There is no federal wage series for data center construction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not break out pay for the electricians, pipefitters, and ironworkers building data halls from the same trades building hospitals or warehouses, and most of the "$70-an-hour data center electrician" figures that circulate online trace back to recruiter pitches or nothing at all. What can be measured is the baseline: what each trade earns nationally and in the metro areas where data centers are going up, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for May 2025, the most recent release. On top of that baseline sit the things that make data center jobs pay differently: union agreements, overtime, per diem, and shift work.
The demand is real. The Census Bureau puts private data center construction at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $84.95 billion in August 2026, up 73.2% from a year earlier. CBRE counted 7,481 megawatts under construction in primary North American markets in the first half of 2026, led by Atlanta at 2,882 MW and Northern Virginia at 2,420 MW. Virginia's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) found in its 2024 study that a typical data center building takes 12 to 18 months to build and has about 1,500 construction workers on site at peak. For the wider labor-supply picture, see the skilled trades shortage hitting data centers.
National Medians for the Data Center Trades
These are the trades that make up most of the labor on a data center job, with BLS OEWS national medians and upper percentiles for May 2025. They cover all industries and all project types, so they are a floor for what an experienced hand on a major project should expect, not a data center rate.
| Trade (SOC) | Median Hourly | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians (47-2111) | $30.38 | $40.36 | $52.17 | 757,220 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters (47-2152) | $30.67 | $40.92 | $52.13 | 465,840 |
| HVAC mechanics and installers (49-9021) | $29.33 | $37.05 | $45.78 | 409,670 |
| Sheet metal workers (47-2211) | $29.71 | $39.24 | $50.79 | 119,770 |
| Structural iron and steel workers (47-2221) | $30.18 | $39.74 | $52.05 | 68,380 |
| Operating engineers (47-2073) | $28.78 | $37.10 | $48.60 | 478,090 |
| Millwrights (49-9044) | $31.59 | $39.18 | $45.00 | 40,330 |
| Telecom equipment installers (49-2022) | $30.72 | $39.27 | $46.51 | 140,920 |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | $29.12 | $36.94 | $48.03 | 670,090 |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | $22.66 | $28.72 | $37.54 | 1,096,780 |
The skilled trades cluster tightly around $29 to $32 at the median. Where they separate is at the top: electricians, pipefitters, and ironworkers all reach about $52 at the 90th percentile. That upper band is where large commercial, industrial, and union work sits, and it is the realistic benchmark for an experienced journeyman on a major data center project. A worker paid near the national median on a hyperscale job is likely underpaid relative to the market for that work.
Metro Medians in Major Data Center Markets
Data center construction is concentrated in a few metros, and local wages vary more than the national numbers suggest. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians by metro area:
| Trade | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (incl. N. Virginia) | Dallas-Fort Worth | Atlanta | Columbus, OH | Phoenix | Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | $36.50 | $28.37 | $28.20 | $31.11 | $29.43 | $49.21 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters | $34.55 | $29.45 | $28.07 | $30.41 | $30.65 | $49.70 |
| HVAC mechanics | $34.58 | $28.63 | $28.35 | $30.98 | $29.41 | $37.48 |
| Sheet metal workers | $29.46 | $27.04 | $27.28 | $37.39 | $24.63 | $45.82 |
| Structural ironworkers | $32.85 | $25.77 | $23.12 | $36.98 | $28.63 | $49.21 |
| Operating engineers | $29.64 | $24.70 | $23.77 | $37.96 | $30.07 | $49.57 |
| Telecom equipment installers | $33.56 | $29.01 | $34.03 | $29.51 | $29.90 | $33.57 |
| Construction laborers | $22.80 | $21.14 | $20.20 | $29.11 | $22.56 | $29.27 |
A few patterns stand out.
Northern Virginia's metro area pays electricians $36.50 at the median, about $6 above the national figure, and pipefitters and HVAC mechanics about $4 above. That is the metro with the most data center construction history in the country.
Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta, two of the fastest-growing markets, pay below the national median for most trades. Atlanta has the most capacity under construction of any market in CBRE's count, yet its electrician median is $28.20 and its structural ironworker median is $23.12. In both metros, data center contractors competing for crews typically pay above the local median, and travelers coming in on per diem fill a share of the jobs.
Columbus, Ohio, stands out for the heavy trades: operating engineers ($37.96), sheet metal workers ($37.39), and ironworkers ($36.98) all earn well above their national medians.
Chicago is in a different bracket. Electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, and operating engineers all earn about $49 to $50 at the median there, reflecting a heavily unionized market. The Chicago figures are a reminder that the highest-paid construction labor in the country is not necessarily where the most data centers are being built.
These are metro-wide medians across all employers, so they include residential and light-commercial work. They are the local floor, not a quote for a specific job.
What Changes on a Data Center Job
Four things push actual earnings on large data center projects above those medians. None of them is published as a federal statistic, so treat any precise figure you see for them with suspicion and get the real numbers from the employer or local.
Union scale. Where a project is built under a project labor agreement or by union contractors, pay follows the local's collective bargaining agreement: a posted wage plus fringe contributions for pension, health, annuity, and training. BLS OEWS does not split wages by union status. For construction overall, BLS union membership data for 2025 shows median weekly earnings of $1,585 for union members versus $1,132 for nonunion workers. Our union vs. non-union wage comparison explains how to compare packages.
Overtime. Schedule pressure on preleased data center space means extended weeks are common. Under the FLSA, non-exempt workers earn at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. At the Washington-area electrician median of $36.50, a 50-hour week grosses $2,007.50 and a 60-hour week $2,555. At the national median of $30.38, the same weeks gross $1,670.90 and $2,126.60. Overtime, not base rate, is usually what makes data center pay stand out.
Per diem and travel. Many campuses are outside established labor pools, so contractors bring in travelers and pay a daily allowance for lodging and meals. Rates and tax treatment vary by employer and whether the allowance is paid under an accountable plan; ask how it is paid and get it in writing.
Shift work and commissioning. Late-stage testing and commissioning often run around the clock. Shift differentials are set by the employer or the bargaining agreement, not by any federal rule.
Prevailing wage generally does not apply. Davis-Bacon covers federally funded or federal contracts; a privately financed data center is not a federal project. Some state incentive programs attach their own labor conditions; our state data center incentives guide covers which ones.
Why Electrical Labor Dominates
Data centers are electrical buildings. Medium-voltage distribution, switchgear lineups, transformers, generators and paralleling gear, UPS systems, busway, and feeders make up the largest trade package on most projects. Our data center electrical systems article explains why, and our data center trades in demand article covers the other packages. The practical result for pay: electricians are usually the largest crew on site, and electricians with medium-voltage, switchgear, and commissioning experience are the hardest to find.
The cooling side is next. Chilled-water plants, large-bore piping, air handling, and the liquid cooling loops that AI hardware increasingly requires all need pipefitters, HVAC mechanics, and sheet metal workers. Certified pipe welders are a separate constraint on that work.
How to Benchmark an Offer
For a tradesperson weighing a data center job:
- Start with the metro median for your trade in the table above and the national 75th percentile. An offer for skilled work on a major project should clear the local median comfortably.
- Ask for the full package: base rate, fringe or benefits, guaranteed hours, overtime rules, shift differential, per diem amount and how it is paid, and any completion bonus. Get all of it in writing.
- For union work, ask the local for the current wage sheet in the target market.
- Compare annual gross at realistic hours, not the hourly rate alone. A lower base with guaranteed 50-hour weeks can beat a higher base at 40.
For contractors staffing a project, price labor from the local market, not national averages, and run the full burden. Use the labor burden calculator for true crew cost and the overtime calculator for extended-week schedules. Most hyperscale volume goes to a small group of general contractors; see our top data center construction contractors for who is building.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do electricians make on data center construction?
BLS does not publish data center-specific wages. The national median for electricians was $30.38 an hour in May 2025, with a 90th percentile of $52.17. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro area, which includes Northern Virginia's data center corridor, the median was $36.50. Actual pay on data center jobs depends on union agreements, overtime, and per diem.
Why do data center jobs often pay more than other commercial work?
Mostly through hours and allowances rather than a higher base: extended weeks with overtime, per diem for travelers, and shift work during commissioning. Union projects also pay contractual scale plus fringe. None of these premiums is measured by a federal survey.
Do data center projects pay prevailing wage?
Usually not. Davis-Bacon applies to federally funded or federal contracts, and most data centers are privately financed. Pay follows the local market or a union agreement. Some state incentive programs add their own labor conditions.
Which data center market pays the most?
Among the markets in our table, Chicago has the highest metro medians for most skilled trades, around $49 to $50 an hour for electricians, pipefitters, ironworkers, and operating engineers. Of the largest data center construction markets, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro pays electricians the most at $36.50. Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth medians run below the national figure for most trades.
How many workers does a data center project employ?
Virginia's JLARC found a typical data center building has about 1,500 construction workers on site at peak and takes 12 to 18 months to build.
What does a low-voltage or fiber tech earn?
BLS reports a May 2025 national median of $30.72 an hour for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers (except line installers), with a 90th percentile of $46.51. The Atlanta metro median was $34.03 and the Washington-area median $33.56.
Your Action Item for This Week
If you are a tradesperson looking at data center work, find your trade and metro in the tables and write down the median and the national 75th percentile. Then ask any recruiter or contractor for the full package in writing: base, benefits, guaranteed hours, overtime, shift differential, and per diem. If you run a crew, price your next data center bid from the local metro wage, not the national figure, and run the overtime schedule through the calculator before you commit to a number.
Sources and data cited
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, national and metropolitan area estimates, retrieved via the BLS Public Data API: www.bls.gov/oes/
- U.S. Census Bureau, Value of Construction Put in Place, August 2026 (data center category)
- CBRE, North America Data Center Trends, H1 2026
- Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Data Centers in Virginia (2024)
- BLS, Union Members 2025 (construction industry)
- 40 U.S.C. 3142 (Davis-Bacon Act)
