A crew supervisor in Washington earns a median of $52.68 an hour. The same job title in Arkansas pays a median of $29.44. That is a gap of $23.24 an hour, or 79% higher at the top of the table than at the bottom, and it works out to $48,340 a year in base pay.
Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (OEWS), May 2025 reference period, which is the most recent release. The national median for the occupation is $38.42 an hour, or $79,920 a year.
One caution before anything else. BLS does not publish a wage line called "construction foreman." The closest occupation, and the one every number on this page describes, is "first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers," SOC 47-1011. It covers foremen, general foremen and working superintendents who directly supervise crews. It also includes supervisors of extraction workers in mining and oil and gas. So this is not a construction-only number, and in states with heavy extraction activity some of the people counted are running mine or oilfield crews, not building crews.
The National Picture: $38.42 an Hour at the Median
BLS counted 812,210 wage and salary jobs in this occupation in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $38.42 and the median annual wage was $79,920. The mean was higher: $41.56 an hour, or $86,450 a year.
The full national distribution:
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $25.62 | $53,280 |
| 25th | $30.48 | $63,400 |
| 50th (median) | $38.42 | $79,920 |
| 75th | $48.78 | $101,460 |
| 90th | $61.66 | $128,260 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national estimates, SOC 47-1011.
A supervisor at the 90th percentile earns $61.66 an hour against $25.62 at the 10th percentile, a ratio of 2.4x. The title covers a lot: a lead on a small residential framing crew and a general foreman on a large industrial project are both in this count.
The mean sits $3.14 an hour above the median, or $6,530 a year. When the mean runs above the median, a smaller group of high earners is pulling the average up. The median is the better figure for what a typical supervisor makes. Half of the workers in this occupation earn less than $38.42 an hour, and a quarter earn less than $30.48. The 75th percentile is where annual base pay crosses six figures, at $101,460.
Foremen are not construction managers
BLS tracks construction managers as a separate occupation, SOC 11-9021. The difference is the nature of the work, not the size of the paycheck. First-line supervisors direct crews in the field: they assign tasks, check the work, keep the crew safe and often work with the tools themselves. Construction managers plan, budget and coordinate whole projects, usually from the office or trailer side of the job, and they oversee supervisors instead of crews.
If your day is spent running a crew, the numbers here are yours. If it is spent on schedules, contracts and budgets, see our separate piece on construction manager salaries.
Full State Table
BLS published a median for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 51 areas in total. The table is ranked by median hourly wage.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $52.68 | $109,570 | 19,550 |
| 2 | Illinois | $50.84 | $105,750 | 19,340 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $50.73 | $105,510 | 16,230 |
| 4 | Oregon | $49.55 | $103,070 | 7,890 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $49.34 | $102,630 | 2,890 |
| 6 | Alaska | $49.10 | $102,140 | 2,690 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $47.40 | $98,590 | 2,060 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $47.04 | $97,850 | 18,330 |
| 9 | California | $46.96 | $97,680 | 71,750 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $46.93 | $97,610 | 13,580 |
| 11 | New York | $46.01 | $95,700 | 29,600 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $44.36 | $92,260 | 6,980 |
| 13 | Missouri | $42.08 | $87,520 | 13,330 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $41.60 | $86,520 | 1,420 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $41.03 | $85,350 | 15,150 |
| 16 | Indiana | $39.68 | $82,530 | 16,450 |
| 17 | Vermont | $39.66 | $82,490 | 1,010 |
| 18 | Nevada | $39.42 | $81,990 | 9,680 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $39.20 | $81,540 | 26,860 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $39.12 | $81,370 | 4,350 |
| 21 | Colorado | $39.05 | $81,230 | 21,380 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $39.05 | $81,220 | 3,590 |
| 23 | Delaware | $38.99 | $81,100 | 2,590 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $38.49 | $80,060 | 5,380 |
| 25 | Ohio | $38.26 | $79,580 | 23,640 |
| 26 | Maryland | $37.87 | $78,760 | 15,400 |
| 27 | Virginia | $37.81 | $78,640 | 24,970 |
| 28 | Arizona | $37.76 | $78,550 | 21,550 |
| 29 | Iowa | $37.75 | $78,510 | 9,660 |
| 30 | Georgia | $37.71 | $78,430 | 26,770 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $37.62 | $78,250 | 3,270 |
| 32 | Michigan | $37.59 | $78,180 | 16,660 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $37.35 | $77,690 | 2,360 |
| 34 | Maine | $37.16 | $77,290 | 3,130 |
| 35 | Utah | $37.15 | $77,280 | 14,270 |
| 36 | Montana | $36.98 | $76,910 | 4,350 |
| 37 | Kansas | $36.91 | $76,780 | 8,940 |
| 38 | Florida | $36.44 | $75,790 | 69,830 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $36.33 | $75,570 | 6,020 |
| 40 | Idaho | $36.32 | $75,550 | 6,730 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $36.23 | $75,360 | 14,070 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $36.23 | $75,350 | 13,150 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $36.19 | $75,270 | 32,460 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $36.12 | $75,130 | 6,790 |
| 45 | Texas | $35.83 | $74,520 | 90,010 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $35.81 | $74,470 | 17,770 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $35.33 | $73,490 | 9,620 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $35.11 | $73,040 | 11,520 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $32.17 | $66,910 | 7,040 |
| 50 | Alabama | $30.83 | $64,120 | 13,580 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $29.44 | $61,230 | 6,590 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates, SOC 47-1011.
Highest and Lowest Paying States
Only 24 of 51 areas post a median above the national figure of $38.42. The other 27 fall below it. West Virginia, at $38.49, is the last state above the line, and Ohio, at $38.26, is the first below it.
The top 10 by median hourly wage are Washington ($52.68), Illinois ($50.84), New Jersey ($50.73), Oregon ($49.55), Hawaii ($49.34), Alaska ($49.10), Rhode Island ($47.40), Massachusetts ($47.04), California ($46.96) and Minnesota ($46.93). Washington's median is $14.26 an hour above the national median.
The bottom 10 are South Carolina ($36.23), North Carolina ($36.19), New Mexico ($36.12), Texas ($35.83), Tennessee ($35.81), Kentucky ($35.33), Oklahoma ($35.11), Mississippi ($32.17), Alabama ($30.83) and Arkansas ($29.44). Arkansas sits $8.98 an hour under the national median, with a median annual wage of $61,230.
Most of the country is packed into a narrow band. From rank 16 down to rank 48, the medians run only from $39.68 to $35.11. The separation happens at the top and at the very bottom, where Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas drop away from the rest.
OEWS does not say why states differ, and I will not put numbers on causes the survey does not measure. The usual explanations are these. Supervisor pay tends to follow the pay of the crews being supervised. Union density matters, because a foreman rate under a collective agreement is normally set above the journey-level rate. Cost of living matters. So does the mix of work: large commercial, industrial and utility projects generally pay supervisors more than light residential work.
For a look at how the underlying trade rates line up state by state, compare this table with our carpenter wages by state table.
Where the Jobs Are
Texas has the most jobs in this occupation, 90,010, at a median of $35.83. California is second with 71,750 jobs at $46.96. Florida is third with 69,830 jobs at $36.44. North Carolina follows with 32,460 jobs at $36.19, then New York with 29,600 jobs at $46.01. Pennsylvania (26,860 jobs at $39.20), Georgia (26,770 jobs at $37.71) and Virginia (24,970 jobs at $37.81) come next.
The top 5 states by employment hold 293,650 of the 812,210 national jobs (36%). Three of those five, Texas, Florida and North Carolina, pay below the national median. The biggest pools of supervisors are in lower-paying states, which holds the national median down.
Texas and California are the two largest employers, and California's median is $11.13 an hour higher. Texas also has a large oil and gas sector, so its count should not be read as construction foremen alone.
Several of the highest-paying states are small markets. Hawaii has 2,890 jobs, Alaska 2,690 and Rhode Island 2,060. A high median in a small market means fewer openings to compete for.
How Workers and Contractors Should Use These Numbers
If you are a foreman, use your state's median as a floor for the conversation, not a target. It includes new leads on small crews. If you run a large crew, carry responsibility for layout, safety and schedule, or hold skills that are hard to replace, the national 75th percentile of $48.78 is a more useful reference than the median. Language skills are one example, and we cover that in our piece on the pay premium for bilingual foremen.
If you are a contractor, check your foreman pay against the state median before you lose someone. A foreman paid under the state median has an easy case to make to a competitor. These are base wages, and the cost to you is higher once payroll taxes, insurance and benefits are added. Our labor burden calculator converts an hourly wage into a loaded cost so you can price a supervisor's time correctly in a bid.
If you are weighing a move, do not compare medians alone. OEWS does not adjust for cost of living, and neither does this table.
What the Data Does Not Show
It covers wage and salary workers only. Self-employed people are not counted, so an owner who runs his own crew is not in these numbers.
It measures straight-time gross pay. Overtime premiums are excluded, and so are benefits and per diem. Foremen often work long weeks, so actual annual earnings can sit above the annual figures shown here. The survey cannot tell you by how much.
The reference period is May 2025. Wages have moved since then, and this table does not capture that. The next OEWS release, covering May 2026, is due in spring 2027.
The figures are medians across all employers, not union scale. A foreman rate in a collective agreement, or a rate on a prevailing wage project, is set by that agreement or wage determination and can differ from the state median in either direction.
The occupation is not construction-only. Supervisors of mining and oil and gas extraction crews are included, and the state figures do not separate them out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average construction foreman salary in the United States?
BLS reports a median of $38.42 an hour, or $79,920 a year, for first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers as of May 2025. The mean is higher, at $41.56 an hour, or $86,450 a year.
Which state pays construction foremen the most?
Washington, with a median of $52.68 an hour, or $109,570 a year. Illinois is second at $50.84. Arkansas is lowest at $29.44 an hour, or $61,230 a year.
Is a construction foreman the same as a construction manager in BLS data?
No. Foremen fall under first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, SOC 47-1011. Construction managers are a separate occupation, SOC 11-9021. Supervisors direct crews in the field. Managers plan and coordinate whole projects.
Do these figures include overtime and benefits?
No. OEWS reports straight-time gross pay. Overtime premiums, benefits and per diem are excluded. Self-employed workers are also left out of the survey entirely.
How much do the highest-paid construction supervisors make?
Nationally, the 90th percentile is $61.66 an hour, or $128,260 a year. The 75th percentile is $48.78 an hour, or $101,460 a year.
Your Action Item for This Week
Find your state in the table and write down the median hourly wage. If you are a foreman, compare it to your own straight-time rate.
If you employ supervisors, list each one's base rate next to the state median. Anyone below the median is a retention risk.
If you are below the median and plan to ask for a raise, bring the BLS figure and the SOC code with you.
Sources & Data Cited
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national and state estimates, First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, SOC 47-1011
