, Construction Trades, All Other (SOC 47-3019), the group for helpers who are not tied to one specific trade. In May 2025 the occupation's median wage was $42,670, with the 10th percentile at $32,900 and the 90th percentile at $60,080. The work is physical, outdoors and paid by the hour, and it is a starting point for people who want to learn a trade on the job.

A Construction Manager plans, coordinates, budgets and supervises a building or infrastructure project from preconstruction through closeout. The role sits between the owner, the design team and the trade contractors, either inside a general contractor running a CM-at-risk or design-build job, or on the owner's side as an agency CM or program manager. Day to day that means the schedule, the cost report, subcontract buyout, RFIs and submittals, safety and the punch list. BLS puts the national median at $114,990 for May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $69,690 and the 90th at $189,440.

A Construction Mechanical Engineer designs the heating, cooling, ventilation and plumbing systems in buildings and follows them through submittals, installation and commissioning. The job sits inside MEP consulting firms, mechanical and plumbing contractors, design-build builders and public owners, and it turns load calculations and code requirements into a drawing set that a contractor can build and an inspector can approve. BLS files the role under Mechanical Engineers, whose May 2025 national wages ran from $73,990 at the 10th percentile to $164,340 at the 90th, with a median of $104,110. Licensure as a Professional Engineer is what allows an engineer to seal permit drawings.

Construction Project Managers run the business side of a building project: contracts, budget, schedule, and communication with owners, architects, and subcontractors. They are accountable for finishing on time and on budget while meeting quality and safety requirements, and they spend their week split between office cost reports and change orders and field walks with the superintendent. Most come up through field engineering or the trades, then take on larger projects as they gain experience with scheduling software, contract types, and subcontractor management. AGC reports that salaried construction positions remained hard to fill in 2026, with data center work adding to demand for skilled staff.

Construction Safety Coordinators implement and monitor safety programs on construction job sites, conducting inspections, training workers, investigating incidents, and ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and company safety standards. They work directly with superintendents, foremen, and subcontractors to identify hazards, correct unsafe conditions, and build a safety culture that prevents injuries.

A construction safety director owns a contractor's safety, health and environmental program across every active job: the written program, the safety staff, subcontractor prequalification, incident investigations and the company's dealings with OSHA. The role sits at the executive level of a general contractor, construction manager or large specialty contractor and reports to senior leadership. Under federal occupation rules a director who mainly plans and directs the program falls under Managers, All Other, a catch-all code; in the construction sector that group earned a median of $124,790 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $66,160 and the 90th at $220,210.

A Construction Safety Manager runs the safety program across a contractor's active projects: writing site-specific safety plans, supervising field safety coordinators, auditing jobsites, investigating serious incidents and keeping OSHA injury records accurate. The role sits between project superintendents and the company safety director at general contractors, construction managers and large specialty trade firms. O*NET lists Construction Safety Manager as a title under Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (SOC 19-5011). In the construction sector, BLS reports that occupation earned a median of $94,670 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $60,270 and the 90th at $134,110.

A construction surveyor sets out and checks the position and elevation of what gets built on a project, from building gridlines and footings to road alignments, pipe grades and earthwork surfaces. The role sits between design and the field, at engineering and surveying consultancies, heavy civil and general contractors, and public agencies, and ranges from crew-level layout to licensed oversight of a project's survey. BLS counts the work under Surveyors, whose national median pay was $75,440 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $46,880 and the 90th at $125,590.

Construction Welders use heat and electricity to join metal components permanently in structures ranging from steel-framed buildings and bridges to pressure vessels, pipelines, and industrial equipment. They select welding processes, read blueprints and weld symbols, set up fixtures, execute welds to procedure specifications, and inspect their own work for defects before it moves to quality inspection.

A construction worker, classified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as a construction laborer, does the physical site work that keeps a project moving: digging and backfilling trenches, placing and consolidating concrete, building and stripping forms, setting traffic control, hauling material and cleaning up behind the trades. The job sits at the base of the field crew, taking direction from a labor foreman or journey-level tradesworker on residential, commercial and heavy civil sites. BLS put the May 2025 median wage for construction laborers at $47,120, with the 10th percentile at $35,090 and the 90th percentile at $78,090.

Crane Operators run mobile, tower, and overhead cranes to lift and position heavy materials, structural steel, and mechanical equipment on construction and industrial sites. They are responsible for the safe execution of picks that can move hundreds of tons at elevation, work where a single misjudged lift can be fatal to workers well outside the cab, not just the operator. Certification through NCCCO, disciplined pre-lift planning, and clear radio communication with riggers and signal persons matter as much as raw stick-and-pedal skill. The role sits at the intersection of heavy equipment trade work and safety-critical judgment, which is why it remains one of the most credentialed and best-paid positions on any job site.

A Data Center Construction Manager runs the field delivery of a data center build, from site work and the structural shell through the electrical and mechanical rooms, white space fit-out and the handoff to commissioning and operations. The job sits on the owner side at cloud, AI and colocation companies, or on the general contractor side, and it centers on schedule, trade coordination and the procurement of long-lead electrical equipment such as transformers, switchgear, generators and UPS systems. BLS counts the role within Construction Managers. In Nonresidential Building Construction, that occupation's May 2025 pay ran from $78,100 at the 10th percentile to $201,870 at the 90th, with a median of $126,690.

A data center electrician is a licensed electrician who installs, terminates, tests and maintains the power chain of a data center: medium-voltage switchgear, transformers, busway, UPS systems and batteries, generators and transfer switches, and the circuits that reach server racks. The work splits between construction crews employed by electrical contractors, who build new data halls, and operations electricians on facility teams, who keep live sites running through planned maintenance and outages. Federal statistics count the job with all electricians: BLS reported a May 2025 national median wage of $63,190, with the 10th and 90th percentiles at $42,640 and $108,510. BLS does not report data center electricians separately.

A Data Center Site Selection Manager finds and qualifies the land where a data center campus will be built, long before anyone pours concrete. The job sits on the development or real estate team of a hyperscale cloud company, colocation provider or data center developer, and it turns on utility power, transmission, fiber routes, water, zoning and tax incentives. The output is a ranked shortlist, a diligence package and a recommendation to buy, option or walk away. BLS does not track the title. Real estate managers in the computing infrastructure and web hosting industry earned a May 2025 median of $121,140, with a 10th to 90th percentile range of $65,610 to $209,010.

Demolition Workers remove existing structures and materials to prepare sites for new construction or renovation. The work ranges from selective interior gutting to complete structural teardown, and it carries unique hazards — asbestos, lead, silica, structural instability — that require specialized training and strict procedural discipline beyond standard construction safety.

A Director of Construction is the senior leader who runs an organization's construction program, either for an owner building its own facilities or for a contractor delivering work for clients. The director chooses delivery methods, selects and supervises project teams, approves budgets and major change orders, and reports cost and schedule risk to executives or boards. BLS does not report the title separately; O*NET files "Construction Director" under construction managers, whose national wages in May 2025 ran from $69,690 at the 10th percentile to $189,440 at the 90th, with a median of $114,990.

Drafters create the technical drawings, plans, and documentation that engineers, architects, and construction teams use to build structures, systems, and products. Working in CAD and BIM software, they translate design concepts and engineering calculations into precise, buildable documents — the primary communication medium between design intent and field execution.

Drywall Finishers, also called tapers, apply joint compound, tape, and texture to drywall surfaces to create smooth, paint-ready walls and ceilings on residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Their work is the final determinant of visual quality in construction: even perfect framing, plumbing, and electrical work disappears behind walls that a finisher made look good. Median pay was $59,780 in 2025 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and demand for skilled finishers is steady as construction firms report widespread difficulty filling craft openings heading into 2026, with data-center projects adding new pressure on the broader trade labor supply.

Drywall Installers (also called hangers or drywall mechanics) measure, cut, and attach gypsum wallboard panels to metal and wood framing to create interior walls and ceilings. Their work is the substrate for all interior finishing — done correctly, it creates flat, plumb surfaces; done poorly, it produces waves and irregularities that no finisher can fully hide.

A dump truck driver hauls loose material, including excavated soil, crushed stone, sand, hot mix asphalt and demolition debris, between job sites, quarries, asphalt plants and disposal sites, then unloads it by raising a hydraulic body or opening a gate. The role sits in heavy civil and site construction, where trucks feed paving crews and carry spoil away from excavators, and in public works fleets. Drivers need a commercial driver's license for the trucks they run. For heavy truck drivers in highway, street and bridge construction, BLS May 2025 data put annual pay at $42,630 at the 10th percentile, $55,130 at the median and $81,450 at the 90th percentile.

An Electrical Foreman is the licensed electrician who runs an electrical crew on a construction job, turning drawings and the contractor's schedule into daily assignments, material pulls and inspected work. The role sits between the journeymen and apprentices on the tools and the electrical contractor's general foreman or project manager, and it answers to the general contractor's superintendent for sequence and site rules. Federal statistics place foremen in the construction trades supervisor occupation, which had a May 2025 median wage of $79,920, with the 10th percentile at $53,280 and the 90th at $128,260.

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings — the wiring, conduit, panels, fixtures, and controls that power every modern structure. It is one of the best-compensated skilled trades, requiring a multi-year apprenticeship, state licensure, and continuous technical development as building systems grow more complex.

An Electrician Apprentice is a paid trainee who bends conduit, pulls wire, mounts boxes and sets devices under a licensed electrician while taking classes in theory, code and trade math. The role is the bottom rung of the electrical career ladder, below journey-level and master electricians, and it works on commercial, industrial and residential jobs. BLS does not publish a wage series for apprentices alone. The nearest proxy, Helpers--Electricians, ran from $33,020 at the 10th percentile to $58,340 at the 90th in May 2025, with a $42,670 median.

Elevator Installers (also called elevator constructors) install, maintain, and repair elevator, escalator, and moving walkway systems in commercial and residential buildings. The trade combines electrical, mechanical, and hydraulic work at significant heights, and it is among the highest-compensated skilled trades in the United States.

An excavator operator runs a tracked or wheeled hydraulic excavator to dig trenches, cut and fill earth, set pipe and structures, and load trucks on building, utility and road projects. The job belongs to the operating engineer trade, and BLS counts it under Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, an occupation that paid a median of $59,850 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $42,190 and the 90th at $101,090. Operators answer to a foreman or grade boss, work beside pipe layers and grade checkers, and own what the bucket touches, from a buried gas main to the wall of an open trench.

A finish carpenter installs the visible woodwork that closes out a building: door and window casing, baseboard, crown molding, interior doors, stair parts, built-ins and cabinets. The work starts once drywall is hung and ends before the final coat of paint, and it is judged at arm's length by owners who notice every open miter. Federal statistics count finish carpenters inside the broader Carpenters occupation, where the median annual wage was $60,580 in May 2025, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,410 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $99,910. Employers include custom home builders, finishing subcontractors, remodelers and commercial interior contractors.

Flooring Installers prepare substrates and install floor covering materials — hardwood, laminate, LVP, ceramic tile, carpet, and resilient sheet goods — in residential and commercial spaces. Their work is among the last visible elements of any construction project and requires substrate preparation, pattern layout, and material handling skills that vary significantly by flooring type.

Framing Carpenters build the structural skeleton of buildings — walls, floors, roofs, and structural openings — using dimensional lumber, engineered wood products, and metal connectors. Their work defines the geometry of the entire structure and must align precisely with architectural drawings before any other trade can proceed.

A General Contractor holds the prime contract on a construction project and is the party the owner looks to for delivering the finished building. The work sits between the owner and design team on one side and the subcontractors and suppliers on the other: buying out trade packages, running the schedule, paying the subs, controlling cost and safety, and closing the job out. BLS counts this work under construction managers, an occupation it says is often called general contractors. Salaried construction managers earned a median of $114,990 in May 2025; the lowest 10 percent earned less than $69,690 and the highest 10 percent more than $189,440. Self-employed GC owners are not in those figures.

A Glazier is a construction tradesperson who cuts, sets and seals glass and the metal framing that holds it: windows, storefronts, curtain walls, skylights, entrances, shower enclosures and mirrors. The work runs from single-pane replacements in houses to unitized facade panels hoisted onto office and hospital towers, and it ends with the joint sealed against air and water. Glaziers typically learn the trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship or on the job. In May 2025, BLS put the median wage for glaziers at $57,080, with the lowest 10 percent under $37,300 and the top 10 percent above $89,790.

A heavy equipment mechanic diagnoses, services and rebuilds the off-road machines that move earth and lift loads: excavators, dozers, wheel loaders, motor graders, haul trucks and cranes. BLS classifies the job as mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines, and the day-to-day work spans hydraulics, drivetrains, electronics and emissions aftertreatment. Mechanics work out of dealer and rental shops, contractor yards and public fleet garages, or from a service truck parked beside a down machine on the job site. In May 2025, BLS reported a national median wage of $65,510 for the occupation, with the 10th percentile at $46,820 and the 90th at $94,460.

Heavy Equipment Operators run construction machinery, excavators, bulldozers, graders, scrapers, and compactors, to move earth, grade surfaces, excavate foundations, and complete earthwork on construction and infrastructure projects. Skilled operation requires machine familiarity, grade control awareness, and the spatial judgment to move precise volumes of material efficiently and safely on active job sites. Most operators enter through an operating engineer apprenticeship, military training, or employer on-the-job training, and pay varies with union status, specialization such as crane certification, and willingness to travel to infrastructure and heavy civil work across different regions.

HVAC Engineers design the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems that control the thermal environment, air quality, and humidity in commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. They perform load calculations, select equipment, size ductwork and piping, and produce construction documents that HVAC contractors use to install the systems.

HVAC Installers set up and connect heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in new construction and major renovation projects. They install ductwork, air handlers, furnaces, condensers, refrigerant piping, and thermostat controls, working from mechanical drawings to create complete systems that HVAC service technicians will later maintain.

An HVAC Technician installs, maintains and repairs the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment that controls temperature and air quality in homes, schools, hospitals, stores and offices. The job sits in the construction trades: some technicians run service calls from a truck all day, while others stay on one large commercial jobsite. Daily work mixes electrical troubleshooting, refrigerant handling under federal rules, combustion checks on gas equipment and plain-language explanations to the customer. BLS puts the national median at $61,010 for May 2025, with the lowest 10 percent under $40,050 and the top 10 percent above $95,210.

An Ironworker in construction erects the steel frames of buildings, bridges and industrial plants: rigging and landing columns and beams, signaling the crane, bolting and welding connections and laying metal deck. The trade also includes reinforcing ironworkers, who place and tie the rebar that goes inside concrete. Ironworkers are employed by steel erectors, rebar contractors and general contractors, and they enter through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship or on-the-job training. BLS files the structural side of the work as Structural Iron and Steel Workers, whose May 2025 national pay ran from $44,580 at the 10th percentile to $108,260 at the 90th, with a median of $62,780.

A Landscape Architect is the licensed design professional who plans the outdoor parts of a project: parks, campuses, plazas, residential grounds and the land around commercial buildings. On construction work the Landscape Architect sits on the design team with the building architect and the civil engineer, produces the site layout, grading, planting and detail sheets a contractor bids and builds from, and returns during construction to check that the work matches the plans. Every state requires a license. BLS reports a May 2025 median wage of $79,870 for landscape architects, with the 10th percentile at $54,770 and the 90th percentile at $130,190.

A Lead Carpenter is a working carpenter who runs the jobsite on a remodeling or construction project: directing helpers and subcontractors, keeping the schedule, handling the client and site safety, and still doing the hardest carpentry. The role sits between journeyman carpenter and project manager or superintendent, and NARI awards a Certified Lead Carpenter credential built around it. BLS does not report lead carpenters separately; in its May 2025 wage survey, Carpenters (SOC 47-2031) earned from $40,410 at the 10th percentile to $99,910 at the 90th, with a median of $60,580.

Masons lay and bind building materials — brick, concrete block, stone, and tile — to construct and repair walls, foundations, patios, walkways, chimneys, and other structures. Their work combines precision layout with physical craft, producing structural and aesthetic elements that define the appearance and durability of buildings.

Mechanical Estimators quantify and price the labor, materials, and equipment needed to install HVAC, plumbing, and piping systems on construction projects. They review drawings and specifications, develop detailed cost breakdowns, and produce competitive bids that let mechanical contractors win work at a price that still generates profit once the job is built. In 2026, rising steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs are forcing estimators to price material risk more carefully, while AI-assisted takeoff software from vendors like Trimble is automating the most tedious part of the job: pulling raw quantities off the drawings. Most estimators still come up through the trades rather than a classroom.

Mechanical Project Managers oversee the execution of HVAC, plumbing, and piping construction contracts from award through final completion. They manage the project budget, schedule, subcontractors, procurement, and relationships with the general contractor and owner — translating an awarded mechanical contract into a profitable, on-time, and quality installation.

A Metal Fabricator in construction cuts, lays out, fits and welds the structural and miscellaneous steel that a building is erected from: beams, columns, braces, stairs, rails and embeds. The job sits on the shop floor of a structural steel fabricator or metals contractor, working from shop drawings and code requirements so each piece fits the first time it reaches the site. BLS files the role under structural metal fabricators and fitters, whose May 2025 median annual wage was $51,330, with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $37,960 to $72,280. Strong print reading, fit-up accuracy and welder qualifications are the skills that move a fabricator up the shop.

Painters prepare surfaces and apply coatings to building interiors and exteriors, including walls, ceilings, trim, floors, and structural elements. Their work spans residential new construction and remodeling, commercial interior finishing, industrial protective coatings, and specialty decorative applications — each requiring different surface preparation techniques, coating systems, and application equipment.

A pipefitter lays out, cuts, joins, supports and tests the piping that moves steam, chilled water, process fluids, gases and chemicals through factories, plants, hospitals and large commercial buildings. Fitters work for mechanical and industrial contractors, in fabrication shops that build pipe spools, and on plant maintenance crews, reading isometric drawings and turning them into leak-free systems. BLS groups them with plumbers and steamfitters, and that combined occupation had a median wage of $63,800 in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $44,150 and the 90th percentile was $108,420.

Plasterers apply plaster, stucco, and ornamental surface coatings to interior and exterior walls, ceilings, and architectural features. The work spans traditional three-coat plaster systems, exterior stucco and EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), Venetian plaster decorative finishes, and ornamental plaster restoration on historic buildings. Most plasterers learn on the job or through a union apprenticeship, and the trade requires no formal education credential to enter, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Demand is concentrated in the Southwest and Florida, where stucco exteriors dominate residential and commercial construction, and in commercial markets where EIFS remains a standard cladding choice.

A plumber installs, repairs and tests the piping that supplies water to buildings, removes waste and, in many places, carries fuel gas to appliances. Plumbers work for contractors on new construction, for service shops on repair calls, and for hospitals, utilities and governments maintaining their own systems. The job runs on a licensed path from apprentice to journeyman to master, with work checked against a locally adopted plumbing code. BLS reports a May 2025 median wage of $63,800 for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, with a 10th-to-90th percentile band of $44,150 to $108,420.

Plumbing Estimators quantify and price the material, labor, and equipment required to install plumbing systems on construction projects. They analyze drawings and specifications, perform material takeoffs, apply labor unit rates, and develop competitive bids that allow plumbing contractors to win work at prices that generate profit — while managing the risk that comes from estimating work before it begins.

Plumbing Project Managers oversee the execution of plumbing contracts on commercial and industrial construction projects — managing the budget, schedule, procurement, field coordination, and client relationships from contract award through final completion. They are the primary business contact for the general contractor and owner on the plumbing scope, accountable for both project performance and profit.

Plumbing Supervisors oversee plumbing crews on construction and service projects, coordinating work schedules, enforcing code compliance, managing materials, and ensuring quality on every rough-in and finish installation. They bridge the gap between project managers and journeyman plumbers, keeping jobs moving safely and on budget.

A professional land surveyor measures land, locates property lines and certifies the results that deeds, title policies and construction plans rely on. On building projects, surveyors map the existing site before design and stake the design on the ground during construction, while licensed surveyors sign boundary surveys, plats and ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys. BLS tracks the job as Surveyors (SOC 17-1022). In May 2025 the occupation's pay ran from $46,880 at the 10th percentile to $125,590 at the 90th, with a median of $75,440. The work splits between fieldwork with GNSS receivers and total stations and office work reducing data, researching records and drafting plats.

Project Architects lead the technical execution of architectural projects from design development through construction administration. Working under a Principal or Design Architect, they own the production drawings, manage consultant coordination, respond to RFIs and submittals, and keep the project aligned with code, budget, and schedule through every phase of delivery.

Project Engineers support construction project delivery by managing submittals, RFIs, schedules, subcontractor coordination, and field documentation. They are the administrative and technical backbone of a project team, working directly under a Project Manager or Superintendent to keep information flowing between the office, field, and design team. The role is the standard entry point into construction management for engineering and construction management graduates, with a clear multi-year path toward Project Manager.

A construction Quality Control Manager runs the general contractor's quality program on a project: writing the QC plan, running inspections for each definable feature of work, managing submittals and testing, and keeping the records that prove the work meets the contract. On USACE, NAVFAC and AFCEC jobs built under UFGS 01 45 00, the role is a contract-named position that reports to an officer of the firm, not the superintendent or project manager. BLS has no separate occupation for it; in the construction sector, industrial production managers, the group that includes quality control systems managers, earned a May 2025 median of $110,840.

Rebar Installers (reinforcing ironworkers) cut, bend, tie, and position steel reinforcing bar inside forms before concrete is poured. Their work is the structural skeleton inside every concrete slab, wall, column, and foundation — and placing it correctly to specification is what gives reinforced concrete its load-bearing strength.

A restoration technician is the field worker a restoration contractor sends after water, fire, smoke or mold damages a building. The job sits between cleaning and construction: extracting water, setting drying equipment, tearing out ruined materials, cleaning soot and removing mold so a rebuild crew can take over. When an insurer is paying, the technician's photos and moisture logs support the claim as much as the labor does. BLS publishes no restoration occupation. The nearest match, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, had a May 2025 median of $49,450, with the 10th percentile at $38,460 and the 90th at $82,410.

A road construction worker is the laborer on a highway, street or bridge crew who prepares grade, handles hot asphalt and fresh concrete, runs compactors and breakers, and keeps the work zone safe for the crew and passing drivers. The job sits inside the construction laborer occupation, usually with a heavy civil or paving contractor working state DOT and municipal contracts. BLS reports a May 2025 median of $47,120 for construction laborers, with the 10th percentile at $35,090 and the 90th at $78,090. BLS says the trade is learned on the job, and some workers go through a union apprenticeship; the next rung up is running rollers, pavers and other paving equipment.

Roofers install, repair, and replace roofing systems on residential and commercial buildings, working with asphalt shingles, modified bitumen, TPO, EPDM, metal panels, and built-up roofing systems. The work is physically demanding, weather-dependent, and requires both precision installation and strict adherence to fall protection requirements.

A senior project manager in construction runs a contractor's largest or most complex jobs, or a group of jobs at once, and answers for their cost, schedule, quality and safety. The role sits above project managers and below a project executive or operations vice president, at general contractors, construction management firms and owner organizations such as hospital systems and public agencies. BLS counts the work under Construction Managers and does not report senior titles separately. For that occupation, the May 2025 national wage survey put the 10th percentile at $69,690, the median at $114,990 and the 90th percentile at $189,440.

A sheet metal worker fabricates and installs products made from thin steel, aluminum, stainless and copper: HVAC ductwork and fittings, metal roofing, gutters, flashing, wall panels and kitchen exhaust systems. In construction the trade sits with mechanical and specialty contractors, and the work splits between the fabrication shop, where flat stock becomes duct sections and fittings, and the job site, where crews hang, seal and connect those pieces overhead. Workers move from apprentice to journey level and can branch into testing and balancing, detailing or foreman roles. BLS put the occupation's May 2025 national median wage at $61,800, with the 10th percentile at $38,630 and the 90th at $105,650.

Site Safety Managers are dedicated, full-time safety professionals assigned to a single large construction project. Unlike safety coordinators who may split time across multiple projects, the Site Safety Manager is on-site every day — conducting inspections, managing subcontractor safety performance, running training, responding to incidents, and serving as the owner's and GC's on-site safety authority from mobilization through project closeout.

A Site Superintendent is a general contractor's lead on the jobsite, responsible for sequencing subcontractors, enforcing safety, checking installed work against the drawings and keeping the field schedule on track from mobilization through the certificate of occupancy. The role reports to or partners with the project manager, who runs the contract and budget from the office. The closest BLS occupation, Construction Managers, had a May 2025 median wage of $114,990, with the 10th percentile at $69,690 and the 90th at $189,440. Pay moves with project type, market and the size of the jobs a superintendent can run.

A Site Supervisor in construction is a contractor's field leader for a defined part of a jobsite: several crews, a group of trades, an area of the building or a phase of work. The supervisor assigns daily tasks, checks installed work against drawings and specifications, enforces safety rules and reports production to a superintendent or project manager. O*NET files the title under first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, an occupation with a May 2025 median wage of $79,920 in BLS data, ranging from $53,280 at the 10th percentile to $128,260 at the 90th.

A Structural Engineer designs and checks the framing, foundations and connections that let buildings, bridges and other structures carry gravity, wind and seismic loads without failing. On a construction project the role sits between the architect, who sets the form, and the contractor, who builds it: the structural engineer turns loads into member sizes, drawings and calculations, then answers field questions once the steel and concrete arrive. Federal wage data files the job under civil engineers, a group that includes structural engineers. For that group the May 2025 median wage was $100,840, with the 10th percentile at $68,240 and the 90th at $163,220.

Structural Welders join steel components in buildings, bridges, industrial facilities, and infrastructure using arc welding processes qualified to AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code standards. Their work is load-path critical — a failed structural weld can cause structural collapse — making their certification, process discipline, and weld quality non-negotiable.

A survey technician runs the instruments and data collectors on a land survey crew and processes the measurements into points, surfaces and drawings, working under a licensed surveyor who signs the final product. On construction projects the job covers control, layout staking and as-built locations; at surveying firms it adds boundary and topographic work. BLS counts the role as Surveying and Mapping Technicians, whose national median pay was $54,240 in May 2025, with the 10th percentile at $37,520 and the 90th percentile at $81,630. Employers include engineering and surveying consultancies, local governments, utilities and contractors.

A Traffic Control Technician sets up, maintains and removes the temporary traffic control that lets road and utility crews work beside live traffic: the signs, cones, drums, arrow boards and flagging stations a traffic control plan calls for. In construction, the job sits with highway contractors and traffic control subcontractors, working under a Traffic Control Supervisor and in front of the agency inspector. BLS files the title under traffic technicians, and in the construction sector that occupation's May 2025 wages ran from $38,460 at the 10th percentile to $59,330 at the 90th, with a median of $46,360. ATSSA awards a Traffic Control Technician (TCT) certification for the role.

Welding Inspectors verify that welds meet the quality standards and code requirements specified by engineers and project contracts. They review welding procedure specifications, witness weld tests, perform visual inspections during and after welding, coordinate nondestructive testing, and accept or reject weld joints against documented acceptance criteria — providing the independent quality record that construction projects and regulatory agencies require.

A Welding Supervisor manages the welders on a construction project or in a structural and piping fabrication shop, assigning qualified welders to each joint, enforcing welding procedures, running hot work safety and answering for rejected welds. The role sits between the crew and the superintendent, project manager and quality control inspector. BLS does not report the job separately; for the nearest occupation, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, the May 2025 national median wage was $74,450, with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $47,130 to $108,750.