North Carolina Construction Workers Earn 4th Least in U.S. After Cost-of-Living Adjustment

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 21, 2026

A new Construction Coverage analysis of BLS wage data and BEA regional price metrics finds that construction employment hit a record 8.34 million workers by mid-2026, with median annual wages of $59,540—nearly 17% above the national all-occupation median. However, real purchasing power varies sharply by region: Midwestern states lead on cost-adjusted pay, while Southern states—including North Carolina—cluster at the bottom. The findings are relevant to staffing firms serving construction clients, as wage competitiveness and regional cost-of-living gaps directly influence candidate attraction and retention strategies.